GSP SICK !
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.
-
bigfatfish
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 938
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:33 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: GSP "Puffy" RIP old friend 1999-2009
GSPs "Flash" & "Lionel" - in a 55 UK Gallon Bow front Marine Tank with sump. - Location (country): United Kingdom
- Location: Devon, UK
Re: GSP SICK !
Are you dosing the actual tank with epsom salts, or just in a separate container?
-
Purifire
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 3:13 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers (C. Travancoricus) , 1 male 1 female.
Saddled Toby (C. Vallintini)
Have kept GSPs - Location (country): United States, Lompoc CA
Re: GSP SICK !
I was taking out some tank water and getting the right solution of added salt, then giving her her dip.
for at least 10 minutes, with an airstone agitating at the surface.
This is the best way yes?
thanks in adv
for at least 10 minutes, with an airstone agitating at the surface.
This is the best way yes?
thanks in adv
29 Gallon Marine tank, with refugium, skimmer. Base rock, coral skeletons. Stock: Baby Ocellaurus Clown, young Saddled Toby, 3 Hermit crabs,one 2 inch Bristle Worm, hitch hiking starfish.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
-
sevenyearnight
Re: GSP SICK !
Add the epsom salt to the main tank, dissolve in a separate container, pour that in. 10 min dip isn't very long.
Re: GSP SICK !
Yes, you don't have to worry about adding the epsom salt into the main tank, it won't hurt and it will help more than a dip 
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32980
- 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: GSP SICK !
Please retest the water for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. Adding water from an established tank does nothing to cycle a tank. The amount of media you used may not have been enough to support 2 puffers .
I also have another idea: library/hospital/help-my-puffer-is-air-filled/
I also have another idea: library/hospital/help-my-puffer-is-air-filled/
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!"
-
Purifire
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 3:13 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers (C. Travancoricus) , 1 male 1 female.
Saddled Toby (C. Vallintini)
Have kept GSPs - Location (country): United States, Lompoc CA
Air Puff?
Thanks Pufferpunk,
I think I burped her thouroghly at the time, and she has zero bouyancy now, UNLESS you count the fact that she rolls onto her back a lot, but she is pretty much substrate bound (Or rather bottom bound, as I have hospitalized her into a bare bottom tank.) She is lingering in a pretty bad condition, gasping and appearing bloated. She has her "Happy" colours but they are blotchy. She STILL hasnt eaten anything except the ground pea I syringed into her mouth, and that was days ago.
As I am at a loss for what to do I have been treating with Pimafix at a 75% dose daily fo account for her being scaleless... It doesnt seem to be helping. Also using Epsom salts. At this point I dont think she can pull through... I keep saying I'll give her another 24 hours and then euthanize her but I cant bring myself to do it so far.
Lenny is doing good but I have a concern. I took Georgia out 3 days ago and he kept gaurding the last spot he say her eschewing all my attempts to get him to eat. Today he had a long, stringy-white stool that was half again his length hanging from him. When I attempted to feed him he ate voraciously. 2 whole krill is more than I've seen him go for in a meal. However, His beak looks to be overgrowing because of how sucky his appetite has been. If I have to trim it, any advice, I have seen some detractors of clove oil here, do you have any personal exp with this anisthetic?
Thanks
I think I burped her thouroghly at the time, and she has zero bouyancy now, UNLESS you count the fact that she rolls onto her back a lot, but she is pretty much substrate bound (Or rather bottom bound, as I have hospitalized her into a bare bottom tank.) She is lingering in a pretty bad condition, gasping and appearing bloated. She has her "Happy" colours but they are blotchy. She STILL hasnt eaten anything except the ground pea I syringed into her mouth, and that was days ago.
As I am at a loss for what to do I have been treating with Pimafix at a 75% dose daily fo account for her being scaleless... It doesnt seem to be helping. Also using Epsom salts. At this point I dont think she can pull through... I keep saying I'll give her another 24 hours and then euthanize her but I cant bring myself to do it so far.
Lenny is doing good but I have a concern. I took Georgia out 3 days ago and he kept gaurding the last spot he say her eschewing all my attempts to get him to eat. Today he had a long, stringy-white stool that was half again his length hanging from him. When I attempted to feed him he ate voraciously. 2 whole krill is more than I've seen him go for in a meal. However, His beak looks to be overgrowing because of how sucky his appetite has been. If I have to trim it, any advice, I have seen some detractors of clove oil here, do you have any personal exp with this anisthetic?
Thanks
29 Gallon Marine tank, with refugium, skimmer. Base rock, coral skeletons. Stock: Baby Ocellaurus Clown, young Saddled Toby, 3 Hermit crabs,one 2 inch Bristle Worm, hitch hiking starfish.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32980
- 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: GSP SICK !
I would definitely not use CO on an ailing fish! Get Finqel (MS222) to tranq instead.
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!"
-
Purifire
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 3:13 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers (C. Travancoricus) , 1 male 1 female.
Saddled Toby (C. Vallintini)
Have kept GSPs - Location (country): United States, Lompoc CA
RIP Georgia
Well, I decided that she wasn't going to pull through... So last night I put her down. It was the hardest decision I've had to make in my fishkeeping experience thus far. But her suffering is at an end. Now I need to focus on keeping Lenny happy and healthy. The worst thing about this whole experience is that it could have been prevented. From now on I'm going to let my water mix overnight with an airstone.
Thanks for all your help everyone.
