The Puffer Forum

So I just got my GSP finally from my LFS and they came in with black bellies. I figured, it was due to shipping and crowded space with low quality water. I've attached some pics and hope you guys know what it is. MY WPs are as follows:
Ammo: 0, Nitrites: 0, Nitrates: 0 (newly cycled, should see some soon). pH 8.0. SG: none yet, still FW.

The belly looks sooty like they got into a chimney or something, kind of greyish-black dusting.





Thanks in advance.

How did you cycle your tank? If you aren't showing any nitrates either your tank isn't cycled or your water testers are bad.

Edit: PS Nice fat looking GSPs you have there. I wouldn't worry too much about their gray bellies yet since you just got them and I am sure they are stressed from all the moving they have done. Give them a week or two and if they don't lighten up then it will be time to figure something out.

I fishless cycled for about a month and a half. It's possible my testers are bad though. Thanks for the positivity though. I'll monitor them closely.

Can anyone show me what a bite mark looks like from another GSP?

A bite will normally be an almost perfect hollow circle in appearance. Most often the scars appear whitish. If it's a new bite then it's likely that the entire circle will be white or pinkish depending on the depth. You don't need to worry too much if they have a few bites, it just means that you need to keep the water extra clean and you can possibly add Melafix. You'll want to make sure their water is very clean anyways due to to significant fin damage.

I would put in Melefix for that one GSP's tail fin..

Also, you have what I call paint drop GSPs..their spots look like paint dropped on them Slow to moderate growers, get fat before they get long LOL (IMO)

UPDATE:

They're already looking brighter today. But I've also attched a picture that shows some black circle marks. Are these the bite marks I was asking about?(I know it's not very detailed...)

Yep bite marks..

Not all bite marks are perfect circles. If a puff bites a plant or a mussel..then it leaves a near perfect circle. But, because of the elasticity (for lack of a better term) of the puffs skin, when a puff bites another the skin bunches up, creating distorted circles..

I'm already using Melafix for the bites and tailfins. Thanks for everyone's help, I really appreciate it.

It will die in that tank with those tank mates probably. Also that tank seems awfully crowder bro you might wana ease up and get rid of some of those fish.

WickedEdges wrote:I fishless cycled for about a month and a half. It's possible my testers are bad though...

If you are using an API test kit be sure to shake the #2 nitrate bottle for 30 seconds and the test tube for 60. Other brands my require the same I don't know. I have actually tested this myself by not shaking the bottle and it will give you a low or zero reading. Here's a little tip, I usually shake my bottle by kinda shaking and tapping it against a hard surface at the same time.

Good luck, I hope the little guy gets better soon.