new figure 8 puffer questions!!

[daddyrocks6]

Hi,
So about two weeks ago, we lost a figure 8 puffer...We had transferred him from our 55 gallon community tank (not kept in ideal conditions in that tank...we weren't keeping him in true brackish conditions) to a new 20 gallon tank (used a cycled filter from another tank)... but he was too far gone by IPs...died after treating for 2 days.

In anycase, I had wanted to make sure that that tank had completed it's cycle (even though we were using a cycled filter)...but my fiance, on 9/24, brought home a new figure 8 puffer...Mr. Snaps.

I have been monitoring the water conditions VERY closely...ordered Dr. Tim's (totally refridgerated, shipped refridgerated) to help the cycle... listened to Pufferpunk's advice, and loaded our aquaclear 50 with some biomax as well before treating w/ Dr. Tim's. In anycase, I was doing daily water changes until adding Dr. Tim's (on October 1st)... we did a partial water change, I added Prime, and added the Dr. Tim's to the filter. I waited 2 days, checked water parameters on 10/3, ph-8.2, sal-1.003-4 (stepping it up very slowly), N02- 0, N03- 10, NH3- 0.25. I was worried about the 0.25 ammonia reading, so I did a slight 25% water change... using Prime. And, I also added some more of the Dr. Tim's (that I kept in the fridge) to the filter.

Over the weekend (10/5), the ammonia still seems to be staying at ~0.25, 0-nititre, 5.0 nitrate... And, last night we did a 25% water change, and when I got home from work, I tested the water, and I'm still seeing a 0.25 ammonia reading, 0-nitrite, 5.0 nitrate.

I tested my tap water, and aren't seeing any ammonia reading in that..I would like to think that the Dr. Tim's is doing it's job helping to establish the bio-filter... Should I keep doing daily small water changes if I am seeing the 0.25 ammonia readings?? It is worrying me, but the puffer doesn't seem to have a care in the world. He seems so happy in his big 20 gallon tank he has all to himself...eating really well. He really is acclimating to the new tank setup, getting used to staying low, coasting in and out of the caves we have set up..

Any advice??

Also, we've noticed that lately whenever he is low-lying in one of his resting spots/ caves, his color really fades... and as soon as he sees us at his tank, he perks up and swims up to us, and his color comes back.. is this something to worry about either?? Thanks so much!!

[Pufferpunk]

I'd leave things alone & let the product establish itself & do it's job. 0.25 ammonia isn't too bad, for a short while.

It is usual for a fish to have a "resting color", when it's napping.

[daddyrocks6]

Well this morning, when I got up for the gym, I tested the water, and his ammonia was up to ~0.50, nitrite-0, and nitrate ~10. So I did a 25-30% water change, and he is doing fine (treated water w/ Prime). I am going to try to keep his feeding down a bit as well, and just keep monitoring the water conditions...

He is definitely doing well, though... very active. Just wish my fiance could have waited a little longer to replace our other puffer. But I think this time around, we definitely have the knowledge and means to make him happy! Big step was getting a 20 gallon tank just for one puffer alone... all of my friends seem amazed that I only have one fish in there, in comparison to our 55 gallon community tank with lots of fish of all different sizes... but then I start spouting off all the knowledge that I have learned from this forum, and make them understand that he's happy being all by himself