The Puffer Forum

No, dwarves don't curl up when they are in pain either. Curling their tail helps them maneuver through the water, they do it when they are sleeping too, it's not a sign of pain don't worry.

crazedpuffer wrote:No, dwarves don't curl up when they are in pain either. Curling their tail helps them maneuver through the water, they do it when they are sleeping too, it's not a sign of pain don't worry.

Okay well I just got all my information from one site, http://www.dwarfpuffers.com ,a couple months back when I was planning.
http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/intro3.htm is where it says they curl their tale in easing maneuverability, showing discomfort or sickness. I suppose I should have researched on more websites but it's a pretty good source. However you guys are probably better to listen to because it's like a puffer defending army on this forum, lol. Thanks for the info, now I'm not as worried. I do wish this one little guys color wasn't so faded, though. I'll continue with the water changes.

My Dps curl their tails all the time... if the tail curling is part of shaking or twitching, it's a bad thing, and they will also do it when resting because they are sick... but don't read too much into it on it's own.

now i'm wondering if maybe the faded one has ich? he looks grainy. again, I'll try to get pics but my bro doesn't get home from his trip till about 6 pm....


anyhoo I've had one offer on a home for these guys, or at least one, if anyone else wants any of them just post!

It's probablly not ich, oes it look like salt is on him or does it look like he has goosebumps?

crazedpuffer wrote:It's probablly not ich, oes it look like salt is on him or does it look like he has goosebumps?

more like goosebumps, it's not white or anything. Doesn't stand out much ,s o..

it's weird b/c 1 minute they're fine and the next they are all wacky. i'm feeding them snails right now........


well I added some salt when I changed their water and they seem really happy now. pics later =D

The goosebumps are probablly their spines, they aren't sick don't worry about it.

yeah I think they're fine, just stressed about the lack of room. It's harder for me to tell if there is a small problem with them because I don't know much about GSPs, just DPs.

When I first got GSPs, I got 2 of them and they had moody coloration - changing all the time. When they ate, they would turn black,curl up, and writhe like they were in a lot of pain. Turned out they had internal parasites. I ordered some Flubenol-15 from ebay and it cleared one right up - but for the other it was too late. Yours may not have IPs but keep an eye on them.

bigskies wrote:When I first got GSPs, I got 2 of them and they had moody coloration - changing all the time. When they ate, they would turn black,curl up, and writhe like they were in a lot of pain. Turned out they had internal parasites. I ordered some Flubenol-15 from ebay and it cleared one right up - but for the other it was too late. Yours may not have IPs but keep an eye on them.

Thanks for the info but no worries, they eat very heartily

did you say you were adding water conditioner/de-chlorinator/prime?

It's very important!

What salt are you using, are you premixing it? Never add salt directly to the tank....


You will need to do a 50% daily water change until your tank bacteria is able to handle your bioload.


Are they definitely GSP's? Is that a pic of one in you avatar? Can you post pictures so we can confirm your ID?

Yes I'm adding dechlorinator. I am using Instant Ocean, and yes I am dissolving it before I add it. I have been doing daily 50% changes and am working on pictures. No, the pic on my avatar is a DP, not the fish I have.


sadly, I woke up today and one of the puffers were dead.

i'm sorry to hear that, what are your parameters?

Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate....


daily 50% water changes... i suspect you have high ammonia...

their color is sooooooo much better since i added salt regularly. ^.^ i wish i could keep them, but sadly i can't...