The Puffer Forum

Hi,

I have a small lineatus, around 8cm in size. Have had it now a bit over a month, it was uder 5cm when it came to me. At first it ate just fine, but slowly started to refuse food. Now it hasn't eat allmost nothing in a week. Water and temperature are fine.

Temp 29C ( I inceased it a bit)
Ph ~7
KH ~5
GH ~6
No3 0
No2 0

Today I tried to give some earthworms for it, but no success.

Do you have any ideas what to do? I dont want to loose the fish.

Thanks

What and how much/often have you been feeding?

When mine was that size she would eat half an uncooked king prawn or 2 fresh mussels most days.

bosshogg wrote:What and how much/often have you been feeding?

When mine was that size she would eat half an uncooked king prawn or 2 fresh mussels most days.

Quite the same as yours, mostly on diet of prawns and mussels. On couple of last days I've also experimented different kinds of worms, no luck.

What size tank is he in? Has he been moved recently? Tank mates?

atm. he is in a small 110 liter (29gallon) tank, while he still is 8cm (3,14") in size. No other tankmates, him alone. He looks very thin and weak but still moves around. I change water 2-3 times a week, about 20% at time. Havent made any changes lately. The tank is about 2 months old.

When mine was very small she was in a 240 lit tank and when she was about that size i moved to a 5 x 2 x 2 that is approx 500 lit.

Also are you using test strips or a proper kit as mine has never had zero nitrate/No3, are you testing ammonia and how long was the tank running before adding the puffer?

The tank was about 1 month old before the fish moved in. About 3 weeks ago I changed the filter to a new one, kept my old and this new together in the tank 1 week before removing the old to have the bacteria of the old filter to the new one.

I reran the tests, now with TetraTest, drop liquid test case. Differs on some when used Tetra's teststripes earlier. Ph is some hight and GH (hardness) a bit to low. I shall do one more waterchange for today and check the measurements again on morning.

Ph ~8
KH ~5
GH ~6
No3 12,5mg/l
No2 <0,3mg/l
NH3 0mg/l
O2 8mg/l

I've done waterchanges day before yesterday, yesterday and today. 20% at the time.

Yesterday used some flubendazol against parasites and others.

You're showing nitrite, that's probably the trouble. Water changes are the remedy.

Nick wrote:You're showing nitrite, that's probably the trouble. Water changes are the remedy.

Would agree the nitrite is the problem, sounds like its not cycled enough.

I'm not sure about the Nitrite, it says No2 <0,3mg/l = less or equeal to 0,3mg/l. (this is the lowest on the scale, there's no Zero value there.) Till 0,8mg/l it's usually non-harmfull for fish and starts showing lethal powers at 1,6mg/l, Says the booklet. So I would say, it might not be the NO2. But for extra caution, I'll keep changing water a bit for daily.

I wonder if there are some parasites, even Flubendazol used.

Thanks for you all trying to help!

Most charts have a color for zero/no reaction, puffers very easily get moody from nonlethal levels, perhaps there is just a trace and it will all be done with soon. You could try a secondary wormer, praziquantel will work as a 3 hour dip, no need to add it to the main tank water.

Nick wrote:Most charts have a color for zero/no reaction, puffers very easily get moody from nonlethal levels, perhaps there is just a trace and it will all be done with soon. You could try a secondary wormer, praziquantel will work as a 3 hour dip, no need to add it to the main tank water.

Thanks Nick, I shall ask some kind of parasite drug (praziquantel) from a local vet, but I bet she offers me Flubendazol. Also heard that liquid garlic extract (from pharmacy) could help. Allthough Flubendazol is very powerfull and easy (and safe) to use and works in most cases. But I'm willing to experiment if I get my fish back healthy again.

I recall many many years ago having a t.suvattii male. He started fasting, with no signs of any sickness, and after a month died. I took the body to a local vet for an exam. The vet was not able to find any parasites or such from the fish. The cause of death remained mystery. There were living in same tank a t.suvattii female and she is still alive even on these days. Happy healthy and predatory Also heard from some other people suffered about similair thing, a healthy puffer refused to eat and eventually died. I just wish it's not my case.

Was the suvattii cut open? I autopsied mine for the same reason & found a hard, yellow liver in him.

I found Lineatus on yesterday morning dead from it's tank

pufferpunk: Yes, same here. I try to do some digging, if'd be able to find the autopsy pics. I should still have them somewhere.

Sorry for your loss