The Puffer Forum

Hi, my dwarf pufferfish that I have kept for about 3 to 4 years started acting strange this morning. It has been swimming in an erractic manner and has been sort of twisting around. I checked my water, found nothing out of the ordinary, looked for signs of a parasite or maybe something it was trying to rub off, and I cannot see any. I did a 20% water change this morning. I have an Algone in the tank currently which I had put in a few days ago and I have used them for years with no problem. I regularly add Leaf Zone and Seachem Stability (helps with nitrate). Now the puffer is spinning like a top or a screwdriver, it is very hard to watch, at one point the puffer even got itself stuck to the filter intake and I had to free it. The puffer seems to not have any sort of balance.

My tank:
10gal
Marineland Penguin 100
Soft sand bottom with plants
Temp: 80F
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20ppm
pH: 7.4
no other tankmates
I cycled it with Stability and Microbe-Life Gel filter cartridge inoculant

Sorry to say, I believe their life expectancy is about 3 years.

I was afraid of that I know she's lived longer than 3 years...
Pufferpedia says 5+
I've been doing more research, some things say it might have a central nervous system problem
I don't think there is anything I can do about that

That's got to be a very difficult thing to watch. I always thought that dwarf puffers lived for more than 5 years. Shame when we get attached to something and it's lifespan isn't very long.

You said he has lost his balance? Possibly trapped air?

library/hospital/help-my-puffer-is-air-filled/

Not trapped air..the puffer has been sitting at the bottom now except when I go to look at it and it swims away...still doing the spinning thing. It sorta seems like it can't control one half of itself? I'm not really sure.

Thats sucks. sorry

well at least he went form old age.

The puffer is still alive now, hiding in a plant. I have the room darkened to minimize stress, whether or not that actually does anything I don't know. Water quality is the same as before, no changes.

Update on the puffer. This is very bizzare, the puffer seems to be fine now after a couple days. I really don't know what was wrong with it but now it seems fine.

Oh! Well, that's a good thing. Maybe it had gas? (just kiddin.)

thats great to hear, glad you didnt listen to us talking about putting it down

I think euthanisation should be a VERY last resort. I would never forgive myself if I put a puffer down and then had 2nd thoughts about it and figured there was another way to go about it. I know it's a necessary evil sometimes, but I am very reticent to do it unless I'm absolutely sure there's no other alternative.

kylockwood, I am so happy that your puffer has made a complete recovery! I hope he continues with good health and happiness (for you both).

I believe Nick has had DPs live up to 8yrs, with 3 being a normal number too.

Stability won't do squat for nitrates. Just do more water changes.

How long was your puffer spinning around for? One of my F8s spins when she sleeps, in tight spirals like a football and crashes into everything. It's very unsettling the first time you see it.