The Puffer Forum

D: i got the kit but when i came home... So 1 left... should i get another puffer or no

You shouldn't, you're maxed out with the two.

if you didnt get the hint... one passed on D:

JustChillBr0 wrote:if you didnt get the hint... one passed on D:

I didn't get the hint either. PP can prolly say more, but I don't think Bio Spira was made for anything less than full SW tanks. It was my understanding that they sold their FW formula to Tetra, who turned around and labeled it "Tetra SafeStart." So you may have killed whatever bacteria was in the tank. Did you treat the tank water first? Or did you just dump the chlorinated water in with the bottle? Because that would kill the bacteria too. Whatever it may be,it sounds to me that your tank is uncycled and if one puff has already passed, your other one might too if you don't do like Bertie suggested. Puffers can't be used to help "cycle" a tank as they have no scales, no fish should be used for that matter. And if he does survive, that is now his territory and you will prolly have a hard time adding another one. They are more personable by themselves anyway. In addition, if you haven't bought any yet, I would buy Prime to dechlorinate the water if you haven't already done so. Sorry, I don't have much info from your post, so these are just me educated guesses. Others with more experience will chime in to help.

First off you need a decent liquid test kit. Do 50% daily waterchanges until then. I have no experience with biospira. The only instant cycle stuff I have received evidence that it works is one that sevenyearnight used recently, Tetra safestart. Get a bottle of that, unless anyone knows if that bio stuff works. We will deal with the tank first and ich after, if it is that. Do a large waterchange to be safe as our first priority is the puffers. Please buy a test kit they are inexpensive and last ages, it is impossible to start and maintain a healthy tank without one

Ah just caught up. Large waterchange straight away. Sorry you lost one of your little buddies.

Could you please post test readings we will do our best to save the last puffer. Once we got your tank stable feel free to add another. Or some bumblebee gobies they are awesome, but one step at a time

bertie 83 wrote:First off you need a decent liquid test kit. Do 50% daily waterchanges until then. I have no experience with biospira. The only instant cycle stuff I have received evidence that it works is one that sevenyearnight used recently, Tetra safestart. Get a bottle of that, unless anyone knows if that bio stuff works. We will deal with the tank first and ich after, if it is that. Do a large waterchange to be safe as our first priority is the puffers. Please buy a test kit they are inexpensive and last ages, it is impossible to start and maintain a healthy tank without one

Wasn't sure if the Saftstart would work in BW.....that's why I didn't say anything.

But if you do do large water changes and make it FW again, go out ad buy the bottle of Safestart and dump in into your filter. This will help you out a bunch. After the water params are good, then we can worry about treating the ich. Take about $50 with you to a Petsmart and get the safestart $13.99 a bottle, and $29.99 for the API FW master test kit. Should be everything you need to help get you going.

Well spotted goldie I didn't think of that. Personally to save on stress I would do 50% water partials daily maybe more till your tank stabilises. I think the test kit has been purchased. Large regular waterchanges will solve this

Tetra Safestart could work in brackish up to SG 1.005, but since I don't know by what method they keep the bacteria dormant/suspended in time, I have to assume that it is still adapted to an SG of 1.000 and any change above 1.002 may still kill it off.

sevenyearnight wrote:Tetra Safestart could work in brackish up to SG 1.005, but since I don't know by what method they keep the bacteria dormant/suspended in time, I have to assume that it is still adapted to an SG of 1.000 and any change above 1.002 may still kill it off.

I remember reading the bottle and it said that it was contained in purified water. I am going to assume that you are correct-- dumping it into a BW tank would kill it off. Large water changes to bring SG down to 1.02 at least, if not more, then I would add it in asap.

@Bertie-- thank you, I was worried about stepping on toes. I didn't want to step on toes but I thought I should mention it just in case.

JustChillBr0 wrote:can you give me an example of results i should looking to get from the test

0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, <20 nitrate. Anything other than that & you need to do a WC.

Thanks Guys! I know that one of my little ones passed on but I recently got another one and they are both swimming happily in the tank!