The Puffer Forum

Nothing is ever simple... I heard that there were "freshwater Topaz puffers" in my local LFS.. I decided over the telephone that these were Ceylons (and as so, NOT freshwater). Having decided finally NOT to succumb, I went to the LFS for some more salt for waterchanges.
The minute I saw these puffers I was quite upset: they were in the TINIEST tanks, in Fresh water and each measures around 5"! One is lying on its side on the bottom of the tank, black,but covered with what I assume is a well-progressed ick(looks like white fur all over it) and panting. The other was a black, patternless, ugly-looking fish under a log. After trying to offer some advice(please please put these fish in some salted water("can't on this system"); please do not treat this fish with a copper-based med("tried and tested, he'll be fine next week");please feed these fish/offer them garlic-soaked food("can't get garlic, and they won't eat");please at least advise the buyers that these are not freshwater fish and that they grow even bigger and need to eat specific foods...
..After he shot me down and it became clear exactly how ignorant/arrogant he was, I tried to buy the fish.The first, fungus/ick-ridden fish, he would NOT sell me, even when I offered to pay over the odds and not return it if it died. He would only sell me the other (turd-looking) fish as this fish had finished its quarantine period.So, on the verge of tears, I agreed. Handed over my £20 for the one fish(which he then netted out of the tank and it semi-puffed, so when I got it home, I had to burp it) and left.

I drip-acclimatised the puffer over 8hours before adding both him and Mickey to the larger tank together...almost immediately a drip of my water entered the bucket,some pattern started to come out on his back.Turns out this is one STUNNING fish!he is, obviously, still acclimatising in the tank,but he has pattern and colour and is swimming around happily.When I offered a skewer of cockles to mickey, our he came and wolfed the whole lot down... for a fish that won't eat, he sure was a hungry monkey!
He and Mickey are getting on fine and even swimming around together, playing in the powerhead stream. Every day he's looking better and paler-bellied. Obviously acclimatising a weak fish in a bucket and dumping he and mickey in together so quickly was not an ideal, but needs must and I honestly believe now that I have done the best thing.
Sorry for the essay...Will keep you posted on his progress... any ideas on names?!

Wow, what a story. There is no doubt that you rescued this poor fellow from that hell-hole.

I humbly suggest that you use the rescue circumstances in naming this lucky fish. His situation is like that of a truly innocent prisoner being sprung from his cruel captors. He is lucky that you found him before that ignorant LFS slowly killed him.

So how about Lucky?

It is a shame, you couldn't QT him 1st, having to risk your precious Micky to save him. Shame on the LFS that even bought them!

Yeah, most of my puffs I have are rescues. My GSP's were saved from a LFS that had 3 in a 10 gallon freshwater closed circuit. The entire setup had been medicated (DAILY, OMG!) with copper based products. I ended out getting the 2 that were obviously on the line of death. The third one was half wasted away.

2 of my figure 8's were in the same tank just a few weeks before I got the GSP's...

My ceylons i got from a person online and they came in around 60 degrees and rather slow to respond. After a few hours of babying them while at work (i have a very understanding boss) i got them warmed up and their color improved.

I ran home and called the vendor who said they were in salt level approximate to that i use for medication. So i set up the tank and ever since i've been very slowly raising the lvls. It still doesnt show on my hyrdrometer but its getting there.

This is an amazingly hardy species if the two i have are anything to go by.

Jason

Great to hear the fellow is doing so much better

Stories like this break my heart, especially when you know the puffer you had to leave will die. Very sad. I would of asked to talk to the manager. Hopefully your new guy will continue to be the little beauty he really is.

I was talking to the manager!!!
I know i did look like a bit of a lunatic having a full-on spoilt brat strop in the shop!

Update: Ceylon puff is happy and healthy! He and Mickey have developed a mutual understanding ("you keep out of my way and I won't eat you") and they each have their seperate hiding places. Found a shop which actually sells live feeder shrimp (SOOoooo rare here) and watched Mickey and Ceylon hunt down and grab one each!

Have come to the conclusion that Ceylon was pretty recently captured because his instincts are incredible(compared to Mickey) and he's covered in (healed) scars!

Ceylon has had a white (pale) belly for DAYS now,too. So worry over!

What an amazing story, and a great outcome. Good job!

Be sure to feed those shrimp, before feeding them to you puffer. Otherwise, they're not very nutritious.

BTW what is used to feed shrimp? Is tropical fish flake food alright?

That will do but I tend to feed them algae wafers, so my puffers get their veggies.

Noted, cheers PP: Trying to feed them veggies as much as poss... If you look at the ingredients of fish flake, they're all made from Fish!

Discovered some shrimp that Mickey and Ceylon haven't eaten yet and they've been hunting them for days! They ain't 'alf getting clever these shrimp(jumping out of the water, hiding on plants on behind the heater!) So fascinating to watch... god knows what's been on telly all weekend!

Sucks that the manager is such a moron >_<.

You don't need tv when you have fish lol! I spend more time fussing and watching over my fish than I spend watching tv, that's for sure ^^

My tanks are much more stimulating than tv! Don't get me started on the squak box...lol.

yeah there is only one thing i enjoy doing more than watching my tank

talking to a certain person online :12:


hehe i like my puffer, she is cute