The Puffer Forum

Hi, I have had my puffer fish (2) since January. They re wonderfl and cute. Have not had any problem since. Feed them frozen bloodworms, snails and frozen shrimp. All of a sudden out of nowhere one of them started breathing hard. I cleaned the rocs, did a 50% water change immediately. Put the rocks back in and she is still breathing hard. She is not eating. The second one is doing fine. Poop is black though on the one eating. The other I haven't seen do that. She likes to hide also.

They are in a 10 gallon tank alone. No other fish. One plant and a log that they like to hide in. I thought I found that the filter was clogged up inside. Immediately after the water change, cleaned it and it's running fine. I have placed an "Algone" Nitrate pack under the filter because that's what I was told to do. Also, I was told to sprinkle one teaspoon per week in the gravel to kee the water brackish. I have never had Puffers before and wanted some.

The one that is breathing hard has not eaten. I changed the water yesterday, Saturday 5/21. The filter is new, the water changed 50% and only one is eating. The one with labored breathing keeps going towards the air stone. I thought she was not getting enough air so I added another stone. Can somone help me?????? I don't want to lose her!!!!

^^^^^^^
Look up
& answer all the questions you can, that are in red.

Pufferpunk, are you telling me to anser all of the questions in red above my post? The only thing I cannot answer tonight is the Ammonia, Nitrate, etc. as I ran out of the testing supplies and stores are closed.

Tank size 10, no other fish, just 2 dwarf figure 8 puffers, changed 5-0% water on saturday, sprinkled a teaspoon aquarium salt on bottom, used to keep salt in container with hole in it, but was told not to do that. Otherwise no other changes.

Aquarium has been set up since January of this year with no problems. Aquarium cycled fr one week before getting fish.

How was it cycled? How often do you do water changes?
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

I am not sure what you mean as far as how it was cycled. The pet store gave me the tank, I filled the tank with water that was in a gallon jug from the tap that sat for a week. I keep jugs of water that I fill up and let sit for weeks for my other tanks. That's what the guy at the pet store said to do. I filled the tank, filled a plastic beta cup that has a hole in it with a 1/4 of aquarium salt, put that in the corner and then added fish after one week with filters and one air stone. I change 50% water once a week. Since January, never had a problem. Then I guess the inside of this pump got gunked up and I didn't see it. But because I didn't know it was the flter pump, I cleaned the gravel, changed the water on Saturday to save my fish. Was up until 2:30AM Sunday morning to make sure she didn't die. Also I just added another airstone tonight along with the Algone Nitrate bag.

You never cycled your tank to start with. We really need those readings of Ammonia, Nitrites/Nitrates asap.

Also there is no such thing as a dwarf figure 8. We need pics of fish to verify species , it they are dwarf puffers then the tank size is ok, if they are figure 8s(F8s) then your tank is way way to small.

if the tank was set up since Jan, I wouldn't worry about it. When PP is talking about cycling the tank, that means that there is beneficial bacteria that help break down the fish waste from harmful substances to manageable substances.

We test for those using liquid test kits. That is where your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings come from. Without those we can't determine what if the water quality is the problem or not.

When you changed the water and cleaned the tank, it may have been a slight shock. 50% weekly is good but not all in one shot. Smaller more frequent changes are better. Cleaning too much in tap water may have killed off some of that good bacteria that was mentioned earlier. If this is the case, your tank is going through what is called a "mini cycle" and your fish react to that. There is lots of information in the "library tab" at the top of the screen.

Unless you can obtain some liquid test kits, it is very difficult for us to tell what is happening in the water.

I have pictures of the puffers and am not sure how to attach them. But I will try. The picture of the one near the airstone is the one that is breathing hard. She keeps going to the airstone. What do I do for right now???????? I have an Algone nitrate Bag inbetween the filter, with two airstones. Is 2 airstones too much, is the nirate bag too much? What can I do for now?

Get your water tested tomorrow & while your at the store, buy yourself a good liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite & nitrate. IDK why you're using a nitrate removing product if you don;t know what your nitrate is?

I don't think those are F8s but my ID is not so good.

Ceylons or GSP ...

F8
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Biocellatus/
GSP
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/
Ceylon
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Fluviatilis/

there is nothing you can do NOW , unless walmart is open 24h. Tomorrow get a liquid test kit.

Also how are you treating the water? When you do a water change do you add anything to the water to take out the chlorine?

The idiot at the store told me to use it. I think I will take it out then. She is the only one not eating. The other one is eating fne and swimming around and coming to me at the glass. But this little one keeps going up to the airstone. Should I use some Nutrafin Cycle?

Those are Green Spotted Puffers:
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/

What you can do for them right now is another 75% water change, tonight! Do you have dechlorinater? Also, take out that nitrate removing product. I don't like using unnecessary chemicals with fish.

More help: library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

You need to upgrade that tank ASAP! Minimum recommended tank size for adult GSPs is 30g ea. You could get away with a 30g for both juvies right now but that won't last long...

I keep 8 one gallon containers of tap water that have been sitting over a week. I was always taught and the pet guy confirmed that using tap water, you must let it sit for a week and then you can use it.

I never put anything in when I change the water. Should I put some Nutrafin Cycle in? I have that here. I forgot, that this was the stuff that was also used back in January after the week and before the puffers were put in the tank.

I just looked at her, she just looks terrible with the hard breathing...

As in take out 75% of the water now? Als, no I do not have a declorinator, so what do I do>?

I have Nutrafin Cycle here as well as a product called Prime. Should I go back to one airstone or keep both