The Puffer Forum

Hey guys, haven't been on in a long time and Micah the puffer has been healthy as can be! I have had in about 2.5 years, no issues!
These are older pictures, but you get the idea.

This is more recent



About a week-week and a half ago he stopped eating.
When I tried to feed him, he just gives me the cold shoulder,so I let it go and tried again for the next few nights.
A few days ago I started to become concerned, as he was still not eating.

About 3 nights ago he started acting like he had a stroke or something. I will attach a video, but he swims and can't control himself.
He spins, and flops and I am afraid of him hurting himself even more, such as head trauma or scratching his eyes on rocks etc.


So immediately I tested the water.
Ammonia, PH, Alkalinity, Nitrite, Calcium- everything came out FINE
Nitrate was a little high due to "old tank syndrome" but absolutely NOWHERE near lethal.

So I immediately did a 40 gallon water change while I put him in a 5 gallon tank.
Put him back in and same thing, he can control himself sometimes, other times not.
If we hold him, he sits there fine. If we don't he wedges himself somewhere where he won't move.
He curls up and only uses his left fin, and curls his tail up.
But when he wants to move he uses his right and his tail just fine.


Today he is sitting on top of my powerhead, still can't swim right. and I have no idea what to do.
I also noticed the tips of his fins starting to turn red because I can see the arteries.
He also breathes heavier than normal, his gills flap at about 62 times per minute.
Which seems and looks much too fast.


I don't think he has a chance and don't want him to suffer, but I don't want to euthanize him if he has a chance.


Any help is greatly appreciated, but I fear there is nothing that can be done.
It is sad to lose the best looking Porc I have EVER seen.

What do you guys think could be going on?
Stroke? Heart attack? Some neurological damage?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zHMEFr9 ... ature=plcp

OMG! Those symptoms remind me a bit of nitrite poisoning (it has neurological effects), but obviously that's not the problem. I do think it's neurological, and if it's not nitrite poisoning, I doubt there's much you can do.

LilGreenPuffer wrote:OMG! Those symptoms remind me a bit of nitrite poisoning (it has neurological effects), but obviously that's not the problem. I do think it's neurological, and if it's not nitrite poisoning, I doubt there's much you can do.

With my home test kit my nitrite came out between 0 and .05 which is such a small gap it could be 0

Do a couple of waterchanges immediately. Not too much at once if ots is admitted. Do several 20ish percent giving an hour or so in-between . I am certain once u have done a few he may feel a little better. I don't want to sound harsh but I believe water quality is responsible. We can only measure certain levels in the home aquarium but other things in the water can build up without us being able to test them. Lots of waterchanges (build up) will give u the best chance of saving that beautiful puffer. Keep on it don't give up.

I'm just not sure, I know he has lived 2.5 years here.
But is well water than runs through a water softener that uses salt all that good for fish?

The other night I did a water change that brought it down to 1 or 2 inches off the substrate, mixed all the water and got it to temperature and slowly re-acclimated him just like you would a new fish.

I just don't understand why hes either not fine or dead, why is he living so long like this?
Usually it seems anything that goes into a state like this dies rather quickly.

Let me just throw a random thing out there too, maybe it could be water.
I had a gerbil, sister has a mouse, and girlfriend had a rat.
They all got the same bedding, water and food.

My gerbil ended up closing her eyes and just crawling around the ground like she had a stroke.
Then my girlfriends rat did the same thing about a month later.
Shortly after that my sisters mouse died.



Could something have gotten into our water and my last few water changes have intoxicated the tank?

Absolutely could be. Use ro or distilled water on a 30 % change. Or boil and cool water and use that, see where we are then. There is defo something here we can overcome to save him. Tell us how much lr you have etc. Follow that change with another 30% change quickly and I am certain you will see some progress

bertie 83 wrote:Absolutely could be. Use ro or distilled water on a 30 % change. Or boil and cool water and use that, see where we are then. There is defo something here we can overcome to save him. Tell us how much lr you have etc. Follow that change with another 30% change quickly and I am certain you will see some progress

I don't know exactly how much I have but I would say 10 gallons worth

Ok do you have a full tank shot? We may be able to assess from there. It is vital you add water with potentially no toxins, be it ro or di or rodi. Or as a last resort boiled and cooled.

Ots is brutal and if we throw in potentially non fish friendly water you are stuffed. You need to perform lots of water changes with safe water. Not too much at once or you will shock your fish, but enough to dilute the bad water. Little and very often will get you out of trouble I am sure

Can you not give us the parameters of your water? That will help us know if you should be performing several small water changes or if it's safe to do one or two large ones.

Also make sure to remember the power of positive thinking. ... and also make sure to give your fish rest time to feel better as it probably won't snap out of it in an instant, and could be stressed from all the stress itself. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts

Like I said, all of my parameters are spot on like they are supposed to be.
He is acting worse now, he just violently went around the tank flopping.
I don't think he's going to make it, his fins are turning red instead of the tannish/white color.
Almost like too much bloody is being pumped.

I'd like to put him out of his misery but don't have anything to do so humanely

What's the best way to do it? It's gotta be done.

What are the exact numbers of your parameters?

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=18520

I saw that, I have killed a fish by blunt force, but don't want to do it to micah. I mean come on he's 8 inches long.
At this point I have no worry other than euthanizing him, its more painful to watch than to lose.
It's going to happen regardless

What's the vodka method I am reading? That doesn't sound like its fun for the fish...

Do you have access to anesthetic, or can you get some shipped overnight? I have Finquel and can overnight some to you if you reimburse me the shipping money via PayPal.