The Puffer Forum

Hello.

My Abei Puffer and I have been living happily together for the past 2 years. I have been slowly transitioning from sand to black gravel (e.g siphoning out sand with each clean adding a little more gravel). Today I had a good root around at the bottom of the sand and a distinctive 'eggy' smell appeared briefly. Im pretty sure this means a methane pocket. I continued to clean and it only smelt for a second or so, the tank itself nor the bucket of water smelt afterwards. Please please, My abei seems fine at the moment - Is this really bad?

Just to be safe do a couple of large waterchanges, the eggy smell could indeed be methane pockets. Or a silent but violent one lol. Joke, back to the point. The methane would unlikely have immediate effects, to reduce the risk carry out waterchanges, they will solve almost any aquarium problem and will always be beneficial to your critters

i recommend checking all water parameters, including pH, and water changes as mentioned above

methane doesn't smell eggy...hydrogen sulphide(sulfide) does...both are protein decomposition products.