I got an emergency puffercall today. Porcpuff (so they say...) in a 125g tank. Suddenly stopped eating, laying on the bottom on it's side. No test kit on hand (the gall calling is someone I've dealt with in the reef club--will test tomorrow). Elderly lady owner--loves her porky. Doesn't think she's been doing any kind of "regular" water changes. Is worried about the teeth. Only been feeding shrimp.
I don't think if it was the teeth, it would just suddenly stop eating. I'm thinking water parameters. If the puffer's been in this tank for 5-7 years (I can't remember now), w/o many water changes, it's gotta be the water parameters. More info tomorrow, I guess.[/i]
ER Puffercall!
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Pufferpunk
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ER Puffercall!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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YBeNormal
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Could also be caused by bad food or something environmental such as insecticides or other chemicals. The fact that she has not been performing routine water changes over the years might be a contributing factor but I'd expect symptoms to appear over a period of days or weeks rather than all of a sudden. Either way, good luck Doctor PP!
--Bob
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Pufferpunk
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Um... should I charge her (especially if I have to trim teeth) or is this just something hobbyists do for each other? It's about 15 miles from here. I do owe the gal that called me... She gave me a ton of frags for really cheap. Not too sure of their relationship--I don't think they're that close.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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YBeNormal
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If you do tank maintenance as a primary or side job, then reasonable charges for your services should be expected. Otherwise, this is they type of assistance that most of us provide to fellow fish and reef keepers in our local areas. If you are gong to charge for the visit, make sure they are aware of that in advance to avoid an awkward situation when you hold your hand out at the end of the visit.
Personally, I would do the first visit for free or for a nominal fuel charge and offer to assist with regular tank maintenance in the future at a mutually agreeable rate. Since she is "elderly" and has not been performing routine water changes, it sounds like she might be interested in purchasing routine maintenance support.
Personally, I would do the first visit for free or for a nominal fuel charge and offer to assist with regular tank maintenance in the future at a mutually agreeable rate. Since she is "elderly" and has not been performing routine water changes, it sounds like she might be interested in purchasing routine maintenance support.
--Bob
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Pufferpunk
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Pufferpunk
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Saw the puffer today. What a sad sight! Puffer was on it's side, barely breathing. This is a real crime. No WC for 6 months. All filters stagnant & unplugged but still connected to tank, so the stagnant rancid water was leeching into the tank (OMG the smell!). Couldn't even test for nitrates--off the chart. Ca was 200. Cabinet could barely open, cause there was so much salt on the sump, you couldn't even see it. I cleaned one of the pumps & got some flow going into the tank & puffer started breathing better. The fellow that asked me over to help w/the teeth (didn't even see any teeth), was starting a WC when I was leaving & the puffer was upright & fanning it's fins, as if to say thank you.
The story is that the puffer belongs to this woman's son & he stopped taking care of it about 6 months ago. It's only been fed krill. No live rock, no skimmer. The fellow going over to save the puffer seemed to be keeping track of his time & expenses, so I'm pretty sure he'll be charging them. If the son doesn't want to pay for the total rehab & upkeep, I think he's gonna take the puffer home with him, cause he's certainly not gonna let the puffer die like that.
The story is that the puffer belongs to this woman's son & he stopped taking care of it about 6 months ago. It's only been fed krill. No live rock, no skimmer. The fellow going over to save the puffer seemed to be keeping track of his time & expenses, so I'm pretty sure he'll be charging them. If the son doesn't want to pay for the total rehab & upkeep, I think he's gonna take the puffer home with him, cause he's certainly not gonna let the puffer die like that.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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lisalisa
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Pufferpunk
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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LL, After the puffer was laying on it's side, not eating for 1 1/2 weeks, she figured she better call someone about it for help. The woman loves the puffer but it's not hers & her son is never around.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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lisalisa
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The Fisherman
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32979
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
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The Fisherman
- Fahaka Puffer
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lisalisa