The Puffer Forum

What would cause a Green Spotted Puffer to turn mostly a blackish color? Right now I have him in a tank by himself away from the others. What can I do to help him out and to prevent this in the future?

Sounds like big stress....Please answer the questions in red listed above so we can get a better idea on what the cause may be. He wasn't sleeping per chance was he?

Could be quite a few things.

One of my GSPs periodically turns black. He does it when he's sleeping, when he has just woken up, and when he is eating. He also does it periodically when he's a little stressed. For example, if I'm doing a water change or fiddling around with the decorations inside the tank, he tends to turn a little gray until I stop staring at him. I have another GSP who is quite the opposite; I've never seen him turn black once in his life. I think my other GSP is incapable of changing colors.

Can you tell us a little more about your water parameters? That'll help narrow down why he might possibly be turning black.

my ammonia is 0, (i get these two mixed up nitrate is 20 and nitrite is 0. Right now i got em in fresh water gonna switch over to brackish or full salt water. I got the live rocks and the marine salt to do so just gotta figure out what to do with the puffs while i change it over. As far as him sleeping. I dont think he was i mean I could take my hand and place it in the tank and he wouldnt run or anything. Matter of fact when he swims he runs into things and then just stops. Kinda like he may need glasses or summin

How does he look now that you have him separated out from the others? Anything else in the tank, any changes made, any changes in the fish itself?

i got up this morning and he is still black. swimming around acting all happy but just black

I've never had a Green Spotted Puffer but whenever any of my fish are not vibrant in colour, it's usually because they are unstable. Try to do different things that you think he may like or to make him more comfortable. It may just be because he's in FW. Hopefully he feels better when he is in his proper environment. Good luck!!

Just wondering .... what's happened with your puffer kookydave? I hope he's okay, but let us know.