The Puffer Forum

I bought a Figure 8 puffer about 2 months ago. He was doing great at first eating a lot and swimming around happily. I fed (hes not eating now) him snails, bloodworms and brine shrimp. After feeding him nails from a different pet store he started acting funny and not eating. To begin I have a 10gal with a pH of 7.6, Nitrite=0 , nitrates<30. I currently had the water tested and was told to add 2tbls of aquarium salt which I did (slowly over a course of 4 hours). Temp is around 73 but I just added a heater today. Tank mates include a large gourami, 2 zebra tetras, 2 mickey mouse platys and one pleco. I do 20% water changes weekly and the tank was set up for over a year before the puffer was added. A few minutes after eating the snails he started twitching and swimming rapidly, almost jumping out of the tank. He would then bump into the glass and sink to the bottom. After a few water changes he started acting a little more normal but still will not eat (I have a large population of snails now thank you..ha). This evening I noticed he was swimming clumsily at the surface and it seems like he was gasping for air, His mouth wide open. None of the other fish are doing this and seem to be fine. I really have tried so hard to make this puffer has happy as he can be(I saved him from walmart which by the way should NOT be allowed to have live animals ugh..anyways), so it kills me to see him like this. Please help. Thanks!!:0)

Leslie1985 wrote:I bought a Figure 8 puffer about 2 months ago. He was doing great at first eating a lot and swimming around happily. I fed (hes not eating now) him snails, bloodworms and brine shrimp. After feeding him nails from a different pet store he started acting funny and not eating. To begin I have a 10gal with a pH of 7.6, Nitrite=0 , nitrates<30. I currently had the water tested and was told to add 2tbls of aquarium salt which I did (slowly over a course of 4 hours). Temp is around 73 but I just added a heater today. Tank mates include a large gourami, 2 zebra tetras, 2 mickey mouse platys and one pleco. I do 20% water changes weekly and the tank was set up for over a year before the puffer was added. A few minutes after eating the snails he started twitching and swimming rapidly, almost jumping out of the tank. He would then bump into the glass and sink to the bottom. After a few water changes he started acting a little more normal but still will not eat (I have a large population of snails now thank you..ha). This evening I noticed he was swimming clumsily at the surface and it seems like he was gasping for air, His mouth wide open. None of the other fish are doing this and seem to be fine. I really have tried so hard to make this puffer has happy as he can be(I saved him from walmart which by the way should NOT be allowed to have live animals ugh..anyways), so it kills me to see him like this. Please help. Thanks!!:0)

Right now you need to do a large (50% or more) water change with dechloninated water ASAP. The tank is way, way overstocked (not trying to be rude here). The Fig 8 alone needs a minimum 15 gallons if kept alone due to it's messy feeding habits and high waste production. If the Fig 8 is still real tiny you may be able to get by with him in the 10 gal, for a few months, if you keep him alone. Do you know what your ammonia level is? Puffers in general are sensitive to ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate and what you are describing sounds like one of the three went real high (someone more knowledgeable than I could possibly tell you which). The indecent with the snails, I feel, is coincidental and was tied to a spike of ammonia or nitrite, more than likely ammonia. Keep up the large daily water changes until you can get the nitrates below 10-20.

How old is the tank and how was it cycled?

What kind of filter do you have? Recommended filtration for any puffer is 10 times the tank volume per hour due to the need for such perfect water.

Another thing about the Fig 8, it's NOT a freshwater fish, it is a brackish water fish and requires marine salt in its water not aquarium salt. They do best when the Specific Gravity (SG) is 1.005-1.008. To measure SG you need a hydrometer or a refractometer, marine salt and a mixing bucket or container. Fill mixing bucket with dechlorinated water then slowly add marine salt, testing it for SG. The trick is to bring the SG up by only .002 per week or you will kill off all the good bacteria you have in your tank.

You can find general info about the Fig 8 here ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Biocellatus/
Another amazing article about the care of Fig 8's can be found in the Puffer Library which is under the Learn tab above. Here's a direct link:
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

Look through the articles in the library to get a good idea of what puffer care is like and what different puffers demeanor are.
If you do decide to return the Fig 8, DO NOT return him to Wal Mart! Their policy is to flush every returned fish down the toilet. Find a local fish store and explain to them what is happening and ask them to either hold it until you can get the proper set up or to resell him outright.

Unfortunately my puffer passed away this morning:0( I am heartbroken but hope to eventually buy another when I receive my 60 gallon tank. I thank you for your reply and helpful information and I will definitely take better care of my puffers in the future. I thought I was doing a good thing by rescuing him from awful walmart but now I know I better do more research before buying such a sensitive fish. Thanks again for all your help:0)


Leslie

Try not to feel too bad - believe me, a lot of us have been right where you are now. Now that you have found this site, use it to educate yourself so you can better prepare the proper environment for your next puffer. These are not easy fish to keep, so arm yourself with as much information on puffers as you can - and next time, your puffer just might live a while.

Are you sure it was a figure 8, I've only seen Gsp's at walmart. Not that it matters I'm just curious.
Sorry about your loss, you have come to the right place for help.

edmlfc1 wrote:Are you sure it was a figure 8, I've only seen Gsp's at walmart...

That's what I was thinking, too.

Been there, done that... it's awful. Don't give up! That 60 will be a great home for a f8!

So sorry for your loss. For your best bet at a healthy puffer I wouldn't buy him at Walmart. Get a healthy-looking puffer at your local fish store. Best of luck! I'm sure your new puffer will love the 60.