The Puffer Forum

7.2 = PH
0 - 0.50 = Ammonia
0 - 0.25 = Nitrite
0 - 0.25 = Nitrates
N/A = salinity

2) 1 one inch M. cochinchinensis, 2-3 glass shrimp, snails (unknown factor)
3) I have changed the water by anywhere from 10 to 50% about everyday and with RO water. 2 teaspoons of stress coat and 1 for every 50% water change I preform. 1 spoonful of formula T (plant fertilizer)
4) Placed two black aquarium backgrounds on the sides, moved the driftwood to view the puffer and back to where it was originally. Moved back floating plants into the florite plant substrates. But I preformed a water change as soon as the water became cloudy.
5) Two months or so, I placed fish food for the shrimp and snails that lived within the tank before putting in the puffer.

My Issues are
1) The chemistry results shown in the multiple of tests come out with different results. Would cleaning the test tubes with tap water alter the results. My results at the store were perfect (I compared and looked over it myself) and ideal but that counters what results I got which were less than perfect.
2) Should I change the filter within my aquatech 5-15 power filter? I have had the filter for around two months but have only had the puffer for about a week or so. Would this remove needed bacteria or would it be just what I need? Also is the aquatech 5-15 power filter a good quality one or is it not?

Looks like your going through another cycle. Is there any rotting food in the tank? Sometimes with a puffer's messy eating habit food will get stuck somewhere and start to rot. Keep doing large water changes to get the amm and nitrite down to 0. You may have to do daily water changes until things settle down. Don't forget to add declorinator each water change.

edmlfc1 wrote:Looks like your going through another cycle. Is there any rotting food in the tank? Sometimes with a puffer's messy eating habit food will get stuck somewhere and start to rot. Keep doing large water changes to get the amm and nitrite down to 0. You may have to do daily water changes until things settle down. Don't forget to add declorinator each water change.

But that doesn't explain the bizarre behavior that my fish is having...

Sure it does. Your ammonia and nitrite are both too high, and this could be what's causing the different behaviour and lethargy.

riggers wrote:Sure it does. Your ammonia and nitrite are both too high, and this could be what's causing the different behaviour and lethargy.

But on the other hand can you explain the chemistry inconsistencies when using the test kit?

I used the test today and it said that my ammonia is 0.50, nitrites is 0 and nitrates is 0.15.

My question is should I change the filter within the powerfilter in my tank or clean it out? Or should I do nothing.

NO! Your bacteria is trying to get established, by changing the filter media or cleaning it you'll throw out any that's managed to get going.

Water changes are your main action right now. If the filter is really gunked up, do a water change, rinse out the filter media in the bucket of tank water you siphoned out, and replace it. Do not rinse it in tap water or completely replace it with new media.

Myaj wrote:NO! Your bacteria is trying to get established, by changing the filter media or cleaning it you'll throw out any that's managed to get going.

Water changes are your main action right now. If the filter is really gunked up, do a water change, rinse out the filter media in the bucket of tank water you siphoned out, and replace it. Do not rinse it in tap water or completely replace it with new media.

Alright thank you.