I bought 2 F8 puffers 2 weeks ago and they have been awesome, until today. I noticed one of them almost seems paralyzed on one side. The fin is clamped shut and the gill doesn't move. It seems 'ok' otherwise, still eating and such, a little less active, and resting on the bottom. He seems to purposely bump into things with the affected side as if to try and get it working.
20 gallon Tank has been running for about 8 weeks, Nitrites 0, nitrates 10, ammonia (~2ppm, I can't seem to get this to come down for some reason...which I am sure is not helping the situation)
I decided to feed them as I was typing this and when I did the puffer went about feeding like nothing was wrong fin and gill working fine, and then went back to sulking at the bottom when the food was gone. The other puffer is quite aggressive towards this puffer.
Any ideas would be great.
Thanks
Crystal
F8P not doing well
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.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: F8P not doing well
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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sgtmyers88
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Re: F8P not doing well
I suspect bullying could possibly be a cause, does the puffer appear injured in any way besides its behavior? (nipped fins or bite marks)Darkjade wrote:The other puffer is quite aggressive towards this puffer.
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
Re: F8P not doing well
Sorry for some reason I couldn't see all the stuff in red when I posted and I just posted what I could remember
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). pH - 6.8, Ammonia 2+ (have been doing daily water changes and it shoots back up every time) Nitrite- 0, Nitrate 10
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. tank is 20 gallons, no other inhabitants
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products, feed usually 2 times a day, blood worms. All food is eaten within 1 min. I have been feeding a little more frequently to give the 'sick' fish more opportunities to eat. I have been doing daily water changes of 40-50% to try and deal with the ammonia. I have been adding salt with no success on getting a reading on the hydrometer, and a product to remove chlorine after the water changes
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. I used to have snails in the tank, but I have since removed them to see if something with them was causing issues.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? It's been set up for about 8 weeks, it was cycled with snails for about 5 weeks.
As of right now the puffer is hanging out on the bottom of the tank. Just lays on the rocks on the bottom. His color is better since the water change today, but he's now not eating. I am very worried he's going to pass tonight
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). pH - 6.8, Ammonia 2+ (have been doing daily water changes and it shoots back up every time) Nitrite- 0, Nitrate 10
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. tank is 20 gallons, no other inhabitants
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products, feed usually 2 times a day, blood worms. All food is eaten within 1 min. I have been feeding a little more frequently to give the 'sick' fish more opportunities to eat. I have been doing daily water changes of 40-50% to try and deal with the ammonia. I have been adding salt with no success on getting a reading on the hydrometer, and a product to remove chlorine after the water changes
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. I used to have snails in the tank, but I have since removed them to see if something with them was causing issues.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? It's been set up for about 8 weeks, it was cycled with snails for about 5 weeks.
As of right now the puffer is hanging out on the bottom of the tank. Just lays on the rocks on the bottom. His color is better since the water change today, but he's now not eating. I am very worried he's going to pass tonight
Re: F8P not doing well
And no all the fins seem to be intact and there are no injuries on him.
Re: F8P not doing well
just dropped some shrimp in and he went to town! My puffers look extremely pregnant lol. That at least makes me feel better though, about the one that is lethargic.
About 30 mins after feeding, the 'sick' puffer proceeded to throw up ... what is going on with my poor puffer
About 30 mins after feeding, the 'sick' puffer proceeded to throw up ... what is going on with my poor puffer
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Pufferpunk
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Re: F8P not doing well
Ammonia of 2 is extremely deadly: library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/
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: F8P not doing well
What's the ammonia reading in your tap water?
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
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Pufferpunk
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Re: F8P not doing well
The fact that he improves with a WC, means your water is not right in the tank. Please consider what I posted.
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: F8P not doing well
Thanks for your post Pufferpunk! I read through it all and will see what I can do!
Flutter - The ammonia in my tap water is about 1ppm.. I just did a water change and tested it again and it's between .50 and 1... which is the lowest I've seen it in a while!
So far the puffer is still alive and eating shrimp but is still rather lethargic so I think I will skip the WC tomorrow, in case I am stressing him out with that. Unless ammonia gets bad again.
Does water hardness affect puffers at all? My tap water is soft but in the tank the water is hard.
Thank you for the input
Flutter - The ammonia in my tap water is about 1ppm.. I just did a water change and tested it again and it's between .50 and 1... which is the lowest I've seen it in a while!
So far the puffer is still alive and eating shrimp but is still rather lethargic so I think I will skip the WC tomorrow, in case I am stressing him out with that. Unless ammonia gets bad again.
Does water hardness affect puffers at all? My tap water is soft but in the tank the water is hard.
Thank you for the input
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Pufferpunk
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suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: F8P not doing well
In your case, you may have to use ammonia-removers for your system. Double dose with Prime. and for heck's sake, make a complaint to your water company about their toxic drinking water! 
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: F8P not doing well
I know it's gross right!!
I had a tank set up for 3 years then fish just died one after the other. Not sure what happened there, but either way the water didn't seem to negatively affect that tank ammonia wise.
Thanks again
I had a tank set up for 3 years then fish just died one after the other. Not sure what happened there, but either way the water didn't seem to negatively affect that tank ammonia wise.
Thanks again
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sgtmyers88
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Re: F8P not doing well
Thats pretty scary if your fish tank water is cleaner than your tap. 
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
Re: F8P not doing well
In the past it has been! (right now I am having ammonia issues..) I have a picture somewhere that I took comparing the two, it was awful!
Little puffer is still hanging on. Still lethargic though.. I also noticed that my pH is tanking.. Which I am sure is why this little guy is doing so bad. My tank is becoming more acidic and I don't know what to do.. any ideas?
Little puffer is still hanging on. Still lethargic though.. I also noticed that my pH is tanking.. Which I am sure is why this little guy is doing so bad. My tank is becoming more acidic and I don't know what to do.. any ideas?
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Re: F8P not doing well
What substrate are you using? Generally, aragonite sand, crushed coral, crushed shells, etc are recommended for puffers that like hard water because they make the water more basic. For those fish, you need an ammonia remover for the water, or to find a water source such as RO or RO/DI water, from your lfs. I used to get my water from my lfs and walmart - RO drinking water, until I got prime.
No human being, however great, or powerful, was ever so free as a fish.
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"I have to laugh when people call fish-keeping a hobby, if anything, it's a science... and for some, an obsession." - Me
-John Ruskin-
"I have to laugh when people call fish-keeping a hobby, if anything, it's a science... and for some, an obsession." - Me