29 Gallon Marine tank, with refugium, skimmer. Base rock, coral skeletons. Stock: Baby Ocellaurus Clown, young Saddled Toby, 3 Hermit crabs,one 2 inch Bristle Worm, hitch hiking starfish.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32980
- 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: GSP SICK !
Sorry for your loss... Fishkeeping has a lot of hard lessons.
Fishkeeping has a lot of hard lessons.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!"
-
Purifire
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 3:13 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers (C. Travancoricus) , 1 male 1 female.
Saddled Toby (C. Vallintini)
Have kept GSPs - Location (country): United States, Lompoc CA
Re: GSP SICK !
Thank you. 
29 Gallon Marine tank, with refugium, skimmer. Base rock, coral skeletons. Stock: Baby Ocellaurus Clown, young Saddled Toby, 3 Hermit crabs,one 2 inch Bristle Worm, hitch hiking starfish.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
-
Purifire
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 3:13 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers (C. Travancoricus) , 1 male 1 female.
Saddled Toby (C. Vallintini)
Have kept GSPs - Location (country): United States, Lompoc CA
Re: GSP SICK !
Hi guys.
I have been having trouble with Lenny still...
His beak was overgrown while stressed out from his fasting I think... He has been lethargic and badly coloured lateley and I havent seen him est in days... Tried to get some ms222 all day in town and by the time I ascertained it was a no-go, even GNC was closed so I couldn't even get clove oil. (I know, I know! I was gonna give him a half dose to calm him a little cause I doubted I could wait for a shippment of the 222.)
Anyway, I'd been out for maybe 10 hours, when I got home he seemed even more lethargic... SO I netted him and gently checked his reaction to me holding him. He was passive and his head actually became iridescent green again. I let him go and got some cuticle scissors and tiny nail clippers... Then "took a little off the top".
He remained pretty calm throughout... Can't say I'm confident I took off enough or not. It was hard to tell where his lips met his gums because I was doing this underwater (since, although he was calm, he was ater all, awake). So Im going to proceed with getting him some tranks and doing a thorough job. I left his bottom chomper alone, but his mouth is basically able to close now.
Problem is, after 45 minutes of so I tried him on some bloodworms and he still doesn't eat. Maybe still stressed out??
Any advice would be great
I have been having trouble with Lenny still...
His beak was overgrown while stressed out from his fasting I think... He has been lethargic and badly coloured lateley and I havent seen him est in days... Tried to get some ms222 all day in town and by the time I ascertained it was a no-go, even GNC was closed so I couldn't even get clove oil. (I know, I know! I was gonna give him a half dose to calm him a little cause I doubted I could wait for a shippment of the 222.)
Anyway, I'd been out for maybe 10 hours, when I got home he seemed even more lethargic... SO I netted him and gently checked his reaction to me holding him. He was passive and his head actually became iridescent green again. I let him go and got some cuticle scissors and tiny nail clippers... Then "took a little off the top".
He remained pretty calm throughout... Can't say I'm confident I took off enough or not. It was hard to tell where his lips met his gums because I was doing this underwater (since, although he was calm, he was ater all, awake). So Im going to proceed with getting him some tranks and doing a thorough job. I left his bottom chomper alone, but his mouth is basically able to close now.
Problem is, after 45 minutes of so I tried him on some bloodworms and he still doesn't eat. Maybe still stressed out??
Any advice would be great
29 Gallon Marine tank, with refugium, skimmer. Base rock, coral skeletons. Stock: Baby Ocellaurus Clown, young Saddled Toby, 3 Hermit crabs,one 2 inch Bristle Worm, hitch hiking starfish.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32980
- 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: GSP SICK !
I definitely would not use clove oil on a sickly fish. Great way to kill him. Good thing you didn't find it. It's pretty stressful getting your teeth cut, especially awake. Are those live worms?
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!"
-
Purifire
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2011 3:13 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers (C. Travancoricus) , 1 male 1 female.
Saddled Toby (C. Vallintini)
Have kept GSPs - Location (country): United States, Lompoc CA
Re: GSP SICK !
No... I wish they were easier to find.
He is acting awfully messed up as the night drags on... Hes bumping into stuff and his colours are coming over all blotchy. I've been keeping up nice, small regular water changes since Georgia passed, with the salinity staying static... I dont understand this turn for the worse.
Tomorrow I will see if my local fish guy would be willing to run a really detailed analysis of every param with a liquid test kit. At petco theyll test it but its just strips.
Anyways, I'm knocking on wood, etc... The little guy has me very worried and IDK what the cause is....
He is acting awfully messed up as the night drags on... Hes bumping into stuff and his colours are coming over all blotchy. I've been keeping up nice, small regular water changes since Georgia passed, with the salinity staying static... I dont understand this turn for the worse.
Tomorrow I will see if my local fish guy would be willing to run a really detailed analysis of every param with a liquid test kit. At petco theyll test it but its just strips.
Anyways, I'm knocking on wood, etc... The little guy has me very worried and IDK what the cause is....
29 Gallon Marine tank, with refugium, skimmer. Base rock, coral skeletons. Stock: Baby Ocellaurus Clown, young Saddled Toby, 3 Hermit crabs,one 2 inch Bristle Worm, hitch hiking starfish.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.
10g Biotope. 3 C. Travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) Some Ghost shrimp, gravel/sand substrate, heavily planted with Swords and Java Moss.
10g LR Culture Tank. 10+ pounds fiji LR / base rock. Assorted hitch hiking inverts
Some FW tanks.
In My Experience, Fishkeeping is like Cooking. Five or ten basics will keep anyone from getting sick. But to be truly magnificent... You have to know the right Recipies.