The Puffer Forum

This problem should be resolved soon, hopefully. But for interest, here's my situation:

Single specimen tank - GSP.

Behaviour - Inactive and resting in in plain sight (unusual)
When startled (accidently), movements suggest confusion and perhaps fatigue.
Breathing is NOT heavy at all
Eye movements seem responsive to movement at first but not persistant.
Refusing food.

Appearance -
Belly appears full and round and not bulgy or lumpy.
Stomach appears black around edges but cannot see whole belly
as the fish is resting on the substrate.

Notes about tank set up -
100L FO tank with single internal sponge filter and external PS
Aeration has been performed by a protein skimmer
which runs from midday (12) to 9pm each day - same hours as lighting
Some red-brown algae is present (usual, unfortunately). Darker than usuall.


Water measurements

salinity - 1.020 (corrected for for one last tiny bubble that won't get off the swing handle >:/ lol )
temp - ??? (below 18 c/ 64f)
Only products added - reef salt and conditioner.

ammo
nitrite
nitrate
ph



I got this far into analyzing the problem before I realized that I had left the damned heaters off last time I did a water change D:

Lesson (re)learned - always be thorough and systematic.

Will be testing the pH and nitrogen-cycle perameters to see if there's any damage to those.

Thanks for sharing. It is always nice to be reminded of the importance of being thorough. That's a tough lesson to learn, and an easy one to forget. I've certainly done similar things more than once. Once never plugging in my filter after a cleaning (thank goodness the plants were up to the task of short term filtration and aeration; but it left a huuuuge mess) and once carelessly placing a CO2 tank back in its place without locking the valve which almost gassed out my fish.

I found my figure 8 did a similar thing when I changed his water without checking the temperature before adding to the tank, the water was far too cold which basically made him 'freeze' until the tank warmed back up to temperature.

oh, and BedScien, don't forget to check to make sure there aren't any missing cats in the tank

eieio wrote:oh, and BedScien, don't forget to check to make sure there aren't any missing cats in the tank

Lol still kicking myself over that post

Especially since I sent your story to RTR!

if you didn't laugh, I'll eat my cat...

HAT! I meant hat >.<

Iliveinazoo wrote:I found my figure 8 did a similar thing when I changed his water without checking the temperature before adding to the tank, the water was far too cold which basically made him 'freeze' until the tank warmed back up to temperature.

yeah. Kinda weird cos humans stay warmer by moving more? I dunno how that works though :/ Would have been harder to notice as mine is always moving and often pacing (Dw I'm working on a FOWLR set up for him)


He's moving about like normal now. Checking parameters tomorrow.

Different animals work differently, my cats have a warm coat of fur to keep them warm, fish don't. We move or shiver, fish shut down etc. all creatures evolve differently, for instance cats evolved to eat fish, fish didn't have cats on the menu etc lol

bertie 83 wrote:Different animals work differently, my cats have a warm coat of fur to keep them warm, fish don't. We move or shiver, fish shut down etc. all creatures evolve differently, for instance cats evolved to eat fish, fish didn't have cats on the menu etc lol

Bertie, I just saw this and thought of your quote.

This fish DID have a cat on the menu.

It looks like the kitten was just a hair faster than the fish.

video - 28 secs.

eieio wrote:oh, and BedScien, don't forget to check to make sure there aren't any missing cats in the tank

Nelson from the Simpsons: Ha Ha!


Edit: lol hopefully those cats learned their lesson!

Grup, that fish was just kissing the cat. Lol. That was a protective display not an I'm gonna eat you,

I did a 20%% ater change on my target tank and then discovered that the heater cable had been severed somehow..no wonder the poor fish wasn't happy..