The Puffer Forum

Yep, that would put a damper on it.

alright!!!


I have the 40 gallon up and running. Got a bigger filter for it.. and a heater.. I'm about to head over to the LFS for some rocks and more plants. We bought gravel with "live bacteria" in it... it was like $5 more than the other stuff, so why not? I'm gonna scoop up a bottle of Safe Start and some hardy little fish.. prolly some bottom feeders and toss those little guys in. Let the fun begin!

I even was "allowed" to put the 40gal in the bedroom.. so I'll be able to see my little MBU all the time!!! OOOOOHHHH!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!

OK, I have to ask, which LFS has the MBU?

lol -- I'm scared to say..

I told the guys the other day that it would be a sick, sick joke if I came to get the MBU and he was gone.

Dadof4 -- catch me on AIM. lilgrrlkat

lilgirlkat wrote:alright!!!


I have the 40 gallon up and running. Got a bigger filter for it.. and a heater.. I'm about to head over to the LFS for some rocks and more plants. We bought gravel with "live bacteria" in it... it was like $5 more than the other stuff, so why not? I'm gonna scoop up a bottle of Safe Start and some hardy little fish.. prolly some bottom feeders and toss those little guys in. Let the fun begin!

I even was "allowed" to put the 40gal in the bedroom.. so I'll be able to see my little MBU all the time!!! OOOOOHHHH!!!!!!! I'm so excited!!

Hey Lilgirlkat

Guppies are very hardy fish and are also very cheap

so.. among the running around to get some last things for the tank, I stopped in the LFS to check on the MBU... Face first in a plant. Fins not moving, labored breathing.. sad.

I made the guys at the LFS move him out of the plant and he sunk like a rock. He's still alive, but barely. I asked to take him home at a HUGE discount, since he was dying anyway, and they wouldn't let me. I tried to get them to let me see if I could get him to eat.. nothing. I threw a fit and made them call the guys that could give him to me. No answer.

I'm so heartbroken. Just about in tears. I'm gonna go in first thing tomorrow morning in hopes that he's still alive and they'll just give him to me, since he's on his way out, anyway. I'll force feed him if I have to.

I'm so bummed out right now.

Really sad to hear about him

lilgirlkat wrote:so.. among the running around to get some last things for the tank, I stopped in the LFS to check on the MBU... Face first in a plant. Fins not moving, labored breathing.. sad.

I made the guys at the LFS move him out of the plant and he sunk like a rock. He's still alive, but barely. I asked to take him home at a HUGE discount, since he was dying anyway, and they wouldn't let me. I tried to get them to let me see if I could get him to eat.. nothing. I threw a fit and made them call the guys that could give him to me. No answer.

I'm so heartbroken. Just about in tears. I'm gonna go in first thing tomorrow morning in hopes that he's still alive and they'll just give him to me, since he's on his way out, anyway. I'll force feed him if I have to.

I'm so bummed out right now.

Noo that's so sad!

If anything you'd think they'd want to get him out of their system if he's ill, that sounds like what Bollo was like last week...not moving and bumping into stuff when he did!

Are they treating him or just leaving him to it?

That is a serious shame, and a complete waste of what could have been a great fish to have... but whats really sad is the fact that the LFS won't even give you a discount for a fish that is obviously sick and almost on the verge of dying... i mean given that yes there probably is a good chance you can bring him back to health, but what happens if he doesn't, then thats a lot of money down the drain...

Either way, best of luck to you, and hopefully the LFS will give in, and sell him to you cheap before he actually does die!!!

Homer wrote:That is a serious shame, and a complete waste of what could have been a great fish to have... but whats really sad is the fact that the LFS won't even give you a discount for a fish that is obviously sick and almost on the verge of dying... i mean given that yes there probably is a good chance you can bring him back to health, but what happens if he doesn't, then thats a lot of money down the drain...

Either way, best of luck to you, and hopefully the LFS will give in, and sell him to you cheap before he actually does die!!!

No offense here but somtimes a LFS may have a better chance at bringing a fish around, just cos they have larger tanks or at least on a central system with a much larger water capacity. And access to a much broader range of medication some of which the public cannot get access to too legally etc... Also displite appearences shops wont always take a large loss there isnt actually much of a profit margin on oddball fish due to costs to bring in and cost of care (feeding etc...) so they can actually be loseing money if they can cure it themselves, Although i would much rather you have gotten him and tried to bring him round, hope hes gonna be ok.

