The Puffer Forum

These things happen, survival of the fittest and all that, I would be tempted to treat the tank with melafix for a week or so as a precautionary measure for the other one along with water changes to try and get those nitrites down to 0.

Is there another test kit that will tell you if the nitites are at 0?
The tetra kit which seems to be the one's most shop stock starts at <0.03 which is green in colour.

If you can get hold of the Hagen mini Master test kit, that starts at 0. It's around the £20 mark and for that you get PH, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates. Should last you a good while though.

Thanks Hilly, I've got 3 lots of PH, don't ask why
Plus nitrate and ammonia. So I'll go and pick up a nitrite kit and check all the tanks out.

Sorry to hear that it didn't make it

Sorry to hear he didnt pull through...I lost my first one in a similar manner

Sorry to hear that

I had a similar issue with my GSP. He was near death, but I treated the tank with epsom salts, mela and pimafix. As Peregrine said, the epsom salts help reduce swelling and allow the trapped fluid to escape. I also gave him epsom salt and antibiotic baths twice a day for around 5 days. I managed to pull him through and he is fine now

did you say you had nitrite in your tank? Wouldnt that indicate that it was not fully cycled?

So you have one puff left, how is he doing? any of the same symptoms?

Hi Again,
The tank is fully cycled.
I have not said that I have a reading of nitrite. The tetra test kit starts at <0.3ppm which is yellow.
The lfs replaced the dead puffer with another. Both are doing very well especially the puffer which survived from the original two

thats good of the LFS to do that. I hope that this one works out better for you

I am really suffering from dejavu here...this whole experience sounds like my first one. I am glad that the other is doing well, and you were able to get the other replaced...