The Puffer Forum

can any one please reply any useful information or relevant experiance .

ph - 7.2
no2 -0.0
no3 - 10ppm
po4 - 0.1
k.h -5

tank size 6 x 2.5 x 2 with intergrated trickle system and 4x 2 x1.5 sump , t.m.c vectron 25w u.v steralizer and ehiem 5000 compact pump.
mbu puffer "boo" which is now 4 yrs old and approxiatmatly 24" long fed on various foods. mussel in and out of shell, prawns ,crabs ,cockles occasionaly a lobster.
no health issues since now.
about a week ago fed as normal in evening no prior water changes sudden changes ect.
since then boo has had a buldged stomach, as normal after feeding time which has not yet dissapered as it normaly does after normal digestion. it is as if boo is constipated and no excrement is visable in tank as you would normaly see. boo is still willing to feed but i have been reluctant to feed much until advice can be given. any information is welcome , my email direct is mbu_2003@live.co.uk.

Is it a weird looking lump, does it move or change positions?
Do you have a picture you can post?
Was there any large rocks in the tank that he may have swallowed?
Have you ever treated him for IP's? Asking because I just went through this with Annabelle. Have a look at her pictures in the hosptial section and let us know if it looks like her belly.
Have you treated the tank with epsom salt?
Have you noticed any white pooh?

yes it does change positions when boo swims up to the top of the tank it allmost dissappers but when boo sinks to the bottom of the tank it bulges out no white poo no poo atall that is why i think it maybe a form of pufferfish constipation.i was thinking of treating tank with salt 1 - 2 gramms per litre? the lump in boo belly is alot more smooth than annabelle puffer.

edmlfc1 wrote:Is it a weird looking lump, does it move or change positions?
Do you have a picture you can post?
Was there any large rocks in the tank that he may have swallowed?
Have you ever treated him for IP's? Asking because I just went through this with Annabelle. Have a look at her pictures in the hosptial section and let us know if it looks like her belly.
Have you treated the tank with epsom salt?
Have you noticed any white pooh?

yes it does change positions when boo swims up to the top of the tank it allmost dissappers but when boo sinks to the bottom of the tank it bulges out no white poo no poo atall that is why i think it maybe a form of pufferfish constipation.i was thinking of treating tank with salt 1 - 2 gramms per litre? the lump in boo belly is alot more smooth than annabelle puffer.

I would go ahead and treat with epsom salt and watch boo's pooh. It's probally just constipation.
I treated her tank with a half dose the first day and then the next day another half dose. I used 1tsp per 5 gallons.
Keep us updated on the progess.

Use the Epsom salt at 1 tbsp/10g (sorry, I don't have time to change that to metric). I believe you need a much larger tank for this puffer. 1 of your dimentions is the same length as the fish. 225g is not nearly enough. Please read the sticky in the Giant Puffer forum & the article about this species in our Library.