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HELP GASPING PUFFER - UPDATE HE's LOOKING LOTS BETTER!!!
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:03 pm
by Puff8
My puffer fish (abei) has suddenly started panting heavily at the bottom of the tank, the water stats have come out fine (colour test kits all come out clear) The only thing Ive changed lately is the heater I added it yesterday and today his eyes are dark and post water change he is gasping for air
does anyone know whats going on and what I should do!
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:07 pm
by Pufferpunk
Please answer ALL the Qs above, in red.
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:13 pm
by Puff8
Sorry was panicking
1) Your water parameters - pH 7, Ammonia its colour gauge but its clear,no salt
2) Tank size 4 foot tank with only the puffer fish in
3) Feeding, water change schedule : he gets fed a shrimp a day and Ive not added anything to the tank since I added filter start a few months ago water change 10 - 20% a week
4) I did a water change when I put the new heater in yesterday and Ive done a 50% change since I saw him gasping / panting no change
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? yes it was cycled and its been set up for about 5 months its all been fine until now
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:17 pm
by Puff8
Oh I also upped his water temp from 22 -24 yesterday and Im worried that doing that caused this
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:06 pm
by Pufferpunk
Still a bit chilly in there, should be ~ 26C.
How large is his tank? How big is this shrimp he gets daily? Sounds like a lot of feeding for a sedentary fish.
Please post EXACT test results.
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:15 pm
by Puff8
Hi Im really sorry my kits dont have numbers just the colour coding which say either too high or too low - if he's still with me tomorrow I'll buy more precise kits
He was more than happy on 22 for months I just upped it because I read that he should have been on 24- 26 and then all this happened I feel like its my fault for upping the temperature
He gets a river shrimp a day or a cockle every few days - I was told to do this buy the shop owner I bought him from
I read that upping the temperature can reduce the oxygen in the water - he has an air stone in there though
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:17 pm
by Pufferpunk
He is a tropical fish & belongs in warm, tropical water. I feel this isn't the problem though. Do another water change. What are you using to dechlorinate?
I agree you need much better test kits.
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:20 pm
by Puff8
Ive done another water change since posting - another 80-90% and I am using Interpet water de-chlorinator
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:49 pm
by Puff8
Ive just noticed he's panting and then he almost spasms and spits out a load of water???
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:50 pm
by Pufferpunk
Something stuck in his throat? Has he been eating normally lately?
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:52 pm
by Puff8
He has been eating normally but he tends to wolf down his food and sometimes I worry he doesnt chew his shrimp - he wont eat at the moment
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:53 pm
by Pufferpunk
Do you have a pic of him? Is he fat?
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:00 pm
by Puff8
He doesn't look any fatter than normal but he is now v lethargic if he did have anything stuck in his throat Im not sure what I can do
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:02 pm
by Pufferpunk
But is he normally fat?
Re: HELP GASPING PUFFER
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 6:02 pm
by Pufferpunk
But is he normally fat? My concern is fatty liver disease from overfeeding.