The Puffer Forum

Well one of my puffers hover has been doing really good eating like crazy he is finally eating snails to.
But I wake up this morning and he is at the top "not floating"
just swimming around with his face to the top of the water to me it looks like he is saying let me out of here.
he will still go to the bottom but he mostly stay at the top just swimming around.It looks like he has his nose out of the water or something.He just has never shown this behavor before. could this be something or am I just to worried.
Now he did turn down a snail yesterday but I think he was just full his belly and still nice and plump and white he still looks heathly just acting different????

thanks for your help!

Okay I just check both of there tanks.
The tank there are in right now is acidy
good or bad and if bad how can I fix it I added some salt to it yesterday.
and the furture tank Is high with nitrite so that tank is almost done I added sand to it yesterday for them
and just a little more salt its almost where it needs to be.

So the tank there are in right now could it be becuase it is acidy I checked the ammonia and it is fine
I did a water change yesterday on that tank.

1) What kind of puffer is it, and why were you adding salt?
2) What do you consider "acidy"? What is the pH reading you are getting?


He might be hanging out at the top of the tank because there's less oxygen at the bottom. Might be worthwhile to add an airstone that produces very fine bubbles.

It is a green spotted p[uffer and at the store wher I bought him they had him in freshwater so I had to get him worked up to the right sg so yesterday when I did a water change I just added A little more salt it is at 1.009 and my ph is at 7.2 that is with a liquid measure.

Okay I will go add a air stone I will be back...

OKay I put 2 of those round bubble stone in there.They do well by giving off little bitty tiny bubbles.
Do you think two is to many. there are just the small 3in round ones he doesnt seem to be at the top no more but they both might be scared to go up there cause of all the bubbles now.
I hope that is what the problem was because he was just going around the top with his mouth open and had jis nose to the top of the water.

Is my ph wrong
I hope you can remeber who I am and my sistutaion I am the one that put them in brand new tank and is just doing water changes from keeping the ammonia getting high and stalling the cycle cause there future tank is not done cycling yet it. I know I should of waited but see I never see puffers around here I thought I was going to have to ored my puffer and then I saw them at walmart half of them that where in that tank was dead so I had to take the ones that looked the heathest. but they have been doing fine so far.

Ya know I was at walmart yesterday I always fo past the fishy area and there still was one puffer in there I thouht he was dead he was at the bottom solid black and from his tail to his belly he had cotton all over him I thought poor guy and then his eyes moveed I couldnt belive that little guys was still alive. I couldnt belive it Here I am wanted one forever and walmart is just killing them left and right I just dont understand.
So even though I was not quite prepared for my puffer I am still glad I got them and giving them a chance at life well maybe a little slice of heaven cause they are spoiled

right...

Did you cycle the tank?
what size tank is it?
when doing water change did you let the water stand in a bucket for at least 24 hours?

Never use tap water directly weither use conditioner ( which i dont like personally) or let it stand in a bucket of water for 24 hours before adding to the tank. test the ph after your tap water has rested for 24hours untouched. if your tap water stays at 7 leave it, i find it best in long run for the fish to adapt to it than have to suffer from differing ph's when doing weekly changes. make sure your tank is cycled and if it is 15-20% weekly water changes if you dont feel right do this every 2-3 days until they improve with weekly gravel clean. remember let the water rest at room temp is fine. also ensure water temp is always 25-26degrees for GSP's constantly.

dont add any more salt!

BUT...... this behavier may be fine you sound liek you havnt had the puffers for that long. My baby mbu always hovers at the top of the tank. usually waiting for food cause shes a FAT PIG! my other puffers usually laze around the bottom there all different. if there swimming fine and no boiancy ploblems just wath the water conditions and keep ontop of maintance and they will be fine

flash.dan wrote:let it stand in a bucket of water for 24 hours before adding to the tank

This is only a possibility if you don't have chloramine or heavy metals in your water. Chlorine will break down after a while (hence leaving it for 24 hours), but chloramine doesn't, and other heavy metals can be problematic for your fish. Dechlorinators are your best bet.



Did the puffer look like it was breathing heavily? If not, he might have just been waiting near the top for food. Hopefully the new tank will be cycled soon!

7.2 is neutral pH, the same as your tap water, which is understandable, since you are doing all those water changes.

Just to let everyone know he is doing fine he eat some shrimp yesterday evening to.
I just wish the other tank would hurry up and cycle so they can go in there new home.
I will keep you updated and maybe even some pics soon of my little hunks.
thanks for all your help you guys are the best. I am sure it hard anwser the same question all the time from people who just dont understand these little guys. so you guys are a big help keep up the good work
thanks again