The Puffer Forum

I could go on and on, but I could really use some help. I have 4 puffers that died. 2 Fahaka's and 2 Figure 8's. Now, I have done all the reading, been on this forum for quite some time just minding my own business and soaking up the knowledge you all have. I've come to a stand still. Just so you know, the time periods of these fish were 1 Fahaka... it died. Bought 2 Figure 8's. They died. Bought another Fahaka. It just died.

Now I bought the first Fahaka. He lived about a week, and died. Noticed maybe he had Ich, little bubbles on him, wasn't really sure if it was ich or not. then, about to months later, I bought two figure 8's. They were dead within 2 days. One I noticed maybe had the bubbles as well. Wasn't like white spots, more like very small bubbles all over body, just so you know. I attributed this to the Fahaka having a sunken stomache but wanted to nurse him back. Then one of the two F8's also had a sunken stomache, but the other did not. Both died the same time. This third Fahaka (what I really wish to keep alive sometime in the future) died within 1 day. Seemed to maybe have a bit of a sunken stomache, but not much. He layed around a lot. I thought he was trying to get used to being in a new home. Anyhow, came home from work tonight to find him dead. No small bubbles at all. There's my story.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: Under 10
Ph: 7
kH: 4 degrees

Water conditions are great. No problems. This leads me to believe there is something in my water causing death in these fish, quickly. Copper? Iron? I dont know. They can't be good for the fish, but I dont know how bad they could be either. It's city water. Sure, it isn't pure like R/O water. But I can't imagine it being toxic as hell either. However, then I have to say, I have had a Pleco in this tank the entire time. He has lived through it all and very healthy. So why are these other fish dying so QUICKLY and this Pleco fella is perfectly fine? Maybe he's the culprit, lol.

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I love puffers. But apparently I need to move on, at least for now.

Wow. But I will tell you, you may not be far off in pointing to the Pleco as the reason! Puffers sleep on the bottom of the tank ... your buddy the Pleco may have actually been 'sucking them to death' at night. It's true, they do - they go around looking for food and basically can suck the slime off of other fish ... killing them. I just had a problem in my Columbian Shark tank ... it may have been the Pleco, but I was also quick to blame the very un-happy Oscar. I lost 1 Columbian or 3 ... quickly took the other guys out, who were both beat up badly. They're perfectly fine now, in another community tank I have. So ... find a home for the Pleco! Get 1 more Puffer ... but that's it. If that one dies, we're cutting you off completely - and will send you over to the Gold Fish Forum!

I love columbian sharks! I had one 10+ years ago and it got huge!
Also what size tank are they in and how long was it cycled for?

The pleco sucking the slime is going to kill it over night? If that were to happen?

The tank has been cycled about 5 or 6 months. And its 75 gal now. I was workign on getting a bigger one before my fahaka died.

Yeah the pleco seems to be the likely culprit.

A couple of other things to think about are

1. What method did you use to acclimatize the fish to your tank? I find the drip method to be the best way and the safest way.

2. The quality of the fish to begin with, I have been to some LFS's where pretty much whatever I buy dies cause their tanks are in such poor shape and when fish are sick they don't quarantine.

Also keep in mind, both of these species of puffer are wild caught, so they are under a ton of stress due to capture, shipping, more shipping, bad conditions in the store, being moved to a new tank.. plus they are likely to have major parasite loads as well.

What products have you added to the water? Decholrinator? Brand names please?

I found out the real issue, as far as this puffer goes, the person was from Aquabid and sent me an email explaining how there are no freshwater puffers- only brackish and saltwater. So this Fahaka was living in a brackish tank, in brackish water. I put him in my freshwater tank and you know the rest.

But is you acclimated it, it would have gotten used to your FW. Do you know what SG he was keeping them at? Who was the seller?

Fahaka puffers are 100% freshwater fish. You would have been doing it good to move it to freshwater. There are MANY species of freshwater puffers, more freshwater species than there are true brackish as a matter of fact!

I would guess the brackish water added to the fish's stress levels, making it weaker and just too easy for it to get sick or die from countless reasons. You'll probably never know the real reason why it died.

But in the future, make sure you are buying a heathy fish from a knowledgable seller, that will start you in the right direction.

Myaj wrote:Fahaka puffers are 100% freshwater fish. You would have been doing it good to move it to freshwater. There are MANY species of freshwater puffers, more freshwater species than there are true brackish as a matter of fact!

I would guess the brackish water added to the fish's stress levels, making it weaker and just too easy for it to get sick or die from countless reasons. You'll probably never know the real reason why it died.

But in the future, make sure you are buying a heathy fish from a knowledgable seller, that will start you in the right direction.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/species ... e=lineatus

While I'm not saying it is better to keep in brackish in captivity (who would know? I doubt it's ever been tried for a reasonable amount of time), Fishbase states that Tetraodon lineatus is not a 100% freshwater fish, and is found in brackish regions as well. Whether it's high or low, I wouldn't want to guess, but like most puffer fish, I would imagine it would have a tolerance of salt regardless of whether or not it was a "True fresh" or "True brackish" fish.

Something to think about.

I fully agree that any river dwelling fish species that also habitates near the river mouth will have a local variation from that region that will tolerate some amount of salt. Still, most specimens collected are very unlikely from that small part of the range and are unlikely to respond well to it, with the occasional exception(figure 8's).

My point still stands that it occurs in the wild in brackish water, meaning it isn't essentially a 100% freshwater fish.

Just because a fish "visits" BW occasionally, doesn't make it a BW fish.

Pufferpunk wrote:Just because a fish "visits" BW occasionally, doesn't make it a BW fish.

But if it is found in brackish water in the wild then it is not a 100% freshwater fish.