The Puffer Forum

I recently stumbled across a really cool SAP at my LFS, he was in pretty bad shape, fins were torn off but I bought him anyway, trying to convince myself coz he had a pearl white white belly. A week on, I started noticing a black patch on his underbelly, I thought I'd wait for a day or two and not rush to conclusions. Yet today I noticed that the black patch has gone worse, now basically creeping up half his belly. Upon closer inspection I think he may have a white spot or two on him, but I couldnt be sure since it was only one or two and it was nowhere near his gills and fins. Anyway, he is still eating, took a shrimps head off just 10 mins ago, seem sa little lethargic adter that, but perhaps from the shrimp rather than his illness.

I have a 40G tank, fully cycled, PH7.2 with the amonia and nitrate level at 0. My tank is fully circulated. My SAP lives with 1 polka dot lyra tail Pleco (still young bout 7cm), two Egyptian Angelfishs, a battered Siamese fighting fish and two other plecos.
I have another puffer in that tank and that leads me to my second question:

I bought another puffer recently, he was labeled as simply 'freshwater puffer' at my LFS. Being impulsive and new to the game, I bought the guy without hesitation. However when I went about researching this guy, I found nothing in the freshwater section nor could I find him in the Brackish section. I then stumbled across the Takifugu oscellatus and Nicopheltes, which looks exactly like him. I know that they are full marine puffers, but I have been keeping him in my freshwater tank for a while (2weeks), I did that because he seems happy and is eating. I have posted a blog earlier but my camera was bust and I couldnt take a photo of him. Anyway here is the guy: Once again 3 days ago he started to develop this two fungus looking tips at the end of his top fin. It wasnt there when I first bought him, and I am worried as hell here. If you look close you'd see that he has one pinkish ball and one maroonish ball attached to his top fins.
I really need help guys, pls give me some advice as to what I shud do nxt.

Not sure about the illness, although I wouldn't freak out about it because it sounds like something you could treat with anti-parasite/ant-bacterial/anti-fungus meds. But from what I've read, SAPs like to be in groups and may stress if they're alone, so that could be part of your problem with him right there.

The gurus will be more help to you than I ever could; they're going to want to know the answers to all the questions in red up at the top of the page, so you might as well get that info ready for them and post it.

Yes, please answer all the above questions in red.
I can tell you that the bottom pictures are a Takifugu Niphobles. Definitely marine.

Right here are my specs:
I have a 150 Litre freshwater tank,
ammonia - 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrates 60ppm
PH 7.2
My SAP lives with a takifugu (as you have pointed out... ), a polka dot Lyra tail pelco, two other plecos, 3 Egyptian Angelfish and a finless siamese fighting fish.
Feed them 6 days a week once a day
Puffers - ghost shrimps, freezedried bloodworms, other fish dried bloodworms
30% water change a week with walrus vacumming every 2-3 days, in addition I add 10 drops of water stabilizer and 7 drops of water decloudifier every time the 30% water change occur. I also use preventive meds once a month abotu 10 ml to prevent exactly diseases like ick.
I bought a piece of wood with plants attached to it at my LFS last Saturday
My aquarium has been set up for 2-3 months.

Your SAP might work in there but definately not the fugu. I'd set up a 30g tank for that fish & get it into high-end BW, within the next few months. Or return the fish & give them a piece of your mind. Should have QTed the SAP too.

Thanks guys, that was really helpful. To markrush, I went out and bought two more SAPs 2 days ago, QTed them for the night, and now my Ami (my 1st SAP) seems to be much happier. The black underbelly was probably caused more by stress if anything... but I bought some API meds just in case the situation escalades to a point where he will need it.

I also bought a 180L tank yesterday for my Takifugu, I've grown to like him a lot and couldn't bring myself to get rid of him. All I did was extorted the dude at my LFS for a cheaper price for my tank! Never set up a marine tank b4, so still trying to learn the ropes. So I should be gradually adding marine salt in my water, until I reach a level of high end Brackish right? Do I need to step it up in the future, tweaking the salinity so that the tank becomes fully marine? If so do takifugus enjoy corals and live rocks? how shud I go abouts decorating my tank for him. Too many questions too little time, can;t wait till I get home from work to check on my puffs. Anyway thanks again guys, puffers and I are grateful.

Also, I'd say stop adding water clarifier - it isn't actually good for fish, despite what it says on the packaging.

can you post a bigger picture of your SAP please... because from the top picture i'm not sure it is a SAP..

looks like a Ceylon puffer to me... but it is a small pic, so maybe i'm wrong..

t1gerbee wrote:can you post a bigger picture of your SAP please... because from the top picture i'm not sure it is a SAP..

looks like a Ceylon puffer to me... but it is a small pic, so maybe i'm wrong..

I was thinking the same thing. It really doesn't look like an SAP to me either.

You guys are right. I did a little research after I saw this and I am sure I have a ceylon puffer, actually its 3 ceylon puffers.. yikes. I am furious about this, I am from Hong Kong you see, and instead of going to a LFS, we have a LFM (local fish market), literally a whole street packed with 50 stores selling aquarium fishes and equippment... you can see million fishies cruely placed into a plastic bag and hanged on display for all to choose. These shop simply label any fish they get their hands on as FW, although I extorted a discount on my marine tank, still pretty pissed about this. But I guess the lack of research and complacency on my part is to be blamed as well.
Well, not to worry I set up my brackish tank yesterday, the 180L I bought on Wednesday, added some marine salt and bought a hydrometre. The reading now is 1.002 SG, am I going too low? I know I'd eventually have to buy a bigger tank, coz this one will be housing a takifugu and 3 ceylons. Question guys, can I use wood and plants in a brackish water tank? I know that salt damages these things and it is never possible to have plants and wood in a marine tank, is it the same case with Brackish? If so, wat kind of decors should I put in to make my puffers happy?

I am willing to cast doubt on the impossiblity of good driftwood in marine. I have had a piece in brackish, then marine, for about a year each, it's still fine - a LITTLE softish on the surface, but nothing that wasn't also noticeable with the pieces in my ex's 55 freshwater tank after a few months.

How are you cycling these tanks you are setting up? Be sure to read the GSP article in our Library, care & feeding are identical for the Ceylon, except they grow larger, so require a larger tank when grown.

ah ha! I knew it! Does that make me a super geek??!

three ceylons! Wow, they are much rarer than GSP's so from that point it's good...


but they get reasonably big, and love their salt.