The Puffer Forum

hi can any one help me Ive got a mbu puffer fish how is sick.. i will start from the beginning he first stopped eatting and then started to sit on the bottom for some time witch is not like him....
yesterday i noticed that his side fin had clouded and looked like fin rot so i talk to my local fish shop and they said to put him on melafix which i did but today he seems worse as he cant stay up right.. so Ive done a 2ND water test with a new kit the reading are pH 7.6
pH high range 7.8
ammonia 0.25
nitrite 0
nitrate just under 160 so yes there is the problem but what do i do....

Ive done a 50% water change and stoped putting melafix in is there any thing Elle's i can do PLEASE HELP! i don't wont to lose my best friend but things ant looking good

You are going to have to zero the ammonia and reduce the nitrAte as much as possible with a series of water changes.
How long have you had him, how bigs the tank ,
has the tank cycled etc?

It would be helpful to answer the above questions, so we can better diagnose the cause of your fish's illness.

thanks for answering but hugo died early this morning....

Awww... so sorry. If you're planning on getting another one, it would still be helpful to know where it went wrong.

i dont think i will be getting another one i could not replace hugo,, but i will keep useing this site to learn more as i do love puffer fish....

i now what went wrong the tester kit i had was not working and was reading that every thing was ok which i could see was not wright by the way he was becomeing more ill... afer 3 days i went and got a new kit as i thought there had to be some thing wrong with the water,,, if only i had got it a little earlyer.
and you now the rest as i sent an email in the same day
thanks any way.....