The Puffer Forum

Hello Everyone,
I've been a member for a while but this is my first post. I come on to learn more about puffers as you guys are far more knowledgeable about them than me.

I have a 55 gallon tank, saltwater has been up and running for 10+ years. It's current residents include my dear GSP (approximately 5" in length and 2 1/2 yrs old) two three stripe damsels and one yellow tail damsel. They have all been in the tank several months longer than my puffer. Up until about 3 weeks ago I also had a very large domino damsel.
As of yesterday I have 3 Nerite Snails and 2 Margarita snails which I was hoping would have disappeared when I woke up this morning.

Water parameters are as follows:
Ammonia:0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30-40
pH: 7.8
Salinity 1.019
****I historically have always had high Nitrate, low pH and I keep a lower salinity on purpose for parasites, etc.)
Crushed coral/sand substrate with bleached coral, fake plants and a rock cave for decorations

I feed mostly daily (sometimes I skip) Mysis and rotate between raw shrimp, clams, scallop and krill (frozen) and I give freshwater snails as a "treat" every 1-2 weeks (I live in a rural area so my food sources are somewhat limited)

Waterchange schedule has gotten somewhat lax in all honesty. Although recently I have been doing a 15 gallon (27%) waterchange every couple of weeks. Which is what I used to do way back when I had a lot of inhabitants in the tank years ago.

So here's what is going on:

The domino damsel was re-homed 3 weeks ago as he was terrorizing all of the other fish. My puffer had chunks missing from his tail and fins, his coloring had become mostly dark without the spots and his belly was dark. He also wasn't showing the interest in his food as he had always done before, but was still eating. The other fish spent their days cowering in fear. After he was gone, all seemed to give a sigh or relief. Puffer started swimming around again and the other fish became visible. I fed him some snails for the next couple of days and he was back to normal. Within about a week the three line damsels began to become aggressive, almost killing the yellow tail. He and my yellow tail are "best buds". When the yellow tail was hurt and almost dying, my Puffer stayed right under him as if he was protecting him. Now that the Puffer is acting strange, the yellow tail never strays too far from him. I put a barrier in the tank, giving them a "time out" for a week or so while I treated the tank with Melafix daily. Puffer and yellow tail healed and my puffer started spending copious amounts of time plastering himself up to the barrier, almost as if he was sad that they were on the other side. His coloring was a bit dark again along with his belly, and he wasn't really keen on eating. So last week I did a large 20 gallon water change (36%). I also noticed at this point that the salinity had gotten pretty low (1.015) so I increased it to 1.019 with the water change (I know too much too fast, but I wasn't even thinking of that at the time). And I re-arranged the decorations, added some more stuff and "released the beasts". Things with them were okay for a couple of days but they are back at it again. However the Puffer never really went back to his normal self. They are being "re-homed" tomorrow. Also sometime in the last few weeks my puffer has become "afraid" of me! Before when he saw me coming he knew it was food time and was happily waiting for me at the top of the tank, and would take food out of my hand. Now when he sees me coming he hides! I'm assuming that it is because I've had to be in the tank more than usual lately (chasing and barricading off the idiots and cleaning up the uneaten food) which never was an issue before.

My Puffer WILL NOT EAT!!! ANYTHING!!!!! I bought tiny hermit crabs, freshwater snails, these saltwater snails. I have tried oysters on the half shell, shrimp, clams, scallops from the grocery store. I have soaked in garlic and given plain. I don't know what to do. He may have eaten a few tiny freshwater snails on Sunday but I'm not sure. His belly is dark, he hides under the filter in the corner, half the time he lays on his side. I'm really worried. His belly is starting to get a little sunken in also.

I will be getting rid of the three line damsels tomorrow. It's a 4 hour round trip to the LFS that is an actual fish store, not Petco (again very rural here) so I can't just run down every day. Do you think I should do another water change and bring the salinity down a bit? Do you think it's too late to turn him around? My primary concern is my puffer as I've grown quite fond of him. Should I pick up a new tank mate or two tomorrow when I get rid of the others? The girl at Petco has a small Figure 8 Puffer that someone left her and it's currently living in a bucket, she is begging me to take him home. I've been saying no, not until I get my guy back on track. Do you have any suggestions for an irresistible meal????

This literally has been keeping me up at night! Any suggestions, feedback, good or bad would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks so much!

