The Puffer Forum

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10 (was)
Salinity 1.010
Temp 25 degrees C

30G One ceylon, 2 1/2 inches long

Feed mussle meat, shell on cockles, krill (rarely now) live bloodworm, live river shrimp


For several months, all has been well, but the last few weeks he's just not been right. Dark colours, sitting on the bottom, not a white belly in sight. He does get up and come and see me when I walk about, and is still eating well... but will remain on the bottom the rest of the time.

When it first happened i tested all the parameters (see above)

Did a 50% water change, and he did pick up...swimming round, white belly... thought ok, need to do more frequent water changes.

But within two days he was back to his dark colours, sitting on the bottom.

Nitrates were only 10 to start with, 50 % water change took them down to 5.

But, did another 50% water change... so the nitrates should have been barely there... same thing, he picks up for a day, then back to dark colours, sitting on the bottom..

It's been three weeks now, doing a 50% water change every weekend... but it's not solving it.

What am i missing? Cleaned filter out... doing massive weekly water changes, (when before I did it every two weeks as he's very small in his tank and i don't over feed...)

He's eating well, but he's not acting right, and has lost his white tummy...


Any ideas?

Re-arrange decor so it looks totally different, could also try shifting the salinity either up or down see if that makes any difference as well.

I ahve been varying the salt, I put it up to 1.012 and thought thay maybe caused his troubles so took it back to 1.010... but no change.


Decided to up the temperature a bit as 25C seemed a little on the low side. Now up at 27C (same as my oscars.)


He had a white belly this morning, and was up and about before I got out of bed (when he notices me)..

so we'll see if that solves it.

Looking for a 40G for him to help me out with WC, but not easy, loads of 60G around and bigger, or smaller... can't find the right one second hand....

A 60G would just be annoying, as i don't see any tankmates i can put with him.. too small for another Ceylon/GSP.. wrong salt for FIg 8... etc

Hey, if you have the room for the tank, he'd love a 60 gallon all to himself. And eventually maybe you could add something quick and small, when he's full marine.

My guess is it was the temperature. The other thing is it simply could be something in your water he doesn't like, if you are using city/tap water. I do huge water changes on my tanks and since this last time I moved, none of my fish are looking that great, they just don't like the new water I'm on (puffers get skin problems easily, goldfish don't go into breeding condition anymore, etc). But I can't do RO water for all of them, so they just have to deal with it.

I left him to settle down for a bit although nothing different in the water, haven't moved or anything... did raise the temp....

and touch wood he seems to be ok now, big white belly and bobbing about rather than sitting on the floor... all good.

Really can't get a 60G for him, he's in our bedroom and a 40G/ 45G is about as big as I can fit. Think he'll be happy in there though, i've picked one with a big footprint do he has more room to snoop around.

If he ever does reach 9" then i may look at it again...

(hopefully getting tank this weekend so i'm excitedly planning what it'll look like... i'm so geeky. ME.... FISH GEEK....

What's his belly colour like with low level lighting does it change at all.

he has a white belly when he is lit by his own personal fairy lights (sat on condensation tray!!!!!!)

but as soon as you turn the main room light on he'll go very dark... annoying when you want to take his picture!

But he seems to be back to his old self, so as long as the lights are low, he's happy with good colours, and white belly.

New tank has tubes inc. so may see if i an slowly convince him that lights are ok, as it would be nice to have him in a properly lit tank..

but we'll have to see...

your ceylons don't like it too bright either do they? Funny really...

When only his tank light is on, he feels safe, as he can't see out the tank very well. Just like looking out a window of a well lit room at night. To take pictures, it's better to leave the room lights off, as it will help reduce the glare.

Our ceylons don't like bright lights either. We have 30w of lighting over a 120g 28" deep tank.

M Sabahensis hates bright light, it's only a 15 w tube, it has to be practically black before he'll go white belly. I was just something that happens to them as they get older. THe brighter light stresses them or as with everyone does age just make them more grumpy hence the black belly.