The Puffer Forum

Here are my parameters:
pH= 7.8+
nitrates: 20
nitrites: 0
ammonia: 0

It is a 30G tank and it is just the GSP in it. I feed him thawed krill- usually one in the morining and 1 in the evening. Occassionally I skip a meal, probably about 1-2 times a week.
I have had him for only about a month.

He has been perfectly fine- he even ate last night without hesitation. His tummy would be white usually, but when I turned on the light it would darken within minutes. This morining I woke up and he was darkened all over and was lying on the ground. He was flapping one fin and appeared to be chomping with his mouth.

I flipped out and I did a 25% water change, after checking his parameters- which seemed fine. I added melafix and pimafix. I also added aquarium salt. At this he perked up and attempted to swim around, only to become weak and fall against the rocks in his tank. I have large rocks as deoration and he kept falling on them.
I removed the rocks so he wouldn't hurt himself on them. Besides that no changes have been made to the tank whatsoever. The tank has been set up for about 3 months and was cycled by a group of tetras who have since been removed. It was a fully cycled tank when the puffer was added. The puffer was never in the tank with the tetras. They have been moved to another smaller tank.

Then I searched furously on the forum, and came across a post about constipation. I have only been feeding him krill and his tummy does look bigger than usual, so I added 6 tblspn of epsolm salts. Then I had to go to class!

The tank has 2 powerhead filters and an undergravel system.

I returned from class 2.5 hours later and he is still lying on the ground, he seems even darker and he is still doing the chomping with his mouth. I added an air volcano to help with circulation.

How can I help him?? It will break my heart if he dies. Please help!

I'm assuming you have him in freshwater? That won't help him, but it shouldn't make him this sick, overnight either.

Water changes are your best thing now, even though the readings seem okay. Make sure you are dechlorinating your water.

Check your temperature, make sure it isn't too high or too low.

It very well could be constipation.. keep us updated, okay? Good luck!

update: I just got home again. He is still breathing and his tail fanned out. Before it was all tight. He is lyign there straight, still resting on the bottom. He is in freshwater still. That is what they had him in at the store and I was waiting to begin to switch it over.

How much water should I change out and how frequently? I am using a water conditioner to get the chlorine out. I let it set for 15 minutes before adding it to the tank- too short a time?

Also, what temperature should eh be at? I have a heater/thermometer that I can put in. I just want him to be comfortable.

Should I try to feed him? I am assuming not since he is constipated... but it has been 24 hours now since he has last eaten.

Thanks for all your advice! I really hope he pulls through! When should I add more epsolm salt for his tummy??!

Should I continue addign the pimafix and melafix because he has wounds from falling onto the rocks?

Thanks again- sorry I have so many questions!

UPDATE: I had been watching him for about 3 minutes and he spotted me. His little fins stared going and he swam to the surface. The currents (which he loves to ride!) defeated him and he slowly bounced his way back to the bottom. His fins are still going and he sort of perked up, looks a little more alert and is a little straighter. He almost seems hungry but I am afraid to feed him... He is still very very dark all over. His gills are going and his mouth is still doing that chomping. He hasn't tried to swim again.

Good sign? maybe?

UPDATE: I put a heater in his tank to bring the temperature up to 81 degrees F. I also did another 25% water change (dechlorinated of course). No change in the puff, still on the bottom, very dark.

81 is a bit high IMO. If they are sick, I would recommend keeping it a bit lower. Higher temps make things like bacteria grow much faster. Declorinator works instantly so no need to have the water sit. You need to do more water changes, at least 50%, IMO. You need to get him eating something other than krill. While good as a treat, krill should not be used as a staple as it leads to constipation issues as well as malnutrition.

By the time I got the reply the temp was only 78 degrees, so I am keeping it there- thanks for the tips boxermom!

Should I try and feed him something (besides krill...) now? If so, what would you recommend?

How often should I do the 50% water change? Hourly, daily?

Thanks!

UPDATE: I woke up this morinign and he is still alive. Still very dark, still lying on the floor. HE has moved to the other side of the tank. Please, I need input about what to do! I have just been guessing based on other posts- I am assuming he is constipated because he seems fine otherwise...

How often should I do the 50% water change? I have to say this makes me nervous, because won't most of the water be uncycled and won't that be stressful for him...?

How often should I add the epsolm salt????? Is there something else I cangive him to relieve him????

Should I continue to use the permafix for his wounds??? The melafix???

Should I attempt to feed him??? If so, what??? It has now been 36 hours since his last meal...

Should I add more aquarium salt???

Please help me by answering these few qustions that I have...I know you guys have years of experience with puffers!

Hello, I'm on my first puffer, its GSP as well. At first I started off feeding him only krill becuase I didn't know better, and it was easy to get a hold of. He did the same thing you're describing. He got all dark and curled up in a ball and sat around there at the bottom acting all weak for quite some time. And honestly...what fixed it....was just time. I didn't feed him for 2 days after that, then I switched his food.

Now he eats little snails, shrimp, frozen bloodworms (thawed of course) and mealworms.

One thing I've noticed....they spy on you from one eye....and they're sneaky...so sometimes I wonder if they're putting up some sort of act for attention or better food or something.

I hope your little puff gets better, mine got better with time. Good luck!!

It is great to hear that yours got better- I have high hopes for my little guy!

I am going today to pick up some bloodworms and maybe somem other food if I can find it!

His tummy does not look so bloated and a small amount of white returned to his tummy but he is still just sitting there. I will stop doing water changes and adding in stuff and just give him time to heal.

I will continue with the Pimafix for the next 5 days for his cuts.

How long did it take your puff to be up and runnign again like before?

Also- any ideas on where to find snails??? I have a 10G that I can use to breed them, I jut am having trouble finding them initially!

Thank you thank you thank you! You have eased my nerves about my puffer

SIDE NOTE: I read on another site that to ease constipation you can soak their food in castor oil and feed it to them. Anyone tried this? Any thoughts on it?

50% WC are recommended weekly, on your puffer's tank. NONE of the benefitial bacteria lives in the water column--it lives on surfaces: substrate, glass, decor & most importantly, in your filter material.

Excellent feeding articles in our Library.

If he's still looking sick, you can do 50% water changes daily. You'd have to add back the melafix and pimafix though, follow the directions on the bottles. Don't worry about doing too many water changes, bacteria lives on surfaces (the filter, the glass, decorations, gravel, etc), not in the water column. As long as you are being careful to match temperatures and dechlorinating if you are on city water, a puffer can never have too much clean water IMO.

I'm not very familiar with constipation and epsom salts so I can't help you there, maybe try offering him a skinned pea.. that's good for constipation (veggies) and if he's hungry enough he'll probably try to eat it.

What "water conditioner" are you using? A good portion of them can actually hurt the fish.. I really try to only use Amquel, Prime or a simple dechlorinator like Wardley's or Yamato Green's No-Chlor. You shouldn't have to "condition" the water, just dechlorinate it.

When Chomps was acting like that, it took him about a day and a half to get better.....

i have been using prime to dechlorinate, I will do another water change now and again tomorrow. I just got him some frozen clam and frozen bloodworm, but haven't fed it to him.

When I got home he was on his side, still breathing. He looks bloated- not full, not puffed, just bloated. I don't know if it the angle that I am seeing him at or if he is just really bloated. I will try the pea thing.

should i attempt to feed him any meat?

it is now going on about 55 hours... getting pretty nervous...

He's not gonna eat. I'd add fresh carbon to your filter, in case something bad from the air or your hands got in there.