The Puffer Forum

Water Parameters -
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrates - 0
pH - 8.0
Salinity - 1.018

Tank Size: 37 Gallons with 1 GSP, and 3 small hermit crabs with about 40 pounds of live rock, purchased from LFS.

I was feeding him fresh shrimp bought from the grocery store, freeze dried krill, and gut loaded ghost shrimp soaked in liquid vitamins.

I rearranged the live rock on sunday.

Aquarium was cycled for about a month and a half before I added my GSP.
GSP has been in the tank since 3/24/13

I think it is a internal parasite because his black belly goes in and out, and his poop is white and stringy.
I have been feeding him food soaked in tank water and searchem Metronidazole.
The first treatment was on 5/26 and was doing every other day for almost a week. On Friday (5/31) I upped the dosage to everyday. He has shown no signs of improvement. His belly is still black, and his larger then normal.
When I got home today, he was curled up, and floating around the top of the tank, mainly next to the intake of my HOB protein skimmer.

I am currently running water through my RODI filter, and will change about 8 gallons of water later tonight.

Poor fella! That doesn't sound good... Maybe he was just napping.
Is he still eating?

I fed him some shrimp, and he gobbled it up really quick, like normal. He was swimming around after he ate.
I just did a 10-12 gallon water change 20 minutes ago and he was swimming around for a while.
Now he doesn't look so good again. He is sticking to the top corner of the tank with a really dark stomach.

Sounds like something's up with your water.

sbc580 wrote:I fed him some shrimp, and he gobbled it up really quick, like normal. He was swimming around after he ate.
I just did a 10-12 gallon water change 20 minutes ago and he was swimming around for a while.
Now he doesn't look so good again. He is sticking to the top corner of the tank with a really dark stomach.

My gsps turn dark after eating and then they go to their areas. One has a spot under decor and one hangs in the plants.

Some of what you describe sounds like a sick puffer, and then some of what you describe sounds like normal behavior. Any chance you can get a pic of the tank and the puffer?

Just as insurance, lay off the FD krill for a while.

Keep up the water changes just in case, even though the measurable parameters look fine.

How much sand and what kind of sand is in the tank?

I'll get some pictures when I get home today.
In the past, after he eats he would swim up and down the glass and hide behind the live rock, but would never turn black.
I'll do a 8-10 gallon water change tonight.

I used live sand suggested by the LFS, I am not sure of the exact amount though. It is 2-3 inches deep.

Should I continue feeding him food soaked in Metronidazole?

Forgot to add. I've always used RODI water with instant ocean sea salt mix. Testing the SG has always been done with a refractometer.

I'd reduce that sand to 1".

Small update:
I just finished doing a 9 gallon water change.
He seems to be doing better. His belly is still black, but when I walk up to the tank, he will greet me and his belly slowly turns white. I fed him some shrimp, and he ate it up really quick again.

Like pufferpunk said, I think it is a water issue. I just cleaned my HOB protein skimmer and it was pretty filthy inside. I clean the collection cup about once a week, but this is the first time I have cleaned the actual body. The skimmer is currently drying, and the tank is running with just 2 powerheads for the next 24 hours.
I took some pictures, but will have to upload them tomorrow.

+1 to Pufferpunk's comment. You do not need that much sand bed w/LR and a decent skimmer.

My mistake, the sand is about 1", not 2"-3"
I have done frequent water changes all week and he seems to be doing better.
His black belly still comes and goes though. Any idea what this could be?

Update with Pics:






He seems to be doing better, but still has a black belly. Still eating like crazy I've changed about 25 gallons of water over about a week, while measure my SG with a refractometer.
As you can see, the black belly comes and goes.

Anybody have any ideas why he is still black?

Weird, I wonder if some GSP's are just temperamental. I have one that has a black spot on the side of his belly that occasionally goes away but is otherwise usually visible.

I have noticed that he is much hungrier then he has ever been. 2-3 weeks ago, before his belly was black, whenever I feed him shrimp he would hide behind the rocks. Now, I've noticed after I feed him he is still going crazy looking for food. Whenever he sees me, he will window surf at the side closest to me. This is a reason why I thought it was a IP.