The Puffer Forum

My GSP Charlie is sick. It started about 5 days ago he wouldnt eat and he was getting this fuzzy stuff around his tail so I checked the water and the water was where it should be, nitrate 0, nitrite 0, hardness 15, alkalinity 30, pH 6.8. I did some research on here and chaged the water then (I thought it might be ich) I treated the water with some melafix for 4 days and he seemed to get worse. So I stopped that and changed the water. That was yesterday that I changed the water again. I have the temperature at 82F hes in a 10 gallon tank and hes about tow inches long. Yesterday he did not have the fuzzy stuff around his tail and then I woke up this moring to find it again and it looks like his tail is cut open. He hasnt eaten in about 6 days and he was swimming around the tank yesterday but hasnt really today. If anyone can help I would great appreciate it!

Is Charlie in brackish water? He badly needs brackish water at two inches, and also needs bigger tank than ten gallons at this size, preferably at least a 29 gallon. GSP not kept in brackish water develop immune system problems and skin problems, and generally prematurely die. Brackish water is made with salt water mix for marine tanks, just less than when mixing sea water. Instant Ocean seems to be the most used brand on here.

Yes his tank has salt in it. I add about 2 tablespoons full of aquarium salt each time I do a water change. He is the only one living in this tank right now. I also have air pump putting more air into the tank as well. I usually keep him in a 25 gallon tank but im in the process of moving and cant keep that tank up so he has to be in a smaller one for now. Should I start the melafix again?

No aquarium salt, the stuff does not provide what your puffer needs. You need to get an sea water mix used for salt water aquariums, aquarium salt just makes salty water. Change him over to salt water mix from aquarium salt through a water change, and his condition will likely improve quickly, he looks exactly like the puffers at stores do when they are suffering from freshwater degeneration effects. You can continue melafix as well, but the proper salt is most important right now, a 2 inch GSP cannot be in salted or fresh water, they need brackish.

I agree, add a cup of salt to that tank, it shouldn't hurt the biological bed as long as you premix it & add it throughout the day. Continue with the Melafix & 50% water changes every other day replacing the salt you remove. Be sure to get a hydrometer to measure the salt in the future. Also, read the GSP article in our Library.

What test kits are you using? In an established tank you should be showing some nitrate, especially with a 2" puffer in a 10g.

Thank you Nick! I honestly didnt know there was a difference between aquarium salt and instant ocean. I will try and get some tonight. I am using the Quick dip 5 n 1 test strips by Jungle. Every time I do a water change he seems to freak out. He looks like he is breathing really hard and cant calm down... Is there any way to help that? Ok so I will contine with the melafix and add a cup of instant ocean (when I get it) and water changes every other day.

How are you doing water changes? Are you matching the temp & dechlorinating? How long between them? I don't trust test strips. Take some water to your LFS & have them test it & buy liquid test kits.

Before he got sick I was doing th water changes once a week. I try and vacuum the rocks as much as possible then take out about 50% of the water and replace it and he is usually in a bowl while im doing this. Yes I try and get the temperature back to where it was before he left the tank. I will get the water tested tomorrow since everything is closed now. should I do it before or after I change the water and add salt?

LOL - sorry to laugh, but aquarium vacuums are so you DON'T have to take him out and put him in a bowl. I"m sure he'll do much better with water changes in his tank.

Take the water from the tank for testing, before the water change. Do not remove the puffer while doing WC. Moving him in & out of his home is quite stressful.

Is it better to use faucet water or reverse osmosis system water?

Unless your tap water is quite bad RO water shouldn't be necessary, but it's something you can try without risk, as the marine mix you'll be using from here out will replenish all the trace minerals he needs, so if it's cheaply accessible, no reason not to give it a try.

For BW, you will not be adding enough salt to replenish all the minerals removed w/RO, so you'd still have to use a replacement, like Osmoprep. With having to do that & the cost of RO water (especially with the amount of WC we need to do on our puffer's tanks), your best bet is tap water, unless as Nick says, you have ammonia, nitrite or high nitrate in there.

Thanks Nick! Charlies tail still looks bad but he was hungry this morning and gobbled up all the baby shrimp I put in! Thats the first time hes eaten in almost a week! So hopefully after I do the WC he will feel even better! Is the fuzzy stuff his skin peeling? Once I get the water tested I will let yyou guys know the results. Thank you both so much for all the help and advice. I will report back shortly!

I got the water tested and they are telling me that the water is at the normal levels execpt the amnonia seems a little high at .20. the nitrate is at 30, nitrite 0,alkalinity is 50 and pH7.6. Chralies flesh is actually showing now. Is it still safe to do the WC?