The Puffer Forum

I've been reading a lot into all the posts and I too got screwed by my LFS. They told me to put my Fahaka into brackish so for the past month I've had him in 1.0012. I also asked them if I needed any PH papers and what not for testing levels and they told me not to worry about it. Sooo I had to leave to work after 2.5 weeks of babysitting the fahaka and he was A+ when I left, So I left my roomie in charge to change out his water at least once and give him something to munch on here and there. Well when I returned he was a bit puffier than usual... I changed out about 60% of the water immediately and during that time he doubled his size! This was @ 4am so I went too bed hoping he wouldn't keel over! 4 Hours later he was fine but ever since then he wasn't eating properly. Didn't much care for scallops or shrimp but still hammered it down. Next day I noticed a solid white patch on his eye, about the center and he was very mopie and dreary, yawning and when you turned the tank light on he'd close his eyes completely! So I shut the light off and he just stuck to the bottom, miserable. He chased a feeder when I fed him but it's like he's half blind. Next day his entire eye was clouding up, he is very very dark now, breathing very slowly and I think is basically on his death bed.

I changed out the water, 100%! Went freshwater. (I know not really good) Got rid of the white walrus sand that traps everything!! Clear bottom right now. He's swimming around a bit but it looks as if he doesn't have any energy to do so. When I netted him he didn't even flinch or care.

O and to top it off I asked my roomie when she did the water change and apparently it was o about 4 days before I came home and I also asked her if she put PRIME in .... she DID NOT! So the root of the problem I think ... **CHLORINE WATER**!!! and the LFS!

Does anyone think there is anything else I can do?

Some Pics (Healthy and Not) He's usually only this dark when he sleeps.. :S

I doubt the chlorinated water was the problem, I've done 100 percent water changes without dechlorinator with no problems, (though I'm not sure how high the chlorine levels are in my water)
Sounds like for now all you can do is water changes, and perhaps pimafix/melafix.

Also what are the ammonia nitrite and nitrate?

Can you post smaller pics? Those are kinda huge.

It looks like it needs some form of antibiotic to me. that's what I've used in similar circumstances and it worked.

Did you cycle the tank before introducing the puffer? Are those feeders straight from the store or are you breeding them or quarantining them first? By changing straight to freshwater you will kill of the bacteria in the tank and now you will end up going through a cycle again. This seems to me like it is down to poor water quality (ie ammonia, nitrite, nitrate etc.). You really do need to get some tests done in there, so buy a test kit as soon as you can. By the way what size tank is he in?

Sorry those pictures are too big we can't see them, could you resize them please?

Yea I need to buy a kit ASAP!!! But everything is closed now
He's in a 90 Gallon.
I buy the feeders from the LFS. I've been feeding them to him for quite some time now.
Yes I think poor water quality even though I've changed it now a few times and NO i didn't cycle. I was kind of panic d and just did a 100% change too freshwater while he sat in a bowl of water.
He is swimming a bit more now and breathing normally now but now it's like he can't see. His other eye is starting to really marble up now too (No white though)

I recommend you read this article as feeders straight from the LFS are not really good to be feeing him:

library/feeding/feeders/

Also, you may already be aware, but you will need to upgrade that tank later on.

Cycling is very important, especially when it is with puffer fish as they have no scales, and therefore very sensitive to ammonia etc. which is why they need to have good water quality. This could be ammonia poisoning, if he was breathing hard and acting very lethargic.

See if you can get Dr. Tims or Bio Spira (for FW) and add it to the tank

I see. You figure he will pull threw or should I run to the LFS in the morning and grab something for him?
I'm certain that if that eye don't get better he will starve to death. Like I said he is breathing normally now and is swimming around and did just take a nasty .... but I did also put in a Pleco and a feeder when I changed out the water and he won't go after em .. he swims by them! That's NOT normal! I guess I will just wait and see.
Yea 120g minimum. I've got a 155g tank lined up for whenever I need it but I ummm .... not sure if I will.

I don't often feed him feeders. (Twice a week maybe) I usually give him shrimp/prawns, scallops, crayfish and or clams and the odd ramshorn/apple snail.

I was wondering if this could also be due to a rock? PH levels? I put in this clear, soft, slate, style rock. I swear it was dissolving into the water because it was breaking up into smaller pieces. I can't remember what the rock was called but I will look into it if its suitable or NOT. I left it out anyway.

crazedpuffer wrote:See if you can get Dr. Tims or Bio Spira (for FW) and add it to the tank

Will Do! Thanks Alot!!

ACF wrote:
I was wondering if this could also be due to a rock? PH levels? I put in this clear, soft, slate, style rock. I swear it was dissolving into the water because it was breaking up into smaller pieces. I can't remember what the rock was called but I will look into it if its suitable or NOT. I left it out anyway.

I don't think that would have caused it, but it probably contributed to the problem. Definitely keep it out!

Your puffer has plenty of weight on it. It will be quite some time before he starves. Get substrate in that tank ASAP. Be sure to add the B-S directly to your filter. Add Melafix for the cloudy eyes. Stop feeding feeders to your fish. Read the article on that & the one on proper foods for your puffer. Read my signature.

Pufferpunk wrote:Your puffer has plenty of weight on it. It will be quite some time before he starves. Get substrate in that tank ASAP. Be sure to add the B-S directly to your filter. Add Melafix for the cloudy eyes.

What do you suggest for substrate? I just took out ALL the sand .. I had white sand that turned brown after a few days and algae just adored it!! It was ridiculous! I have a Ehiem Pro II filter and a Aquaclear 110. I am gone for 2 weeks+ @ a time and need the ultimate filtration for this fish!! He is messy as all hell!!!! I also have a Hydor Koralia 4 - 1200GPH just to make sure there are NO dead spots! I had silk plants and he destroyed them! So now i put bamboo in and a few rocks .. and got rid of the sand and the brackish water! I just cleaned out the eheim a few days ago and this started to happen just after that.
So far so good since i threw him into FW he's been swimming around, he can see cause he does come to the edge of the tank im standing on but he will not eat!... I will get that B-S and Melafix. It goes in the filter?

I'd use small sized gravel for him. About 2" or so. B-S goes in the filter, Melafix into the tank. I just noticed you are in CAN, good luck finding B-S.

50% weekly WC are highly recommended for this fish. How bis is he?

He is about 7" long and why cant I get it here? What should I seek as an alternative?

There is no other product containing the correct LIVE bacteria B-S has, no matter what the shops may tell you. Huge water changes & Melafix are in order here. I think you bought the wrong kind of fish for your tank size & availablilty to do weekly water changes.