The Puffer Forum

the LFS said that the kit I got covered everything so I figured ammonia would show under cl2... chemistry is not my strong suit. Will get a test for ammonia asap

use BacterLife and water conditioners whenever adding water or doing changes... also added some BacterLife the day before the puffer went in the tank.

Am not a happy bunny about this as I had previously read the cycling article so I'd be able to have the tank ready

I'll be putting pics in gallery tonight as well.

BacterLife is supposed to have live bacteria, right? That's not going to help you at all. Only Tetra SafeStart and BioSpira have live bacteria. If you see Dr. Tim's, that works too, but it got bought out and is now Tetra SafeStart. (BioSpira is SW, so don't use that. ) BacterLife will be full of dead bacteria, which is rotting and therefore producing ammonia.

You don't need to add live bacteria with each water change, though. Once your tank is cycled properly, a water change won't have any effect at all. The bacteria actually lives in the filter and substrate and on the decorations, not in the water. This is why big water changes don't hurt fish, contrary to popular opinion.

Get ahold of some Tetra SafeStart when you go for the ammonia test. It just might save your fish's life.

We look forward to pictures.

hmmmm... bacterlife says specifically that it does not contribute to ammonia load, etc. Grrr!

Okay, Safe Start is on list to get as well.

I normally add as have been using the juwel filters that need changing every week (the white ones) and want to make sure they're rebacterialising okay so add a bit with the treated water.

Feeling very stupid now...

Hopefully it'll be better tomorrow after Afe Start has been added.

redspotowner wrote: Feeling very stupid now...

That's okay. You're not stupid; you're a newbie. There's a big difference. We were all new at this once.

THANK YOU... I'm just hoping that the puffer doesn't pay the price for our ignorance

Here are the pics of the puffer...
Day it arrived


Day it arrived


Tonight


Tonight (showing it's little post mussel pooch)

Awww! He's smiling!

What a great-looking puffer! I think you should enter him/her to the puffer of the month competition!

Yes, the second one! They still need pictures.

Definately the 2nd from the top. Redspotowner, I'm still learning the ropes hear. I've already made a fool of myself giving wrong advice!!

Ah, did some research and it goes ammonia - nitrites- nitrates

Actually, nitrite & nitrate are not plural words. It would be the same as saying ammonias. Common mistake.

LOL... it seemed a bit perkier this morning... following (attacking) my finger when I moved it along the tank and ate some prawn... still not really happy to leave that corner though so I'm starting to think it's being a bit scared and hiding away as that's the darkest and most covered area right now. Will be getting plants for the tank this week (will see if bf can get them and an ammonia test today) so it will have more cover and hopefully feel more secure.

Feeling bad that I've started off wrong but hopeful that all will be okay and it will be a happy and healthy puffer!

Thanks again for your advice and assistance (and patience with a noob!)

Yes, they love lots of cover. Get tall plants that drape over the top of your tank. It may be a little dark in there but he likes that.

Planning on getting quite a few tall silk plants mixing them with different height ones so that there are swim-throughs and places to hide so that it's not just looking like a wall of silk plants LOL

Hopefully all is okay until the weekend when I can get them as bf can't go during the week and I'm stuck in the office and can't leave.

Good idea. I rearrange all my decor when I do a water change to give them something to explore.

So... what do you do to stop from getting nipped while moving things (ie planting the real plants the bf is now going to get tomorrow)? LOL