The Puffer Forum

I have noticed that my F8 puffer has started flicking today, my question is what do i treat him with as i would normally use melofix or something similar i was told when he was purchased that these product's would more than likely kill him, is this true if so what should i use?
sorry water perameters unknown but i was sold this puffer as a fw fish so it is in a tropical community.
tank size is 90 litres and kept at 81-82 degrees
tank mates include :- a pair of bristlenosed plec's (breeding at present so complete number of fry yet to be determined).
3 adult guppies also breeding.
1 dwarf gourami.
I carry out a 25% water change every week on a sunday at which time i change half of the filter media.
In the past week some of the plants where removed as they where being to get a bit over grown (plant food has not been used in the tank for around 6 months owned the puffer for 4 months or so).
The tank has been set up for 18months

Some reading for you:
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/
library/hospital/fwich/
Please answer all the Qs at the top of this page, in red.

I think if your Bristlenose Plecs are breeding, they should be in a tank on their own. And I think you're probably overstocked, and definitely will be soon when your guppies start breeding. I breed guppies and it won't take long before your tank will be full of them.
Your Figure 8 puffer is actually a brackish puffer, and the other fish in that tank cannot live in a brackish environment.
Also, you really should be doing bigger water changes - 50% weekly. When you say you change half your filter media, what do you mean exactly by that?

And just to say, Melafix will not kill your puffer, nor any of your other fish, however, I'm not sure that's appropriate to be used for your situation right now.
Does your puffer have any white spots on him, or any other unusual markings? When you say "flicking", do you mean he's rubbing on things?

Get yourself a liquid test kit so you can keep an eye on your parameters.

pufferpuggirl wrote:When you say you change half your filter media, what do you mean exactly by that?

By this i mean i change the carbon/polyester filter pad and one of the other two pads contained in the filter the other is then rinsed in aquarium water .

pufferpuggirl wrote:Does your puffer have any white spots on him, or any other unusual markings?

No i haven't noticed any white spots or any other markings which is why it has me a bit stumped.

Pufferpunk wrote:When you say "flicking", do you mean he's rubbing on things?

Yes he seem's to swim upto a plant or ornament very slowly then make a quick movement against his chosen target.

I'm not sure if I've understood correctly, but I would not be putting in "new" filter pads each time you do a water change. What I used to do is to take one out and rinse it, leaving the other, and then the next time I will remove the one I didn't remove previously, rinse that in aquarium water, and leave the other in the filter.
Is that what you're doing or are you putting in fresh ones each time?

I have to say that I have puffers that "flick" on plant leaves and so forth and there's nothing wrong with them. I am not sure why they do it, but I've heard other puffer keeper's saying their puffer does the same thing.
If you aren't seeing any white spots, or shallow breathing, or your puffer hanging at the top of the tank, then I would not worry too much, but definitely keep an eye on him.

Please get a test kit to check your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate parameters as they are probably somewhat high. The API master test kit seems to be the easiest and most popular and try to avoid dip strip type tests all together. If you can't get a test kit then take a water sample to your fish store and they will test it for you. I think in the end you will have to re-home some of your fish as your tank is or will be a little overstocked. As stated before you should be doing a 50% water change if not larger.

What model is you filter?

Good luck



On a side note to everyone that live in the States; Walmart's online master test kit is the API kit and it cost $19.21 to get it to your door. I've purchased it twice and ready for my third. I saw that Big Al's also has it on sale for a similar price.

no salt = sickness?

Lack of salt will not automatically kill a BW fish. It will usually die from complications of some kind of disease, from a long-time compromised immune system.

I agree with getting tests done, test kits are pretty cheap or some LFS's will test for you.

I also suggest some rearranging focused towards the long term.

I would relocate the plecos and the gourami to other tank(s).
I would then suggest slowly adding SW at water changes and raise the sg about .002 per week

I keep my Brackish community tank at 1.003-1.005. with a F8 puffer, Dragon Goby, Bumblebee Gobys and Fancy guppies. The tank has been stocked and running for over 4 years

HTH
Blaine

Thanks everybody for the advice i'll be looking into setting up a bw tank , can anyone suggest what i will need and any suitable tank mate's?

I suggest a set of test kits for Amonnia, Nitrites, and Nitrates as well as a good Refractometer for testing the salinity.
Puffers also need lots of filtration and 30-50% water changes are suggested

HTH
Blaine

Don't forget the marine salt

Personally, I wouldn't keep it with any tankmates. They're pretty active and it'll be easier that way. Some people have had success with BBGs but many others haven't.