I am very upset right now because I googled and it told me terrible things about puffers dying when they puff, but just now Roast Beef got caught in the siphon tube (he loves to attack it and I'm always careful to avoid him but he launched himself up it like a rocket) and when he hit the top of the tube he puffed up (and I will be honest it was the most adorable thing I've ever seen him do although it was also terrifying) for about a second and a half, then unpuffed and floated back down and darted away.
He is swimming around now and looks fine (maybe slightly nervous but I could be anthropomorphizing onto him) but i am very worried about him, is there a way for a puffer to puff without air??? All the google pages said it's bad to puff with air, but he was underwater at the time of the puff.
He is a small figure eight puffer if that matters. Is there anything I can do to help him or will he be fine and am I just completely overreacting? He has never puffed before and I love this guy and would be heartbroken if a terrible encounter with the siphon tube ended our relationship.
Help my puffer puffed!
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Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
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.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
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.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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seafeatures
- Puffer Fry
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edmlfc1
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Re: Help my puffer puffed!
No need to worry he will be fine. 
Elvis puffs just for fun sometimes. Just as long as you don't take him out of the water. If he puffs while out of water he can puff with air and that could be tragic. As long as they puff on their own, for fun or just because they feel like puffing it's not a bad thing. Puffer's will puff because they are scared or stressed. If your not making them scared or stressed then it's fine.
Elvis puffs just for fun sometimes. Just as long as you don't take him out of the water. If he puffs while out of water he can puff with air and that could be tragic. As long as they puff on their own, for fun or just because they feel like puffing it's not a bad thing. Puffer's will puff because they are scared or stressed. If your not making them scared or stressed then it's fine.
Need to know what kind of puffer you have? Click on Puffer ID.....Puffer ID: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/
What to feed your puffer? Click on Feeding......
Feeding: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
Have a GSP, need more information......Click on GSP Article.....
GSP Article: library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
What to feed your puffer? Click on Feeding......
Feeding: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
Have a GSP, need more information......Click on GSP Article.....
GSP Article: library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
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seafeatures
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:36 pm
- My Puffers: roast beef - f8
- Location: boston, ma
Re: Help my puffer puffed!
Oh my gosh I was so worried about him. He is swimming around like usual and looks fine but he scared me, puffing up like that!
Thanks for your input!
Thanks for your input!
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Help my puffer puffed!
Puffers are made to be able to puff with water. If he didn't puff, he'd be in your drain right now!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
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"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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LilGreenPuffer
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Re: Help my puffer puffed!
Yay for defense mechanisms! He was probably a little freaked out, of course, but I agree - no worries. I bet it was really scary for you, though. 
Welcome!
Welcome!
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
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Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!