The Puffer Forum

Hi everyone,

I have 2 GSP's (about 2" long each) in a 55g tank. No other fish but there are 3 Java fern, 2 amazon sword, 2 anubias in the tank along with 2 pieces mopani driftwood.

Water parameters are: 1.008 SG, PH 7.6 (My area has naturally high PH water, so this was no different than when I got them), Ammonia 0.25, Nitrite/Nitrate don't have a test this moment.

I purchased them 1 month ago and they were in an established 10g tank that I removed my goldfish from and then slowly raised SG through water changes. The new tank was cycled for 1 week and water from the 10g tank was added to help acclimate the fish when they were moved. Thay have been in the 55g for 1 week.

I am just about to do a 10% water change which is my normal weekly maintenance for all my tanks.

My puffers eat bloodworms, PE Mysis and live snails from my freshwater tank.

The tank has a CO2 venturi water pump which runs during the day only, chemicals I use are Big Al's Water conditioner, Bio Support, Bio Control and Plant Food Supplement.

The issue is that one puffer is colorful, active and seems very well adjusted. My other puffer spends all day hiding under a leaf or near the substrate. His color is very faded, spots are almost gone, his gills are moving rapidly and he opens and closes his mouth constantly. Since I got this puffer he always seemed a little pinched around the belly, but he was a vigorous feeder and seemed healthy when I got him. Is this an internal parasite? If so how do I treat it?

PS I know ammonia should be zero, I think it's just a natural spike since the tank has been up for only 2 weeks. Hoping the water change will address this.

did you move the substrate and the filter to the new tank as well as the water?

You're tank may well be only half way through the cycle if it's only been up and running for a week...

you need to do large daily water changes to get rid of the ammonia and the likely nitrites that will be spiking...

Ammonia means tank is not cycled, that is almost certainly what's stressing the one puffer. I'd try big water changes daily.

Thanks for the replies,

I did a large water change and will test levels in the morning. I picked up a Nitrite and Nitrate test kit so can measure levels accordingly. He looked better at feeding time and his color was better after water change.

Good work

What are the results?

Hi,

Got home from work and did another water change. Will update levels in a moment, just allowing the filter to circulate. I'm starting to think it's a parasite however. Pillow (puffer's name) has a red and inflamed gill on the left side, which is incidentally the side where his stomach seems pinched (has since I purchased him). There was some red string like matter coming from his gill on this side and now it looks more whitish, the gill is also inflamed and red, on this side only.
I have Melafix but haven't added it yet, what should I do, should I go pick up some meds before my LFS closes?

Update on the tank

SG 1.008
PH 8.4
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 0.25 ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm

Haven't fed yet tonight but I think I might pick up some praziquantel in case I need to dose Pillow. Should I transfer him to another tank for treatment, the only other fish in my display is another GSP (Blanket, my son named them). I don't have another tank at that SG but I do have a tank at 1.003 that I am using to acclimate plants to a Brackish environment.

Incidentally, I also added my biological filter foam from an established tank to my Puffer tank this morning to help jump start bacterial growth.

Nitrite burns the gills, that could be part of the irritation. I'd just treat the tank he is in, parasite meds do not hurt your biofilter.

Removed carbon from filter.

Treated with Melafix and Jungle anti-parasite. Pillow only ate 1 mysis shrimp but we'll see tommorrow.

You've gotta get that nitrite down. Did you do a WC before adding the med? At least 50%/day, until it's 0.

This morning Nitrite still at same level. I will do another WC, I did one before adding the meds too. I didn't have enough SW mixed to do more than 30%, but I have anew batch mixed for today. We'll see how Pillow does.

I forgot to ask, do I leave the meds in for 24hrs or should I do a WC right now?

Did a 50% WC anyways, Pillow didn't look any better from the meds, in fact he looked a little worse. I have to go to work now, I'll check Nitrite et al tonight.

Pillow didn't make it. His color was all black this morning and by the time I got home he was gone. Nitrite is still 0.25 si I'll do another WC tomorrow.