The Puffer Forum

I have 2 GSP and another puffer. For two days now, the GSP puffers belly have slowly but surely have been turning dark.
One second its a noticebly dark grey..then the next...its light grey. Why is this happening? The third puffer, not sure what species, isnt grey. I bought all of them from Walmart.

I feed them dried shrimp. I just changed the water due to a pump failure and cycled the water for 24hrs. I added 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt and an algae remover. I thought maybe the salt and algae remover may be causing the symptoms, so I changed half the water to reduce the amount of salt and algae remover.

The tank is a 5 gallon tank. The three puffers are no bigger than 1.5-2 inches

I did a water test...here are the results:

Nitrates: 0
NItrites: 0
Water Hardness: 75 -- Soft
Chlorine 0
Alkalinity: 160
pH: 7.8

I think your test kit is way off.
2 GSPs alone would require a 60 gallon + tank. Even when they're 2 inches. Also your tank was not cycled. Those products don't work only bio spira does. It might be in your (and the fishes)best interest to return the fish.

I agree. You are not doing the fish any favors keeping them in a 5g, uncycled tank. Bring all of them back tomorrow (they will die in your tank) & start doing a lot of research on your fish & what cycling really is. There is tons of info for you in our Library.

Yeah sorry to have to say it but these fish will perish in that small tank, even if you got a bigger tank and cycled it the puffers would be dead before it is ready. Then the long tetm issues of haveing 2 different puffer species in a single tank will spell disaster, the GSP are long term brackish to marine water fish, and I'm guessing the other puffer you have is a freshwater type. Its not looking good I'm afraid, sorry

The only other solution would be to get a much larger tank & cycle it with Bio-Spira but you'd have to do all that today. In the meantime, large (50-80%) frequent water changes, are the only thing going to keep them alive.

Do you know what the 3rd puffer is?

Thanks to everyone who responded...for the useless and condescending comments...
this forum is suppose to help...but it does nothing of the sort...

Thanks again for nothing

FudgePudgeNibbler wrote:Thanks to everyone who responded...for the useless and condescending comments...
this forum is suppose to help...but it does nothing of the sort...

Thanks again for nothing

I'm sorry you feel that way but it is the truth.

A: Your tank is uncycled, which will kill the fish

B: Your tank is too small, which will kill the fish.

Remedy to A and B Get a bigger tank, and cycle it using Bio-Spira. You have two GSP's and you didn't tell us the name of the other puffer. so I'll just go with the GSP's

EACH GSP requires a minium of 30 gallons of water per fish. Brackish water, going to full marine as they get older. This needs to be done with Marine salt, not aquarium salt. So you have two GSP's you need a minimum of a 60 gallon aquarium. Bigger would be better though.

Your tank is uncycled. The waste is poisoning your fish. Ammonia and Nitrites are poisons. Sure, the average Pleco or Danio can withstand the cycling process, but puffers can NOT.

So since you are probably unwilling to get a bigger tank, you really should return your fish. I'm sorry. But even with a fully cycled tank, the one you have is not big enough for all those puffers.

What do you mean? Just because you don't like the answers doesn't mean they aren't true.

There are basically two things you can do to help your fish. Go out NOW and buy a HUGE tank, 60+ gallons, marine salt and appropriate filters, and move the two GSP's to that. The proper water conditions (brackish) will help their health and the appropriate sized tank will dillute the wastes and toxins enough for them to survive the tank's cycling process.

Or you can take them back to the store, where its very likely someone else is going to do the same thing you are doing (too small of a tank, wrong water type) and they will die anyways.



I'm sorry to tell you that, but there's no way two GSP's can survive in a 5 gallon tank, especially with other fish in there as well. Puffers are very, very sensitive fish and any trace of ammonia will kill them, nitrites will make them very ill or kill them (you haven't even reached this point in your cycle yet, they are still stuck on ammonia) and even high nitrates can make them seriously sick.

Its simple facts. You don't have to like them, but you asked why your puffers were sick and now you know.

If you can't get them a 60 gallon tank, try to get them something at least 20 gallons or larger, and still plan on doing daily water changes of 50-90% to keep them healthy. That won't last you too long, as they will grow quickly, but it will be much better than a 5 gallon tank.

I had my water tested..no ammonia or nitrates or nitrites...so I dont see why you all keep talking about poisons...

FudgePudgeNibbler wrote:I had my water tested..no ammonia or nitrates or nitrites...so I dont see why you all keep talking about poisons...

The fact you have no Nitrates mean your tank is *not* cycled. There should be nitrates (Under 10ppm) in an established tank at all times.

So there probably *is* an ammonia spike going on right now.

Your tank is too small. You need a bigger one. It needs to be cycled. Period. There is no other way to help your fish except getting a bigger tank, and cycling it with BioSpira, like yesterday, to save their lives. If you are unwilling to do so, you should return your fish, and hit the pufferpedia for a list of puffer fish that are more suited for your tank size. And cycle it first...There's a wonderful article on fishless cycling in the library of this site.

I see absolutly nothing condensending about any of the above comments & they are nothing but helpful. Did you want some magic pill that was going to make your puffers OK to keep in a tiny tank?

What kind of test kit was used to test your water? I believe the readings to be false, unless you just did a huge water change beforehand. Did they use test strips?

the reason why the majority of us are on here is because we either had false info about puffers, were/are not educated enough and still learning about them, or got them then discovered something wrong with them.

we have all been there. dont be upset. i understand that the tests say there isnt anything there however, if its right then its the first time EVER. in order for there to be nitrate there has to be ammonia and that is caused by waist. by fish or by plants or by uneaten food.

here is a good link to understand better. its just a picture diagram.
http://www.fishlore.com/Pictures/aquari ... _cycle.jpg

we are here to help because we want to. its ok if you were misleaded or not understanding

HA!...in your FACE! I did nothing to the GSP...and now theyre all better...you all suck...and your advice suck buttocks.

FudgePudgeNibbler wrote:HA!...in your FACE! I did nothing to the GSP...and now theyre all better...you all suck...and your advice suck butt.

well thats good! congrats!

I am locking this. PM sent