The Puffer Forum

My original post re: black tummied gsp has not even made it to the forum and the water change as done it!!! It's been about an hour/less and hiss tummy is almost completely white and he is up and downin at the glass!!!!!!!! I am so relieved!! I definitely need a water testing kit and will get it asap.

thanks for being here
Mary-Rhea

Glad to hear he's better!

Good to hear!
Amazing what water changes can do isn't it?

I'll delete your 3 posts on that then. I wonder how well the tank was cycled for a WC to make that much of a difference. Keep a close eye on the parameters for a while.

Dear Pufferpunk,
This morning, Pudge, had a black tummy and all that, then he got better, and that was when I posted this, but now he is back to black tummy and everything, so please don't delete! I really need some advice on him.

Mary-Rhea

Good to hear he is getting better.

I'm so confused... Just post about him on here then. You had 3 other posts with the same subject line. Be sure to answer all the Qs above, in red.

Sorry, Pufferpunk,
I posted a "new topic" prior to reading your advice to post here.

40 gal tank
cycled 4 wks then added starter fish and gravel (from cycled tank) and 2 wks later did water check and added puffer.
have a bio wheel filter for 40 to 60 gal.
rechecked h2o - parameters still good:
amonia 0
Ph 8.0 to 8.2
Nitrate 0
nitrite 0
nitrite 0
salinity 1.008
used Prime during water change.
didn't feed him during the day.
when I fed that evening he was mostly black belly again, staying on bottom and showed little interest in his favorite: blood worms.
after the light went out he did the verticle shuffle but hides when light is on.

his tank mates for about 3 wks are 3 Siam algae eaters that he gets along with fine. They even clean him.

any suggestions?
Mary-Rhea
The confusion was created because my ORIGINAL post re: his belly never posted.

Okay, he's swimming and so I can see the front 1/2 of belly is white and the back 1/2 is blackish. I'm going to try to feed him and see if he is more interested.

mr

0 nitrate is a sign of an uncycled tank.
How was the tank cycled prior to adding the starter fish?

I agree the tank does not sound cycled if Nitrate is 0...but is the fact that the algae eaters 'clean' him not a huge concern? My understanding was that due to the slime coat rather than scales this could be fatal for a puffer, sorry if my understanding is not correct.

Jeni

Oh snap totally missed that part, your right jeni.
Chances are its the SAE doing it. I'd get them out ASAP.

Yup, SAEs are bad fellows.

Okay!! As soon as I read your posts I chased down the SAE and they are in a floater tub right now and will get them out tomorrow. Pudge is now dark all over.

I followed the instructions from LFS on cycling. I ran it w/ some of their established gravel for a month. They checked the water and said I could put some fish in it. I did. 2 wks later they checked the water again and said I could introduce the puffers. I did.

I just bought this testing kit, the same one used at the store and the values I have are what THEY TOLD ME it should be. I'm not yelling at you, I'm yelling about all the misinformation I'm getting from these stores. I told people I know from 2 different LFS that the SAE's were cleaning him and both of them said it wasn't a problem if he didn't seem to mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The info in the kit and the LFS said Nitrite no 2 and no3 should be 0... there is no test (in this kit) for nitates.

What can I do quickly (if anything) to get this corrected and should I pup something in to help w/ the slime coat. My Prime says it does aid in this but that may not be the best choice.

I appreciate your help... thanks so much. From now on I'm coming straight to TPF for any questions 'cause it's obvious I can't trust the shops.

mary-rhea

If your nitrite is 2, then you are are at extremely toxic levels. You must start doing large daily water changes. Use Prime. Look for Bio-Spira to cycle the tank. Get your own test kits for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & pH. Do you have a hydrometer?

Please read the Fishless Cycling article in our Library to understand cycling. Adding substrate from an established tank will only seed the tank but without an ammonia source, the bacteria just died off. So in essence, your tank is not cycled at all. I'd find another LFS.