You really need to get that nitrate down. Look in the Marine forum here about my vitamin C dosing. Is there a protein skimmer, refugium? Definitely more, larger WC to remedy this. Try offering him live earthworms.

Thank you. I will look into the Vitamin C dosing for sure! I agree that my nitrates are high, but the one thing I will say is that they are always high, even when I was doing 15 gallons a week. 30 is actually low co this one believe it or not. And he has been in this tank for over 2 years without an issue. Even when I went months without doing any maintenance (over a year ago).

No skimmer, just a large wet dry and submersible pump in the tank for additional air flow.

I guess I'll do a WC tomorrow in addition to the removal of the three stripe damsels. Any thoughts on reducing the salinity?

Thanks again!

Oh and a totally dumb question....... Just go dig up an earthworm from my garden? Thanks!

I get them from Walmart by the fishing/sports dept. How much live rock do you have & other filtration, flow, etc?

Ok so today I did another 20 gallon WC and re-homed the three stripes. I did a major remodel and added my first piece of live rock (about 1 1/2 lbs.) he now has 3 caves, several bleached coral pieces and some other stuff. He has just his one friend left, Mr. Yellow Tail. He's still looking distressed but I figure it's been a long day for him.

I bought frozen mussels and mysis. I also got ghost shrimp, freshwater snails and black worms, Walmart did not have bait worms. I also got some tiny hermit crabs and dropped them in the tank. When I was adding the live rock a housefly that was sitting on the light bar fell in the tank and he immediately went after it and ate it! So at least he ate something. He was up at the top begging for food but didn't eat anything I offered him. He was not interested in the black worms or freshwater snails, I dropped a ghost shrimp in but I don't think he saw it.

Hoping that tomorrow is a better day for him....

Also, for filtration I have a wet/dry with a mag-drive 5 pump and a maxi-jet pump in the tank for flow.

So fast forward to 2 weeks later and I am still having issues. The last time he ate was almost 2 weeks ago. I dosed with 2 cycles of PraziPro and did a 20 gallon WC on Saturday. Today he attempted to eat a piece of raw shrimp but didn't actually bite it. My concern is that his poop still looks white and stringy but he went through 12 days of PraziPro. He was miserable when the PraziPro was in the tank. He laid on the bottom in the corner and was very dark and breathed heavy. I added an air stone and powerhead.

I'm concerned about his teeth but they aren't protruding or anything. It's just the day that I shoved the clam strip in his mouth I noticed when he was chewing that they were pointy. There is no one nearby that can assist me with trimming his teeth and I don't think he'll live through the sedation.

I am out of ideas. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

If you "dosed" the water, then none got into the fish. You must treat the food. You may have to force-feed for this to happen. Best case scenario--inject the Prazi into an earthworms. They love wiggly worms!

I can't find worms anywhere! No one has them and I'm afraid to use mine because of fertilizer. I'm just wondering how he even picked anything up in the first place. Maybe from the FW snails? I'm attaching a photo of his poop... Sorry. And also of his mouth- that doesn't look like a tooth issue to you right? I'm wondering if he's too large for a trim with a toenail clippers (about 5 inches or so), but I can't sedate him as I don't think he'll come out of it.

It sounds ridiculous but I am constantly worrying about this little guy. He is so pitiful and I don't know what to do. Im terrified of doing more harm than good.

Thanks so much!

You don't have a Walmart?

They don't have them as its "not fishing season". Not kidding, I miss living in civilization sometimes! I'll try to dig one up tomorrow & take my chances. Just inject some PraziPro in it and shove it in his mouth?

Poop definitely looks like IPs. Need to get him to eat some dosed food even if it means tube feeding. Outside of a walmart google tackle shops around you.

Damn, my Walmart always has them.

No bait stores have them now because it's "in between fishing seasons".

I've never had to do this, how difficult is it going to be? Do I just push a tiny airline tube in his mouth attached to a syringe filled with blended worm? How much Prazipro should I use? I'm hoping that he will just chomp a wiggling worm. I'm going to take my chances on a worm from my yard I guess if the Walmart in NH (about 1 1/2 hrs from here) doesn't have them.

Thanks again and please wish me luck!

If yoyr going for the tube feed method it doesnt need to be a worm any blended food with prazi. If need be i could get some earth worms and drive them towards you, but i dont think i could do until this weekend. What part of vermont are you in?