Just thought id say points on there side

I'm about to go in to the LFS now. They opened at 10, and I'm hoping the guy that's there is the guy that I'm supposed to talk to. Even at the discount they were going to give me, I'm not sure that it's worth it.

It just makes me mad that I've been trying to feed him and take care of them FOR them, but they wouldn't let me. I offered to bring in my own food and everything.

If I do bring him home, I have a lot of work ahead of me. I think I'll have to force feed him a few times to get something in that little belly of his. He doesn't look like he's eating at all.

I'll let you guys know what happens.

these poor people at the LFS. I think I've talked to every singe one of the guys about this puff. They KNOW I'm crazy now.

Today was a little better of a trip. Kinda. He was, once again, face first in the plant. This time, however, when we moved him, instead of sinking, he swam.. into things. The guy I was talking to today is the guy that normally feeds him. He wasn't there ALL WEEKEND, so he assumes the little guy was never fed. I made him feed him with me there, to see if he'd eat.

The guy got some big mysis shrimp out and put it in the tank. Nothing. Eventually, the MBU ran into the glass which happened to have a shrimp right by it, and he ate it, but that was it.

We talked about the IP issue, which the guy knew all about. He said (once again) that he's treated the MBU, but to no avail. Apparently, I have to talk to the owner of the shop to get a discounted price, but he only comes in at night, which is generally when I work. They told me to call and see if I can't get something worked out with the guy, so I can at least get him out of there.

I'm slightly happier about the situation than I was yesterday, but still not thrilled.

Bogwoodbruce wrote:

Homer wrote:That is a serious shame, and a complete waste of what could have been a great fish to have... but whats really sad is the fact that the LFS won't even give you a discount for a fish that is obviously sick and almost on the verge of dying... i mean given that yes there probably is a good chance you can bring him back to health, but what happens if he doesn't, then thats a lot of money down the drain...

Either way, best of luck to you, and hopefully the LFS will give in, and sell him to you cheap before he actually does die!!!

No offense here but somtimes a LFS may have a better chance at bringing a fish around, just cos they have larger tanks or at least on a central system with a much larger water capacity. And access to a much broader range of medication some of which the public cannot get access to too legally etc... Also displite appearences shops wont always take a large loss there isnt actually much of a profit margin on oddball fish due to costs to bring in and cost of care (feeding etc...) so they can actually be loseing money if they can cure it themselves, Although i would much rather you have gotten him and tried to bring him round, hope hes gonna be ok.

Just thought id say points on there side

True, i shouldn't be so quick to generalize, but i guess with the amount of bad shops around the world, its a bit hard not to jump the gun at times... especially with all the first hand experience, and horror stories you hear...

a little update, before I start my day (which, of course, will include a trip to the LFS).

While I was at work, the BF went in to check out the puff (turns out he really does care about things that I care about!! ). While he was looking at him, he said a guy from the LFS came over with a tongs and a clam and stuck it right in front of mr MBU's face and he tore it up.

At least I've raised a big enough fuss that they're trying to feed him. I feel better about it already.

I think I'm mid-cycle in my tank, so I'm gonna get some Safe Start and some guppies. Gotta get the tank ready for his arrival.

I didnt' read all 5 pages.. but if this is the shop over on the North Side of Milw, they aren't the greatest.. fun store to look at but fish aren't always healthy. That said, they often refuse to sell a fish if it is obviously unhealthy because they you can turn around and want your $$ back when it dies.. so that could be part of the reason. If its AU, they are much better, but tend to get an attitude because they fell they know it all... fish are generally healthier and better stock, but your service depends on who you talk to.

Dont' forget either.. I can pretty much guarentee you they'll just get another one in stock when this one is gone (sold or dead).. will you be able to "save" that one? And the next one? And the next? Probably not.. so really think hard about if this is worth all the trouble and expense. The only way fish stores learn to not order in big, special care fish like this is if no one buys them and they get "stuck" with trying to care for a fish that makes them no money.