Labored Breathing
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: Labored Breathing
It makes for a good backup but nothing replaces a liquid test kit.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
Ok, tank cycled for a couple of weeks. Needed to do a water change this week and also clean up debris in tank. Little brown spots (a few) on glass. He loves his tank. I change the media around so he doesn't get bored. It has been a wealth of information in here. I also went back to Pet Supermarket and the manager came over and thanked me for helping the with their Puffers. I told her it was because of the people in the Puffer Forum nd how they helped save the puffer I have left. They moved the puffers into a tank by themselves.
You said in "TWO YEARS"???? I could get a tank mate? What kind of tank mate? Ciclids? Does someone have a list?
How many gallons should I change at a time to brackish? He has been in FW for a long time now.
Anyone care to come up with some names for me to name my puffer?
You said in "TWO YEARS"???? I could get a tank mate? What kind of tank mate? Ciclids? Does someone have a list?
How many gallons should I change at a time to brackish? He has been in FW for a long time now.
Anyone care to come up with some names for me to name my puffer?
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Lil' Swimz$
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1686
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:26 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: Lorteti - Peaches
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
Re: Labored Breathing
Peepi! (pronounced Pee Pee)
Ha ha, he he! DAncE whEn yoU're HAPpppy! He he he! DAnce, danCE, DANCe!
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signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
Hi everyone
I have a couple question:
1. You said in "TWO YEARS"???? I could get a tank mate? What kind of tank mate? Does someone have a list?
2. How many gallons should I change at a time to brackish? He has been in FW for a long time now.
3. All Fish Emporium, used to be Big Al's, has where you ca buy saltwater already mixed. Can I do this? How muc to get for a 45 gallon tank?
4. If it is a go on the saltwater from AFE, how much do I change at one time?
5. Anyone care to come up with some names for me to name my puffer?
I have a couple question:
1. You said in "TWO YEARS"???? I could get a tank mate? What kind of tank mate? Does someone have a list?
2. How many gallons should I change at a time to brackish? He has been in FW for a long time now.
3. All Fish Emporium, used to be Big Al's, has where you ca buy saltwater already mixed. Can I do this? How muc to get for a 45 gallon tank?
4. If it is a go on the saltwater from AFE, how much do I change at one time?
5. Anyone care to come up with some names for me to name my puffer?
-
signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
I have a couple question:
1. You said in "TWO YEARS"???? I could get a tank mate? What kind of tank mate? Does someone have a list?
2. How many gallons should I change at a time to brackish? He has been in FW for a long time now.
3. All Fish Emporium, used to be Big Al's, has where you ca buy saltwater already mixed. Can I do this? How muc to get for a 45 gallon tank?
4. If it is a go on the saltwater from AFE, how much do I change at one time?
Could someone give me an answer especially on #3 and #4
1. You said in "TWO YEARS"???? I could get a tank mate? What kind of tank mate? Does someone have a list?
2. How many gallons should I change at a time to brackish? He has been in FW for a long time now.
3. All Fish Emporium, used to be Big Al's, has where you ca buy saltwater already mixed. Can I do this? How muc to get for a 45 gallon tank?
4. If it is a go on the saltwater from AFE, how much do I change at one time?
Could someone give me an answer especially on #3 and #4
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signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
GSP is turning black. 45 gallon tank. Ammonia is zero, nitrates zero and hyrdometer shows 1.004. Two airstones, no carbon in the tank. He was looking ill the other day, did a 50% water change. Still no change and is NOT interested in snails............is he sick, what can I do?
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signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
Nitrates 0, ammonia 0, Hydrometer states 1.004
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sevenyearnight
Re: Labored Breathing
Do you have a test for nitrItes?sevenyearnight wrote:What are your nitrites?
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32976
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Labored Breathing
With nitrate showing 0, you need to know if you have any nitrite. Was there any improvement at all after the WC?sevenyearnight wrote:Do you have a test for nitrItes?sevenyearnight wrote:What are your nitrites?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
Yes, I have a test for nitrates and another kit to test for ammonia along with a hydrometer. Everyone in here helped me understand the things I needed on hand. Yesterday he was looking a black, tested the water found nitrates and a small amount of ammonia. Immediately change 50% water. Added a couple airstones and another filter an added Prime.
Checked the readings lst night and this morning....nitrates 0, ammonia 0, hydrometer shows 1.004. He didn't eat yesterday and has not eaten today. Tried a little blood worms, he's not interested
Checked the readings lst night and this morning....nitrates 0, ammonia 0, hydrometer shows 1.004. He didn't eat yesterday and has not eaten today. Tried a little blood worms, he's not interested
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signnet
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 GSP's
1 Orange Saddleback Fucca - Location (country): USA
- Location: Coral Springs, FL
Re: Labored Breathing
There was a difference in his attitude and he turned yellow for a little bit. He got up swimming a few minutes ago and turned yellow, but belly was black. Now agan h is on the bottm and very black again
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32976
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Labored Breathing
You need to be testing for all 3: ammonia, nitrite & nitrate.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
sevenyearnight
Re: Labored Breathing
Nitr I tes, not nitrates. Nitrites are very harmful, nitrates not so harmful.