The Puffer Forum

35 gallon tank with 2 GSP. Yes, I know it's a small tank, but they are juveniles and are fine for now, showing 0 aggression and discomfort.
Ammonia = 0 Nitrite = 0 Nitrate <10 Salinity = 1.008 Ph = 7.8
One of my GSPs began losing some of the brilliant green color he once had along the sides. It's just white now. He displays not signs of stress. Eating habits are the same. Swimming patterns are the same. He acts as if nothing is wrong, but for some reason the white is just climbing towards the top each day I looked at him. He has no ich, fungus, parasites, or anything like that. Any ideas of what I might be missing here?

I would have to ask how long the tank has been up and running and how you cycled it? Many times when there's issues with puffers, it tends to be because the tank wasn't cycled properly or not at all.
How often do you do water changes and what percentage are you changing out?
Is the colour loss constant, or are there times when he's got normal colouring?

Just trying to get some info so we can get an idea of what's going on.

Mine does that from time to time although its never permenent. He will seem extra bright for a few days then he will be bright green, sometimes more yellow then green. I think as long as he doesnt go a milky or grey color all over and he is acting right you dont have anything to wory about.

They can do alot with there coloring and IMO as long as its getting brighter theres nothing wrong with that. Just keep an eye out for dark and neutral colors. That can be the first signs of stress if it stays that way for long periods of time.

I do about 50% water changes every week and the tank has been up an running for about 7 years so there has been plenty of time for growth. He will change colors here and there, but not like this. He never had the white color of his belly begin spread that far up. It is staying that way too. Not a back and forth sort of thing. That's the reason I'm getting worried. There is no fading of the spots though. The white color only affects the green color that weaves around the spots.

what kind of test kit are you using?
for a tank up and running for 7 yrs should have a nitrate reading?
maybe a picture of your gsp colouring can help?

Aside from the colouring being off, is there anything else that's not "normal" with him? Any chance of getting a photo uploaded so we can see what he's looking like?
I'm drawing a blank as to what the problem might be ... but a photo could help.

did we just have that Q not long ago?

Mine is sometimes white on the sides instead of green. I don't think it's anything to worry about.

I will upload a picture in the morning, but thing we seem to be forgetting is that things just don't happen out of no where. I realize, as many of you have pointed out, that puffer's coloring varies quite a bit do to there mood swings, if you want to call them that. I pointed out that his color has never been this way in the year that I have had him. If it sometimes was white on the sides and sometimes not and he seemed healthy, I would not be worried enough to ask. Having said that, I will repeat that this is an out of blue occurrence that has not happened before. It might be nothing, but I was just hoping someone could give me a good answer.

Mine does this in the morning. They're all white with a smaller bright green spot, then throughout the day its gets a bit more green on his sides. Id say its a good thing when theyre white with a small green spot. I like it when they look like that...the green is sooo bright.

Haha....Oh man. Never mind everyone. I will figure it out on my own. Thanks anyways.

Puffer710, please post a photo ..... we ARE trying to help, but it's very difficult to discern what the problem is just from what you're describing. We are not magicians, just people who own and love puffers and are trying to help other people. I would love to help you out, but right now I haven't the answer to why your puffer is doing what he's doing without more information and/or a photo to look at.

Puffer710 wrote:I will upload a picture in the morning, but thing we seem to be forgetting is that things just don't happen out of no where. I realize, as many of you have pointed out, that puffer's coloring varies quite a bit do to there mood swings, if you want to call them that. I pointed out that his color has never been this way in the year that I have had him. If it sometimes was white on the sides and sometimes not and he seemed healthy, I would not be worried enough to ask. Having said that, I will repeat that this is an out of blue occurrence that has not happened before. It might be nothing, but I was just hoping someone could give me a good answer.

Well, actually things like this can happen out of nowhere when it comes to puffers. They can be very chameleon like and change colors faster than a politician changes his stance on taxes, and, like a politician, something is usually influencing it but not always. My GSP is a real light green, nearly white when he first wakes up, turns grey-green when he's feeding (with some grey striping on the face), and the patch on top of his head gets really bright for a while when he's excited. I have an Arrowhead that changes color with mood and a Turgdis that becomes a real pale green color and his spot changes to white when he's hunting. They all do it.

You ask for possible causes for yours...first they could be hitting the start of their sexual maturity and the color change could be the beginning signs of stress over territory. Also, with the water parameters you have listed it is not outside the realm that your bio-filter has crashed from something and the color change could be related to what caused it (yes it can happen after 7 years). Ammonia converts to nitrite converts to nitrate. Nitrate is removed by water changes and really does it go away entirely. You could have something that was transmitted in to the tank from food that is stressing him causing color change. Temperature ok? How's you tap water this time of year? Change anything in the tank? Behavioral changes? Is the white his skin or is there infection on the skin?