The Puffer Forum

Glad to hear he's doing better. He is pretty much my favorite puffer that's not mine.

will keep up with the water changes but I think I have realised why the nitrate went so high in the first place, since replacing my gravel syphon this week I got a lot more decaying matter out the gravel so I guess that my old one wasn't getting all the waste thus adding to the biolad of the tank. Clearly the stocking level is the real problem but all that poo poo wouldn't have helped

LOL, what about the days before gravel cleaners, when you had to hand-stir all the gravel & the fish were swimming in brown poo-soup? Then you let it all settle on top of the gravel & syphon it off.

Troender wrote:

manutius wrote: I hope your puffers can't rread

They are trapped in their tanks, and can't get to the computer - at least not that I know of. Except maybe little Houdini, who materialized into a new tank 10 meters away from her old one.
But I love them too, of course

I woud love to see Houdini do that trick, how cool

spoot wrote:Manutius, if you have a small spare tank and some diy skills, you could have a refug on a shelf above clooney's tank. It would be fed via a pump and then it would overflow back down. We have some sort of floating plant in our tank that doesn't seem to mind water flow. They grow like mad too. I'll try to get a picture of it.

Thats a good idea but as the tank is in the winsow there isn't a place i could site one of any decent size, also think the wife would flip out if I had pipework trailing around the lounge

flamesofifreet wrote:Glad to hear he's doing better. He is pretty much my favorite puffer that's not mine.

aah thanks I shall let him know he has a fan club guys

Pufferpunk wrote: LOL, what about the days before gravel cleaners, when you had to hand-stir all the gravel & the fish were swimming in brown poo-soup? Then you let it all settle on top of the gravel & syphon it off.

Thankfully I haven't had that remarkable experience

God, I'm old... Hey, w/RTR leaving, I think I'm the oldest here now.

21 aint that old

I wish I knew everything I know now & was the person I am now, in a 21 year old body!

I hope your NO3 problem does not occur again. Just in case my 2 cent:

A plant filter ("veggie filter") similar to what Myaj and spoot suggested would be a good idea. A window box with several pots with fast growing plants w.g. "Umbrella Plants" Cyperus alternifolius and others that like permanently wet roots above the tank. Water should slowly flow through the box and return to the tank. Sunlight from the window would be ideal. Could be decorative to please the wife.

A sulphur filter (as used in large marine systems where life rock isn't enough) would work, too, but is rather expensive when done right (monitoring Red-Ox equipment).

Cheers Corvus I shall run this idea past the wife I really like the sound of it, though I would have to disuade the cats from using it as a toilet

Oh what plant is it that people routinely put in their fish tanks.. it has broad, waxy looking green leaves, you can put it right in the water and it will grow like a vine down the outside of the tank or across the top, very decorative... Ugh, I know my mom has some.

Supposedly it sucks up nitrates pretty well.

Of course, that just takes us back to the whole "nitrates are just a single item that we can convienently test for, giving us a basic idea of the pollutants in the tank. Take away the accuracy of that test, and you don't have a clue what other, not so easily testable, levels are rising to" discussion.

very good point Myaj

How is it going? Is the condition still improving? Is the nitrates still going down?

manutius wrote: I woud love to see Houdini do that trick, how cool

So would I. I am still not sure how she did it. I think she hid inside an algae ball, and got transferred that way. It's the only explaination I can find (if she did, she got a bit squeezed - I squeezed the ball before moving it...). I was sooo sure she was killed and eaten by her husband, and suddenly she reappeared in the new tank where I was supposed to move her into. And, yes, I am absolutely sure she wasn't moved at the same time as her husband. But I can tell you I was relieved to find her! She is still doing fine together with him. Believe it or not: my two irrubescos sleep together!

that's such a great story, now where are the pictures of the sleeping lovebirds?

Just to let you know though Clooney still has a few cysts he is definately a lot brighter and ate well again last night. Nice garlic soaked prawn and octopus tentacle, mmmm yummy!!! Also my Black ghost knife fish and clown loach is clear of the disease. I have used melafix but will continue with water changes, 2x 40% a week I think.

How long after ther cysts disappear should I keep the salt in treatment running? Iwas think about 10 days, does that sound reasonable?

It's a relief to hear he's doing better... After being gone for a while and then seeing a hospital post with Clooney's name in it I was freaked out! This fish has to be the most popular puffer on the forum!

It's sad you lost your two Clown Loaches that were with you so long, but thankfully it looks like you won't be losing any others. This certainly inspires me to check my water parameters more regularly than I have been.

I just read your forum, I am so sorry that Clooney got sick but I am so excited that he is
doing much better now . He is my idol!!! . He has to be the absolute best puffer ever! Keep us updated.

manutius wrote:
How long after ther cysts disappear should I keep the salt in treatment running? Iwas think about 10 days, does that sound reasonable?

Any thoughts people?

For the record Clooney is back on form, has put his weight back on and its his excitable self whenever I walk in the room

Thank you all for your support