The Puffer Forum

I have a coworker who owns a Dogface puffer, has been keeping him in a 55g with a maroon clown and sand-sifter goby with absolutely no intention of upgrading. The dogface is only about 5 inches, and she's had him for awhile, so I guess he's probably stunted, especially considering water changes are a rare occurrence. But my biggest concern is that she always treats the tank with copper as a preventative of some parasite bugs that she doesn't know what they are. I've told her several times that copper is very toxic to fish, especially puffers, but she thinks hers is invincible.. she told me that she's been warned not to use it before, but she "has to" and her puffer is tough, lived through a lot, so she's not worried. I don't know what I can do to help.. she won't admit that anything is wrong. Maybe I need a stronger argument.

From the sounds of it, nothing you say will get through to her. Just hope the puffer isnt suffering to much.

their is this old indian tribe with much wisdom called the slapahoe tribe.

jdak wrote:their is this old indian tribe with much wisdom called the slapahoe tribe.

XD

xrayjeeper83 wrote:From the sounds of it, nothing you say will get through to her. Just hope the puffer isnt suffering to much.

+1, guess you'll be saying, "I told you so", some day...

You could always sneak into her house when shes not there and take it lol

xrayjeeper83 wrote:You could always sneak into her house when shes not there and take it lol

that is a possibillity... but i gotta say no... lol i dont have the room and neither does she. XD

i would link her to some threads or information on why copper isnt safe long term, what stunting does to a fish and what goes on inside of them while they are stunted and causes a much much shorter life than what her puffer should have. maybe an article on the horomones that are built up when water changes are neglected for long periods of time. but yeah it just sounds like shes stubborn and probably wont care or believe anything you link to her.

If shes been told by multiple people already thats its not good for the fish, she wont care what she reads. She seems like one of those people that know more then anyone and you cant tell them anything

yeah i would save all those links for once hers dies and she gets to thinking about another one. you should probably also tell her that she shouldnt be treating her tank for anything that she doesnt know what it is. for all she knows its the pods that develop from a healthy mature tank in the live rock and sandbed and could kill them and crash her tank if given the wrong meds

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. I'm afraid you're right, but that's a good idea to link her to some good information that might get her thinking. It might help to have some good sources to back me up, and also more in-depth info.

Just keep wearing her down- which probably won't work, but at least your conscious is clear

I am currently plotting to get a Pacu out of a 55 gallon..so I know how you feel...

Thanks and good luck to you purplecandle.

This is the sort of story that makes me wish that puffers were harder to get. Seems uneducated people that don't care end up with these poor dear fish and it's the fish that suffers in the end. All because people are too stubborn and stupid to do the right thing.
I wish you good luck on getting your co-worker to do the right thing for that dogface.

Just thought I'd update that she sold her puffer and other fish because she came to realize she couldn't provide all that they needed. Oh and we're friends now.