The Puffer Forum

My fish had this circle when I woke up. I went to the pet store today but didn't ask about the circle, I didn't have a picture and circle is not very descriptive. My fish still seems very happy and healthy, he just has this strange circle on his belly and I want to make sure he is okay.
1) I got my water tested today. My ammonia is a little high. The pet store man gave me some bacteria that eats ammonia, it smelled really bad. Temperature is at 82 degrees. I know you want numbers, but I dont have them. Salt is between 4 and 5. I know there are some decimals and zeros in front of that.
2) 75 gallons there are 2 tiny gsp
3) marine salt, api stress coat, for the last couple of days i have feed them TetraCichlid Jumbo Sticks (just one stick a day).
It's a new tank setup. I bought my fish on the 9th. It was all set up about a week before I bought fish.

Puffer bite.
75 gallons is a great size tank for your two puffers but it seems you have a bit of aggression going on. Make sure you tank is well planted. If you see aggression during feeding time trying feeding each puffer from a different side of the tank ( they do learn to do this).

Get doing water changes as an ammonia is very toxic to puffers. How was this tank cycled?
You really do need to get yourself some liquid test kits and a hydrometer/refractor.

Great link to get you stared.
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/

Welcome to The Puffer Forum.

Will the fish with the bite be alright? Should I worry about the other one?

I did not cycle my tank like the link above explained. I set up the tank with decorations and filters I had used a couple of years ago. I bought new gravel and rinsed it before putting it in. I have two Penguin 350 filters.

I put the water in and used a api stress coat to take the chlorine out and get the ph correct. After a few days the ammonia spiked on it's own, then it went away.

The Fish Store explained to me how to use Marine Salt and I put in the proper amount. My water was foggy for a few days, but it cleared up by it's self.

When my water finally tested how it was suppose to the fish store sold me fish. Now my ammonia has spiked again. I am working on fixing it. I want two more puffers.

I bought some things that remove ammonia that I cut apart and put in my filters and the fish man gave me some really smelly bacteria that he says eats ammonia.

So.. I guess should have done things differently.

When I put my face up next to the glass they both always want to be right in front of me. They chase each other away, but I have never seen them bite.
They do fight over food. I've tried feeding them on opposite sides but, even when they have food they go after the other guy's food. I'll try again.

Ok your tank isn't cycled here is a link to read.
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

75 gallon is good for the two fish you have although when you reach full marine you might be ale to add a couple smaller fast moving fish. No more puffers for that tank. Both puffers should be fine but do keep an eye on that aggression. It looks like you are going to be doing a lot of water changes. Is your tank heavily planted which might cut down on the agression. Keeping puffers together is always a hit and miss, you just never know whether they are going to tolerate each other.

angelaz wrote:When I put my face up next to the glass they both always want to be right in front of me. They chase each other away, but I have never seen them bite.
They do fight over food. I've tried feeding them on opposite sides but, even when they have food they go after the other guy's food. I'll try again.

That is definitely a puffer bite.

Here is a link on how to make your water brackish. It probably isn't as simple as the LFS explained.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19348

My Instant Ocean Hydrometer says my specific gravity is at 1.005.
My ammonia is between .25 and .5

My fish look happy and healthy (except for the bite), but I am going to keep working on getting the ammonia down. The tank cycling info says not to do that with fish in there.

You really don't think I should have another GSP in that big tank?

Thank you for all of your help

angelaz wrote:
You really don't think I should have another GSP in that big tank?

They get to be the size of a nerf football. As I said previously once you get to full marine you might be able to add a couple of smaller fast moving fish.

angelaz wrote: My ammonia is between .25 and .5

That ammonia is burning their gills. Over time you will see the effects of it, but on the good side they are in a larger tank which is probably why you are not seeing heavy breathing or other effects. Water changes, water changes, you want to see ammonia at 0.

I agree with all of trekent's statements.

In addition, if you get the tank cycled and become ammonia free you might see less aggression in the the fish.

The puffer bite scar may go away over time.

So the bite mark isn't just like a bruise or something it is going to scar? That's sad.

Melafix will heal that right up.

Another thought on the circle: I've seen a similar mark and other "squiggles" on GSP bellies due to internal parasites.

For now, angelaz, you need to focus on improving and maintaining their water quality... that's the most important thing. Once you're doing that, you can treat for IPs according to the article in the Library here.

100%, no doubt in my mind, that's a pufferbite.