The Puffer Forum

I was away on vacation for 1 1/2 week during the Easter. Right when I was about to leave home (I had even put my dog into the car, and was just checking of all the lights were turned off and things like that), I saw that the filter in my salivator tank didn't work. This is an internal Sera filter (I start to hate those filters too. I get more and more against Sera filters on the whole), where the sponge is attached to the pump, and there's nothing covering the sponge. Usually when there's problems with internal filters, there's either dirt on the impeller (if they don't work at all), or there's the sponges being very dirty. So I tried a quick fix. There was nothing wrong with the impeller (the pump did work, but the water flow was very, very poor). I tried to rinse the sponge. When I do this with a Sera filter, it always releases an awful lot of dirt when I start the filter again. Even with the very, very poor water flow, this happened this time too. The whole tank went very cloudy. I tried the pump without the sponge, and the waterflow didn't improve. It was barely pumping any water at all. And now the water in the tank was bad too. With the knowledge of the puffer's sensitivity to the water quality, I just had to make a quick water change (about 30 %), even though my dog was waiting in the car, and then I just had to leave the filter like it was, as I was several hours late already. I was very, very afraid of what would find when I came back. (I also found nitrites in another tank too, where I have my absolute favorite fishes. Argh!) I've never felt so bad leaving my tanks before. With so bad filtering (if I turned the outflow in the surface, pointing against the roof, the water managed to flow about half a centimeter away from the pump - that is very, very bad circulation! Even the weakest pumps I've ever had, has been better than that! With almost a non existant filtration and lots of rotting material spread in the water, it would surely be too much for a puffer to make it.

But believe it or not: when I came back 1 1/2 week later, my salivator was still alive. The filter was still working as bad as it did when I left, which means almost not at all. You can barely feel the flow if you put your fingers in front of it. I've now put in an extra filter, which only is suitable for a tank size up to 45 litres (and the tank is a 85 litre), and that was just soooo much more powerful than the one that didn't work. The difference is very big! I have no idea how my little Jack the Ripper made it through my vacation, but he did! So did the fishes in the tank where I got nitrite readings the same day.

I just had to share this story, to tell you all that puffers can survive bad conditions. All though I would never, ever like to put a puffer through something like this again. I would have expected certain death in an almost not filtered tank, full of dirt in the water. But he must be a fighter, this one, my beloved Jack the Ripper!

Puffers can be incredibly hardy can't they?
Good to hear your fish are doing good though, how was your vacation?

wow, that is a crazy story. glad all is well.

crazedpuffer wrote:how was your vacation?

Well, my vacation didn't quite go as planned either. On Tuesday (last week), after being there for only a few days, I did have a skiing accident. I've been skiing almost since I started walking, and have never had any injury (that I can remember). Now, I was going down a very small slope, which wasn't at all steep, together with my brother's children (they used this place to get better going downhill). I was terribly clumsy, and managed to fall and bend my knee pretty badly. I can't blame anything else than my own clumsyness! I had to use cruches the rest of the vacation, and couldn't be with the others when they went outside.
The lucky part in this was that this is a knee I've injured before, and has been through a surgery at it some years ago. It's said that the repaired ligament (I had tore off then) is stronger than the normal ligament. If I had injured the other knee, I am pretty sure I would have torn off the ligament inside that knee. That is an injury I just don't want to experience again! I don't think I've broken anything this time, but I haven't checked it out properly yet (I went to the doctor though, and she suspected injury at that time). Not my best vacation in any way, I guess. Except that I got some nice birthday presents (a bit late), and a birthday dinner (which I usually never get, living by my own).

Actually there was some more things that was bad too, but it takes too much explaining. But it was nice to see my brother's children. I see them too rarely, living in a different part of the country. They are such beautiful and nice children!
Here they are, the two girls in the front.

Just as a comment to my Easter story: my physiotherapist gave me the news I didn't want to hear today: I have torn off some ligament in my knee. Now I am really grumpy!

But back on topic: My salivator seems to be in a lot better mood, but that wasn't really a surprise. And no sign of illnesses either. I've seen him swimming around in the tank, which he usually don't do while I am watching. The tank is still under filtrated, but the condition is a lot better. And I give him a 50 % water change every other day. No other fish in my house gets that much attention right now I will move another filter (big enough for the tank) in there after the weekend. I don't dare to move it earlier, as it's running together with another filter that isn't properly cycled yet (or there's a chance that it isn't), and I don't want to move this cycled filter out before I know for sure that the other filter is ok. So he will have to wait a few more days.

Aw they look like good kids!

Good to hear your puffers doing good, at least he's forgiving!

Ohh I feel your pain!

The 2nd time in my life I went skiing, I tore my meniscus tendon. Not falling down, but trying to stand back up after I fell in those goofy ski boots. My knees hyperflex anyways and I just ripped the heck out of it.

The good thing is if you do have surgery, it heals up quick!

Glad you got to see the family and Happy Birthday by the way!

No surgery. This ligament will have to heal by its own. Well, it could have been worse. It could have been that ligament that forms a cross inside the knee. I don't want to go through that thing again!

But thanks for the sympathy. And for the gratulation. But it's 2 weeks since my birthday now.

Happy Belated Birthday!!
My dad had to get a knee surgery like 6 years ago, it was ACL and Miniskis (however thats spelt) Yeah it wasn't fun. Good to hear yours can heal naturally!

I finally found the reason why the filter didn't work properly. The impeller was broken. So it's impressive that it was able to make any circulation at all - if you can call that very small amout of water circulation. Jack is still in very good shape (seems to get in better mood every time I see him), and moves around like nothing has happened. But I still feel very guilty for what he had to go through while I was away.

Now I really start wondering how long my salivator had been living under those poor conditions! After I put that too small, but working filter into his tank, he has changed. Earlier he was so timid, hiding all the time. Now he is out swimming at daytime, and is not so afraid of me anymore. He seems healthier and happier than he has ever been. And the tank is still under filtrated! The little filter that he has now is suitable for tanks up to 45 litres, and the tank is 85 litres (but the filter is an Eheim filter, so at least it's quality). But I am happy to finally have a salivator that I can see!
And I get even more uncertain about the quality of Sera filters. I just like them less and less. I will never buy a Sera filter again in my life, that's for sure!

Wow thats really cool waht a difference that filter made.
Glad to hear he's doing good, I think a picture update may be in order?

I will see what I can get. At least there's a chance I can get a pic of him now. Earlier he never was around enough to get a good pic. But right now I think he is sitting in a corner somewhere, burping after a good shrimp meal. So he will be in hiding again for a little while, while digesting the food. Today he even came straight for the food, which is very uncommon for Jack. Usually he waits with eating until he knows I'm not around (not even close to the tank). Sometimes he can wait for hours! Of course he was very hungry too, with no feeding since tuesday (or was it Monday?).