The Puffer Forum

I did a 75% water change or so, on a 120g tank. The Fahaka is around 5-6 inches excluding tail. We have very hard water where I live, but all my fish have seemed to grow accustomed to it. The Fahaka has been living with me for around 9 months now.

After the water change he acted normal, about 12 hours later he refused to move.. almost acting like he was blind, not jumping to the top when I brought his usual "mental trigger for food" container over to him.

So I changed about 50-60% of his water again last night, did a triple dose of Prime just in case.. also ruffled up his gravel and sucked out what I could see.

Today he seems less "blind" but still won't eat.. For the first time in months, he buried himself in the sand.

Water params I just tested

0ppm Nitrites
0ppm Ammonia
10ppm Nitrate
7.8-8.2pH

His colors seem OK, when he gets sleepy or mad, his colors fade, I noticed they are a little better today, maybe I just won't provoke him with food. No noticeable markings or disease at all. He is the only fish in the tank, so it is nearly impossible for him to catch anything.. as I don't use nets in his tank or transfer anything.

He was acting fine before the water change, I am wondering if something in the "extremely hard winter tap water" is just temporarily throwing him into a spin. I've done two water changes and sucked the gravel just to make sure I didn't agitate a big deposit of old garbage on the first water change.

Maybe I'm jumping the gun, just gathering ideas if it gets worse.

Comments?

Anyone? bumping.

That's odd. I guess it could have been water hardness.
I think it might be best not to do a WC untill he starts to act normal.

What's your regular WC schedule? Do you always do that amount weekly? I do 75% every week, on my fahaka's tank.

Sound frightening man, how abt the water temp? I think you mentioned something abt winter water. Could the drastic drop in water temp during the huge WC cause him to act this way?

my 2 cents worth

72 hours of observation.

For the first 2 days, he was hiding in his normal spot under a structure I made for him. Seems sensitive to light.. Very low activity level, won't come to front of tank.

Today - First saw him at front of tank, buried himself, I brought over the usual container, he jumped up and went flailing all around, acting like himself again, food dropped, uninterested.. ahh well, seems like he's just on strike now.

Water changes normally weekly about 40-60%, I just walk away for a bit, when it hits about half I suck up the gunk off the bottom, stir up the sand on the bottom as I do it.

Water temp around 73-74F. Goes in there around 70-75.. I will go lower before I go higher and let the heater do its job.

I really did nothing out of ordinary.. Cleaned out the filter.. Used prime.

I'd get that temp up to 78-80degrees. You should always add the same temp water, during a WC.