The Puffer Forum

1. ammonia, nitrate and nitrates are all 0
2. 60 gallons, 2 gsps
3. krill clams bloodworms 'veggies' occasional oyster / 25% water change every 2 weeks
4. since i noticed the issue i have done a 50% water change over 48 hours, upped the salinity to 1:21, and added a full bottle of bio spira, and the day after that i added a teaspoon of melauca.
5. i've had the fishies for about 4 years now. they are very little round guys. not big long fish shaped ones like i see on here. the tank has been set up as is in my apt for a year and a half.

i noticed one get all sad looking and dark and puffy at the bottom of my tank one night, so i launched into action with the things i described above. but now both of them are halfway puffed up and kinda stressed out. they are still eating and swimming normally, though the bigger one is chasing the little one more than usual. they have been this way for almost 48 hours now and i do not know what else to do. please help.

Thanks!

Do you have pictures?

25% change every 2 weeks plus 2 gsp in a 60 g = perfect params, something is very wrong there. How much live rock is in their tank?

there's 2 good sized rocks, id say about 15 lbs of it? there is algae and some slime on then and the plants but i rinse it off when it gets gross. i could probably use some more bottom substrate.... but its really hard to tell what has changed from one day to the next when they've been great for so long.

Do you use a skimmer?

15lbs of live rock in 60g is really not enough. How long are you shaking your nitrate tests - before and after adding the solutions?

You should be showing some nitrate if those tests were before the WC. Really follow the directions close on the nitrate bottle and shake for the full time thy say, this is the biggest mistake with nitrate tests (I've done it myself).

Your live rock is not enough for a tank that size. Generally speaking one pound per gallon is optimal even with the two puffers only in the tank. What was your SG before you brought it up to 1.021? Also, when you say "slime" on the rocks what do you mean? A film like slime, clear, etc?