Lethargic Porcupine puffer in QT
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 6:36 pm
1) Water parameters (picture is attached in case there is any question about liquid test kit color comparisons)
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate looks like 10ppm, maybe a little more, not quite 20 ppm
salinity 1.023 SG
Temperature 78.4 F
2) Tank info: 20G high quarantine tank. This porcupine is the only macroscopic life that's ever been in it. No substrate, just some pvc joints for "decoration" which are really a place to hide if he wants it.
3) Feeding: He gets three frozen Krills every day. Water Change Schedule: I did a 100% water change after the fishless-cycle was done (Sunday). None since then but the plan is to do 20% or so every week. All products I've added to the tank: none so far. I use Instant Ocean salt, I seeded the bio-material for my cycle from my 150G Saltwater tank (where this guy will end up). I bought some metronidazole for worms but I haven't used it yet because I haven't seen any signs of worms.
4) Changes in the last week: Adding the fish is the only real change I've made in the last week. I got him on Sunday and it's Thursday now.
5) Aquarium setup/cycle info. I started a fishless cycle in early November of last year using some seed material from my SW tank (established for almost 4 years now). I used pure ammonia from ACE Hardware, no surfactants, the same stuff I used to cycle all my other tanks. After about 7 weeks (this past Sunday) I did my 100% water change since 2 ppm of ammonia was completely converted to nitrates in 24 hours (and I haven't seen a nonzero ammonia or nitrite reading since) then added the puffer. It's been five days since then.
Symptoms: So by the time I got here on my post most of them are gone actually, so maybe this is nothing but I'm going to post this anyways just in case.
After the first night, I turned the lights off in his tank (like the rest of my tanks which are on timers) and when I got home from work on Monday his lights were still off. I turned them on and he was hiding behind the PVC joints, resting on the ground, not really moving that much. I worried a little bit but after 15 minutes and seeing his food bowl he perked right up and ate like a champ and was the same personable fish he usually is. I figured OK, he must have been sleeping and I woke him up. So I got a timer for his lights so they will be on for a couple of hours before I get home.
The other nights this week it was OK, he was waiting for his food when he got home and begged and begged until I gave it to him. It seems the lights are doing the trick.
Today I got home from work and the lights were already on, but he was laying down on the bottom of the tank again. His breathing looked labored and his color was pale and more grey (picture is attached). So I get on here and start to take water tests of the tank. While I'm in front of the tank doing this, he perks up, looks at me, and slowly starts swimming up. He yawns a couple of times and now he's back to his old self. His color isn't completely restored yet but let me check again -- OK he's a little lazier than usual but his color is pretty much back to normal.
Maybe I'm being paranoid. Maybe he's just cranky and lazy and lonely or something and I woke him up, but if something is wrong and he's getting fatigued I don't want to wait and hope it gets better.
I've been looking for signs of worms but I haven't seen any -- I could be missing it, though, all I know to look for is loss of appetite and pooping out worms. He's been eating like a champ since I got him.
Here's the thread about my QT, in case it's relevant: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=33610
Should I be doing anything, or am I just worrying too much?
pH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate looks like 10ppm, maybe a little more, not quite 20 ppm
salinity 1.023 SG
Temperature 78.4 F
2) Tank info: 20G high quarantine tank. This porcupine is the only macroscopic life that's ever been in it. No substrate, just some pvc joints for "decoration" which are really a place to hide if he wants it.
3) Feeding: He gets three frozen Krills every day. Water Change Schedule: I did a 100% water change after the fishless-cycle was done (Sunday). None since then but the plan is to do 20% or so every week. All products I've added to the tank: none so far. I use Instant Ocean salt, I seeded the bio-material for my cycle from my 150G Saltwater tank (where this guy will end up). I bought some metronidazole for worms but I haven't used it yet because I haven't seen any signs of worms.
4) Changes in the last week: Adding the fish is the only real change I've made in the last week. I got him on Sunday and it's Thursday now.
5) Aquarium setup/cycle info. I started a fishless cycle in early November of last year using some seed material from my SW tank (established for almost 4 years now). I used pure ammonia from ACE Hardware, no surfactants, the same stuff I used to cycle all my other tanks. After about 7 weeks (this past Sunday) I did my 100% water change since 2 ppm of ammonia was completely converted to nitrates in 24 hours (and I haven't seen a nonzero ammonia or nitrite reading since) then added the puffer. It's been five days since then.
Symptoms: So by the time I got here on my post most of them are gone actually, so maybe this is nothing but I'm going to post this anyways just in case.
After the first night, I turned the lights off in his tank (like the rest of my tanks which are on timers) and when I got home from work on Monday his lights were still off. I turned them on and he was hiding behind the PVC joints, resting on the ground, not really moving that much. I worried a little bit but after 15 minutes and seeing his food bowl he perked right up and ate like a champ and was the same personable fish he usually is. I figured OK, he must have been sleeping and I woke him up. So I got a timer for his lights so they will be on for a couple of hours before I get home.
The other nights this week it was OK, he was waiting for his food when he got home and begged and begged until I gave it to him. It seems the lights are doing the trick.
Today I got home from work and the lights were already on, but he was laying down on the bottom of the tank again. His breathing looked labored and his color was pale and more grey (picture is attached). So I get on here and start to take water tests of the tank. While I'm in front of the tank doing this, he perks up, looks at me, and slowly starts swimming up. He yawns a couple of times and now he's back to his old self. His color isn't completely restored yet but let me check again -- OK he's a little lazier than usual but his color is pretty much back to normal.
Maybe I'm being paranoid. Maybe he's just cranky and lazy and lonely or something and I woke him up, but if something is wrong and he's getting fatigued I don't want to wait and hope it gets better.
I've been looking for signs of worms but I haven't seen any -- I could be missing it, though, all I know to look for is loss of appetite and pooping out worms. He's been eating like a champ since I got him.
Here's the thread about my QT, in case it's relevant: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=33610
Should I be doing anything, or am I just worrying too much?
