My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HELP!!
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HELP!!
I have a saltwater tank that basically fell in my lap. My neighbor was going to just flush the fish!!! I said no I will take them & have had them about 6 months. The problem is I know NOTHING about fish! I had no idea how full of personality puffers were till now. Recently the pump/filter broke. I aerated the water every hour till I could get a new pump/filter. Since I got the new one my puffer has become swollen on its left side. He also is not swimming barely. He either stays at the bottom of the tank w his head facing down or he will push himself between the pump against the tank at the top w his head down. He is still eating fine. He is about 4 inches. I feed him every 3 days. My tank is 50 gallons. I tested the salt and the ALK. The ALK is at the normal range and the salt is at 1.025.... That is all he gave me to work with. I don't know what else I need to test. It also is home to a trigger that minds its own business and a Blinny that also minds its own business. Both of those fish are doing fabulous. No issues at all. I have done a lot of research since he got sick a couple days ago. I know I need to cycle the water (something I JUST learned), but I don't have a clue how to test ANYTHING for the new water I would put in or how to get the new water to the correct levels. I also have tried to help burp him, I got a couple bubbles out, but it doesn't seem like it has helped at all. My neighbor didn't care about these fish.... He shouldn't have ever started the tank.... Now I am DEEPLY attached to this Puffer. Please PLEASE someone help me!!! I am on a tight budget right now because I myself just had surgery.... so any helpful hints that are not super costly would be much appreciated.... I just want my fish to live
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Pufferpunk
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Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HELP!!
![[welcome]](./images/smilies/welcome.gif "welcome")
Get test kits for ammonia, nitrite & nitrite.
Read this: library/hospital/help-my-puffer-is-air-filled/
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HELP!!
TY! That is good to know about the frozen food. I had no idea I should be thawing it. I really have fallen in love with these fish and want to do everything I can to keep them happy and safe.
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Pufferpunk
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- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
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T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
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DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HELP!!
How is he feeling today? Please answer all the Qs above, in red.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Aquarist
- Green Spotted Puffer
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Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HELP!!
You should also be aware that a Porcupine Puffer gets larger than a football and will outgrow a 50 Gallon in no time. Good luck.
Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HELP!!
I'm sorry I thought I answered all the questions? Yes, I am aware of the size issue. I am saving for a much larger tank now.... The guy that ended up giving the tank to me (bc he was just going to let them die) never should have started the tank... But I cant just let innocent fish die! LOL So now they r my babies and I am doing all I can to help them live :O) He is filling much better now!!! When I burped him and made the filtration not so extreme he started to feel/look better immediately!!!
I am saving for a much larger tank now.... The guy that ended up giving the tank to me (bc he was just going to let them die) never should have started the tank... But I cant just let innocent fish die! LOL So now they r my babies and I am doing all I can to help them live :O) He is filling much better now!!! When I burped him and made the filtration not so extreme he started to feel/look better immediately!!!-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32987
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HELP!!
Cool, I'm glad the burping worked! What I am looking for are the water parameters, water change schedule, how much live rock, & diet.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HE
Big Thank You for posting Burping a Puffer fish. My 8 yr old porcupine puffer fish had swollen right side I did what they said to do he puff up. Then began swim and ate. Hadn't ate in a week.
my puffer swelled up last week REALLY BIG and then I believe pass eggs. Tank was a mess. Won't eat then yesterday had a swollen area laid at bottom of the tank. Then I read ABOUT HOW U BURP A PUFFER AND WORKED THANKS AGAIN FOR SAVING MY PUFFER
my puffer swelled up last week REALLY BIG and then I believe pass eggs. Tank was a mess. Won't eat then yesterday had a swollen area laid at bottom of the tank. Then I read ABOUT HOW U BURP A PUFFER AND WORKED THANKS AGAIN FOR SAVING MY PUFFER
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32987
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HE
Do you have a photo of "eggs"? Maybe it was constipated & finally pooped?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HE
I 1st thought same that puffy pooped. Eggs were all small uniform in size round and color. Also, I seen puffer eggs on internet looked just like them. Eggs laid on bottom of tank. They were eggs.
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RTR
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Re: My Porcupine puffer is swollen on his left back side. HE
Mature female puffers w/o mates do periodically dump unfertilized eggs. That is normal. It is not common for hobbyists to see them, as most seem to eat the eggs after dumping them.
Siphon them out before they decay if the female does not eat them quickly. That will help protect the water quality.
Siphon them out before they decay if the female does not eat them quickly. That will help protect the water quality.
Where's the fish? - Neptune