The Puffer Forum

My 2-inch gsp of 2 weeks seems healthy, but I've noticed a red area just in front of his left fin. I thought it was the gills, but its not on the other side.

I feed him once a day- uncooked thawed shrimp. I use cycle and a water conditioner every tank change- which is every couple days. Usually 1/2 the water. I also add the appropriate amount of marine salt to the new water before putting it in.

Only thing that's changed is the big snails I've put in several days before the last water change (couple days ago). he seems to be biting on their shells- they're jagged.

Treat with melafix.
Could be a fin infection or somthing

Melafix sounds good. Answer all of the questions in red, please.

Please answer these:


1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

Christemo, they're right up there at the top.

+1 on Melafix, -1,000,000,000 on Cycle, stop adding it. It's like adding extra waste (dead bacteria) to your tank & will be detrimental to your fish. In other words--throw it out! (Don't worry, I used it once too. )

Well believe or not, he seems fine! Last night, I came home to see him resting on two leaves of his plastic plant- just looking around but not moving. After I stared at him long enough, he got up from his rest and swam to each thing in his tank and checked it out like an obstacle course: down the water return streem from the fiter, past the thermometer, past the heater, down under the bridge and took an agressive bite or two out of a snail! Today he is his normal self.