The Puffer Forum

Bad news ... f8 just passed and tried everything to save it but couldnt

6/6 puffers and all died ... might try one more time but this
time with 1x gsp and hopefully 7 is the lucky number!

Makes me wonder how or what are they using to catch
these puffers .... since all the other fish we have kept for 10plus years had hardly any deaths compared to the puffs .. wonder if random puffer deaths are common, anyone ??

I really think it is survival of the fittest to just make it to the LFS. I don't think they are properly bagged when they are shipped over from where ever they come from in southeast Asia. I think I saw somewhere on this site a bunch of fish put into the same bag and that's how they are shipped to the wholesaler. They are just sitting in their own wastes until they get there.

I also read somewhere on this site that some people who catch fish use cyanide.

I wish you good luck on your next puffer. Some really good advice that I got from the puffer forum was that when you choose your GSP, look for the ones that come to greet you at the glass, make sure that their stomachs are not caved in, and make sure their bellies are white.

Please don't buy any more puffers until you know more about what's causing all these deaths.

marksrush wrote:Please don't buy any more puffers until you know more about what's causing all these deaths.

I second this. Take the time to drain the tank and give it a good clean along with the filter and all of the decorations then start all over again with cycling the tank. From my experience a GSP is a lot more sensitive to water conditions than a figure 8.

Great advice, will drain all the water, scrub the rocks+plants, soak em, give the filter media a
good wash and let the tank recycle before buying gsps.

Will let you folks know how we get on, hopefully better this time.

Oxyclean is a great product to use when cleaning out tanks. Were all those puffers bought from the same shop? Maybe try a different supplier.

I can't see how that big of a dose of Epsom salts could be good for the puffers. Even when it's used to treat them for constipation, the dose is only 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons?

1st of all, for a FW fish the treatment is 1 tbsp/10g & saltier fish can handle 1 tbsp/5g. This is usually to treat comstipation.

You are doing way too many tests & worrying about thing you shouldn't be with those F8s. Stop adding chemicals to the tank to change pH or harndess. I test for neither in my FW/BW tanks. Also stop using RO water, unless there is ammonia or nitrate in your tap water.

Pufferpunk wrote:1st of all, for a FW fish the treatment is 1 tbsp/10g & saltier fish can handle 1 tbsp/5g.

Sorry for the inaccuracy; I did a good search of the forum and only ever saw 1 tblsp per 5 gallons mentioned.

Oxyclean, as in laundry detergent???