The Puffer Forum

I just looked at my tank this morning and 9 ball was stuck to the filter intake. I gently removed him to find a two huge blister from the suction. I thought for sure he was dead but he was alive! He can't swim really, but he's breathing and his fins are going. What do I do with him? I doubt he can recover from such injuries and he has no swimming control anymore.

Sorry to hear of this. Are you able to leave him in the tank without his tank mates pestering him?

mrgreen wrote:I just looked at my tank this morning and 9 ball was stuck to the filter intake. I gently removed him to find a two huge blister from the suction. I thought for sure he was dead but he was alive! He can't swim really, but he's breathing and his fins are going. What do I do with him? I doubt he can recover from such injuries and he has no swimming control anymore.

not a good way to start the day.........
do you think the filter intake issue is the primary issue, or the result of something wrong with 9 ball that has weakened him, preventing him from getting free of it?
water parameters?

He's dead. Have to do a water change.... Here's a pic of what his belly looked like- when he was still alive earlier. I think he was probably sick first- no healthy puffer would let himself get sucked to a filter intake, otherwise. I'm glad sorta- I was worried about which way to euthenize him.

sorry mrgreen
do you have any other fish in the same tank?
it would be a good idea to check the water parameters before changing water, just so you'll know if there are any "chemistry Issues" present.

eieio wrote:sorry mrgreen
do you have any other fish in the same tank?
it would be a good idea to check the water parameters before changing water, just so you'll know if there are any "chemistry Issues" present.

Yes, I do, actually. My favorite puff! I'm just getting to the testing now.

9 Ball


I like your decision to do the water change.

Oh geeze....
I think my filter has uncycled itself somehow!!

My ammonia is 0.50 and my nitrite is 1!

I just did as big a water change as I could- probably 90%- and thoroughly did the gravel. Then I skimmed out the junk that floated up with my fine-mesh net, when I poured in the water. I had 8ball in another container while I did the changes since I figured the less of this horrible water there was, the worse he'd be! I added half tank water and half fresh treated. He was NOT happy. He just sat in one place. Now he's back home and happy. I guess I need to retest the water soon to see if my filter has died. I don't know how it would! Hasn't been off, hasn't had anything change. I turned the temp down a bit, too, as it had been running 86 for some reason. (I always have the bubbler going.) Reads 80 right now, though. I have to solve this before I go away in a week because it would be a lot for my BF to catch a problem and do the water changes, as he doesn't live here.

Awwww... I'm so sorry mrgreen that your 9-ball died, that's really a shame. But at least he died naturally and you didn't have to euthanise him. I'm always happier when my puffers die naturally because I just can't make that decision to euthanise. I know it's necessary sometimes, but I'm wimpy when it comes to such things.

Anyway, very sorry for your loss and hope 8-ball stays in good health.

Thanks. Poor 9ball was stuck to that filter and it probably hurt a lot seeing as what his belly looked like. As for 8Ball, he's acting okay. He's in good health, so that's probably why he lived through what 9ball didn't. He always eats well and is very round and robust. The tank was pretty darned dirty. I'm gonna have my BF feed 8 ball only every other day if that. I think he'll be okay and the tank won't get so messy. I hadn't had a problem before with tank messiness- UNLESS I forgot to change it this past weekend.... My life is so crazy with kids n drs appointments and kid bdays and our vacation, etc. If I'd had to euthenize him, I was going to try an overdose of melafix in his own container. I just don't know of a better way.

Too bad you're not in this country, I've got some of that Koi Sedate and I'm sure if I added a little more than what puts them to sleep, it would be a painless way to euthanise ... so I'd let you have some. I don't think it would take much. I just don't like making that decision of "okay, you're going to die right now by my hands". I know there are times when it's kinder to do that than not, but I just hate making the decision.

schismy007 wrote:Too bad you're not in this country, I've got some of that Koi Sedate and I'm sure if I added a little more than what puts them to sleep, it would be a painless way to euthanise ... so I'd let you have some. I don't think it would take much. I just don't like making that decision of "okay, you're going to die right now by my hands". I know there are times when it's kinder to do that than not, but I just hate making the decision.

Oh I hear ya. I'm glad he died on his own in the net in the tank. And thanks for the offer. I was in England for 3 weeks back in 1980. I'd really love to go back. We stayed at a 3-story (not including the basement) house in the country and then a 1story that had horses. It was pretty awesome. One of the guards in the tall hats that aren't supposed to talk talked to me. I guess because I was 8- and cute. hehe

Well I've got about an 8-oz bottle of the stuff, so if you think you might need it, I'd be okay with sending some of it to you, just keep that in mind. From one puffer-lover to another!

schismy007 wrote:Well I've got about an 8-oz bottle of the stuff, so if you think you might need it, I'd be okay with sending some of it to you, just keep that in mind. From one puffer-lover to another!

Thanks.