Sick Spotted Puffer
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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kszalewski
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 9:53 pm
Sick Spotted Puffer
I have had my Spotted Puffer for about six months. In the past two days I've noticed that something is not right. He appears to be breathing really heavy and he never seems to close his mouth. He also hasn't eaten in the last few days. I've done a water change and tested my water, everything appears to be fine. He is in a 30 gallon brackish water tank. When I had the water tested the Ammonia was 0, the Nitrite was 0, the Nitrate was 0 and the pH was 8.0. The pet store all tested the salt level in my tank and they said it was fine (I don't remember exactly what they said it was) I don't know what is wrong with him. Any suggestions on what I can do would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Last edited by kszalewski on Fri May 04, 2007 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Puffer Queen
- Mentor
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kszalewski
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 9:53 pm
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kszalewski
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 9:53 pm
How long has the tank been set up? 9 months
How long have you had the fish? 6 months
How big is the tank? 30 gallons
How big is the fish? 5 inches
Any tankmates? 3 angel fish (currently I have divided the tank in half and the puffer is by himself)
Are you doing weekly water changes? yes
How much? 1/3 of the water in the tank
What are the water parameters:
Ammonia? 0
NitrItes? 0
NitrAtes? 0
pH? 8.0
How long have you been keeping fish? 1 year
For BW fish:
What is the SG? I had this tested by a local pet store and they said it was fine. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact # they told me
How long have you had the fish? 6 months
How big is the tank? 30 gallons
How big is the fish? 5 inches
Any tankmates? 3 angel fish (currently I have divided the tank in half and the puffer is by himself)
Are you doing weekly water changes? yes
How much? 1/3 of the water in the tank
What are the water parameters:
Ammonia? 0
NitrItes? 0
NitrAtes? 0
pH? 8.0
How long have you been keeping fish? 1 year
For BW fish:
What is the SG? I had this tested by a local pet store and they said it was fine. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact # they told me
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Boxermom
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
When did you have the water tested? "Fine" is meaningless to us, as are water parameters from a week ago, or even yesterday. We need to know what the current water parameters are now, including the SG. If you don't have test kits yourself, you really should invest in them, especially after a year of fishkeeping. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals' Master Test Kit has all of the basics. You also need a hydrometer or refractometer to measure the salinity. Guessing, especially with a fish as sensitive to water parameters as a puffer, isn't a good idea.
That said, until you get a test kit or get the water tested, I highly recommend a large volume water change, at least 50% if possible. Water changes help a lot of things and won't hurt.
Regardless of the water parameters, you need a separate tank for the angels. GSPs need high end brackish as adults, and angels won't do well as you start to raise the salinity.
In addition, what kind of salt are you using?
That said, until you get a test kit or get the water tested, I highly recommend a large volume water change, at least 50% if possible. Water changes help a lot of things and won't hurt.
Regardless of the water parameters, you need a separate tank for the angels. GSPs need high end brackish as adults, and angels won't do well as you start to raise the salinity.
In addition, what kind of salt are you using?
Tina
Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
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Pufferpunk
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burrfish
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A 5" GSP needs that whole tank to itself. The angels prefer the opposite water conditions than the puffer. They don't appreciate salt at all.
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!"