The Puffer Forum

1. Last checked two days ago, will check this afternoon, but problem began two days ago. At last check, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 7ish.
2. 10g, 2 DPs, 2 otos.
3. Feeding - 3 bloodworms and an algae pellet per day, all-you-can-eat snails, algae pellets, veggies periodically. Water change - 25% if nitrates meet 20, 50% weekly. Products - aquarium salt to destress new inhabitants, Melafix for same purpose, AquaSafe dechlorinator. Currently treating for IPs with Jungle Parasite Gaurd at 75% dosage, beginning last night (before problem began).
4. Had the DPs for only a week, otos for three days.
5. A week, cycled fishlessly.

Okay, I have class in 10min and must be brief. Since getting my otos, one has settled in fine, but the other one just won't stop swimming! He dashes around the tank nonstop all day! At first he'd stop if I turned out the light, but now he does it in the dark too. Right now I have a blanket over the tank to see if total dark helps, but of course I can't see him to know if he's quit yet. I'm afraid he'll just swim his little self to death!

He might be getting picked on by the puffers. Have you noticed any nipping?

Otos are really tough to keep in newly established tanks, even if they're cycled. Some won't eat algae wafer or veggies... they're strangely delicate, odd fish.

Yes, this is why people say not to try to keep otos in tanks that aren't well established and stable for at least 6 months.

These fish are caught in the wild via tranq's being dumped into the water to slow them down, then netted. The drugs do a number on delicate little catfish, and many of them just never fully recover.. or any added stress such as a newly set up tank with slightly elevated nitrates can be just that last little bit that they can't handle. Meds in the water is even worse.

Good luck with them.. don't be surprised if they don't make it but that doesn't mean give up on them.

Good news! I got a chance to watch them for a while this morning, and I figured out what they were doing. They were dashing into the bubbles from the airstone, letting the current carry them halfway around the tank, and then jumping back into the bubbles! Sometimes the puffers joined them too!