The Puffer Forum

Hello,this is my first post so please bare with me if i repeat some questions.My mom and I were at walmart amost 2 weeks ago.They had 18 small gsp in their tiny FW tank.We had no set up for them.Just an empty 55 gal.So we ran home and threw up a tank in 20 minutes.She had puffers before but it was so long ago.We figure their chances were better with us then at the store.They were only 4.00 so we grabbed 5.Today one of the big puffers died.He was an inch long.I still have a baby one with a red eye.I have been treating him or rather all of them with some medicne that begins with a p.His eye was so cloudy and white at first but now its red.You can actually see his eye.Any way,We did a water change today and our nitrate level so was high we think thats why other puffer died.I did 5 water changes 50% in a row.After the fifth change everything tested good.The pet store where i buy our babies medicne said 1.005 was good for a brackish tank.Also we took out all the gravel in their tank.Can anyone tell me if gravel is ok or do they prefer sand?Or even a clear bottom with lots of caves and places to hide.I have two happy puffers that are bright green,especially on top of their heads and two puffers that are dark gray and looking very upset. Any suggestions?Any and all replies will be greatly appreciated.

Can you please post your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings? Temperature and salinity too. How long ago did you set up this tank?

Please see http://www.pufferlist.com , under "Tetraodon nigroviridis". GSPs do grow rather large and we recommend 30g each, so 4 in a 55g is likely to cause trouble.

As for substrate, you will need a special substrate that will buffer the water, such as aragonite or crushed coral.

Also, be ready to do many water changes in the coming weeks. Your tank is probably still cycling, and the water conditions will be toxic to the inhabitants during this time. Water changes are the best way to alleviate the stress. Alternatively, get some freshwater "Bio-Spira", it will help cycle your tank quickly.

My baby with the red eye has died.He was very very dark with a white belly.The water temp is 80.The ammonia is 0.The nitrate is yellow.The ph is 8.The salt measure is 1.004.I am going to add a little more salt to slowly raise the level up.I have one baby left.He is 1 inch.The other 2 are a tad bigger.We still have one dark puffer left.Mom said none of then were eating.I don't know why.Perhaps the stressful day.When we brought them home the were in freshwater so we were introducing them to brackish.Thank you for your quick reply.

Can you get some Bio-Spira? That will cycle the tank. Leave the salt alone for now. You also need to test for nitrItes.

When you say the nitrAtes are yellow, what does that mean? How many parts per million are they? Can you give us a number?
Pami.

I am sorry.I have tested the tanks nitrItes.That is what is yellow.Yellow means <mg/l .I also lost two more puffers this morning.I have two left and one is turning dark.Thanks for your help.

Still not sure what yellow means.
How bout some water changes. Do a 50% partial asap.

Update?
Pami.

Yellow means ,.03mg/l.Its a tetra test for nitrites.We still have the two puffers hanging on.Mom went to the fish store and talked to them and the women didn't know much about puffers.The sold mom some crushed coral and told her that the coral will solve her tank balancing problems.But it hasn't.Something is very wrong and we can't figure it out.The tank is at 80.The ph is 8.0.The salt is 1.005.But the nitrite level keeps increasing through out the day.We do 2-3 water changes a day.This can't be healthy but its all we know to do.
As for the filter in the tank she has an emperor 400 set up.No charcol filters just a plain pad.Can a charcol filter help?Hurt?Any ideas on how to stable the nitrites.I haven't tested the nitrates yet.Please help.

yellow means <.03mg/l.Thats whats on the test anyway.sorry

If that is your nitrite reading then that is ok

You're doing the right thing by changing water - it does a lot of good, it is in fact most healthy, as long as you match temperature and salinity.

Activated carbon won't help you with nitrites.

Keep up the water changes and hope for the best. I guess you couldn't find any BioSpira?

Rocker wrote:If that is your nitrite reading then that is ok

not quite....

melody&brandy wrote:But the nitrite level keeps increasing through out the day

melody&brandy wrote: yellow means <.03mg/l.Thats whats on the test anyway.sorry

Yep if the reading is rising there is a problem. But if the colour is yellow as you say, then that is the reading you want from the tetra test for nitrite.

Well Ma did a water again this morning and its yellow.Yes we did find bio -spira.We did a water change yesterday and added it directly into the tank.Last night the nitrites were high so I had to do another water.No one told us at the store not to do another water change.They didn't even tell us to rinse the crushed coral .I just want to Thank all of you for your help.As of right now they seemed to be happy.But I know tonight at 7:00 I will be doing another water change.Thanks everyone.