The Puffer Forum

I have 2 small F8 puffers in a 60 litre brackish tank. Water is 0.005, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are fine. I was feeding live and frozen food, yesterday they both refused food and today one has fed a little but the other is still not feeding and isnt moving around much. When he does move he looks disorientated and struggles to keep his balance, he is also swimming into the glass. His markings have become a lot darker. Can anyone help? Quickly please.

salinity is ok; by "fine" do you mean 0 for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? How about temp and pH? Could they have gotten some bad food?

nitrite 0
ammonia 0
nitrate about 30/40
ph 7.55
temp 24

Last food they ate was live bloodworm which they love.

I do water changes even though nitrates are 0, so you should do one now to get those nitrates down. Your pH is a bit low (have you added any meds?), but I doubt that's the cause of the problems you are seeing. Temp is ok, about 1C lower than mine.

No meds. Just check them and looks like the poorly one is gulping at the surface. I'll do a water change now.

Are these new puffers (how long have you had them?) If new and salintiy was raised to quickly???
Nitrate a little high (shd be ~10 )...at the very least a water change is needed

Important that your replacement water is at the same temp and salinity as your removed water. Does your water supply come pre-loaded with nitrates?

Puffer that is ill ive had for only a week. Was eating great until yesterday. Salinity was tested in LFS and was exactly the same as my tank. Water that added is always same temp and salinity with no nitrates. Could the level of nitrates be causing this. I'll test them now.

Nitrate is now ~10/15

I've seen worse nitrates with F8s that were ok - but you should strive for 0 nitrates anyway, so do that water change ASAP.

Did you add a new F8 to the tank with an established F8?
Is there a size difference? Have you seen any aggression or damage to the new fish?

My F8 was the smallest fish in a small tank at the LFS and was so aggressive to larger GSPs and other F8's and his behavior was so striking that I'll never put another fish with him. In addition to being the smallest, he had the best markings and was the only flawless, undamaged specimen. He rules a 30 gal (US) long.

I believe these are all wild-caught and internal parasites are common.

That was a fast water change!

Check water parameters daily now, and do more frequent water changes to get the nitrates to 0. Do you have plants to take up some of the nitrates? Do you remove uneaten food promptly?

Same size, no aggression. There are some real plants in the tank, I'm presuming that this will cause no ill effects?

All food is removed daily.

I"m assuming you mean your SG is 1.005. What kind of plants do you have..most fare poorly in brackish water. Silly question, but what are you using to dechlorinate your water?

Polysperma, vallisneria, java fern.
Nutrafin Aqua plus.
Yes 1.005