The Puffer Forum

Hey guys my abei *polly* usually active and always swims around the corner of the tank because i sit next to it where my computer is at. I realize today he's breathing heavily laying in his hiding place and dont know whats the cause. I did feed him today and he was eager to eat then back to his hiding place again.

tank water readings are

ammonia=0
ph=8
nitrite=0
nitrate=20
temp=80

Did a 40% water change after to see if he will get better.There's no tankmates inside with him. Aswe all know abei are extremely aggressive. There's driftwood and live plants inside using flourite substrate. tank is fully cycle for a yearall plants are live,very green and well. So i dont know whats going on but one thing he's kinda fat. i feed him every other day frozen blood worms and nothing else. Got him about month ago. Should i add some salt? What you guys suggest?Thx in advance.

Just update before i head to bed. I have added little bit of aquarium salt and air stone. Hope he feels better when i wake up.

In was going to recommend the airstone. I hope he's better in the morning.

What is his size? Just a suggestion as I have no idea what is wrong. Perhaps vary his diet and feed him less? Do you soak his food in fish vitamins to ensure he is getting all the nutriments he needs. I hope he is ok.

I was gonna suggest the airstone and water change as well. Let us know how hes doing, hope he gets better soon!

He's still breathing heavily and look even worst. I can move him to another tank but is occupied by other puffers. i dont know what to do.

I dont soak his food with vitamins i enevr did not even with my other puffers.Can he be constipated to cause this heavy breathing?

I just look polly is in the bottm of the tank breathing heavy but i realize his tail is sticking kinda high

Another WC won't hurt. Did the last one perk him up at all? Did you add an airstone?

yes i added the airstone and aquarium slat but doesnt seem like is helping. This is odd

If he's still eating, try to find some LIVE daphnia for him. Also, pick up some Epsom salt and dose his tank at 1 tbsp per 10 gallons of water.

If he's constipated, this should solve the problem. I'd do this as quickly as possible, though, as he sounds like he's not doing very well.

Adding an airstone isn't always as effective as it sounds. You need to make sure the bubbles are VERY fine and that there is good water circulation to push the oxygenated water around. My roommate ran into the same problem: he had an airstone, but it wasn't doing anything and his fish were getting worse, so he put the air stone UNDER the intake of a powerhead (so that the powerhead would chop up the bubbles and shoot them across the tank) and his fish were better by the next morning!

Hope he starts to get better!

I would try what Agnate recommended for constipation. It wont hurt and might help. A varied diet for your Abei would be best when he gets better.

Abei are fresh water puffers so I'm not sure the aquarium salt is going to help him much. But if he looks bloated (or fat) it really sounds like constipation and epsom salt is quite an effective solution. You'll find it in any drugstore, usualy sold as feet bath! I hope he does better soon!

Thank you guys. As of now he still breathing hard. Im going to the drugstore in a minute and get the salt. Im crossing my finger and will try to save my friend polly.