The Puffer Forum

Hello all,

My first post here, although I've been reading the forums for quite some time now. Bit like I know you guys better than you know me

I'm having two puffer fish for a month now.
First I cycled the tank (around 60 gallons) as explained in the guide and after a while all the readings were ok.
So then I entered the puffer fish into the aquarium.
For a few weeks now they were doing allright and they were eating good too (I fed them mosquito larva, shrimp and snails).

They both got a nice 'yellow' color. But for some reason they don't seem to be doing too well now.
They seem to have lost their appetite and one is starting to look really pale. That one also seems to have less strength now.

Readings are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <20
GH (d): 5-10
KH (d): 10
pH : 7,5-8

salt: 0.05

I don't see any white spots on them so I don't think it's ich. However I fear that one of them is not doing allright at all and might even die if this continues Sometimes it's like it's having spasms or something and then it just goes back to normal swimming.
Regular changing of the water doesn't seem to improve things too.

So I'm hoping you might have any idea what's wrong.

Is there good water flow and oxygen in the tank? Are they gasping at all? Is there good surface agitation? Maybe there is not enough oxygen?

RaptorRVL wrote:salt: 0.05

I assume you mean 1.005 sg?
Are they figure 8 puffers?


They may have internal parasites. Their are several previous posts on signs/treatments if you do a search you should end up with something to start with.

If you do think it's IP's start treatment right away. The best method is medicating food, but that can be very difficult if you can't get them to eat.

Try garlic to enhance appetite.

Yeah sorry, it's 1.005
And it would have been handy to say what puffer fish they are: they are GSP's.
They came with 1.005 sg, so I was starting to slowly go towards the 1.010.

Water flow is quite good, and I also made sure for enough filtering because they are kinda sloppy eaters.
They are not gasping at all, so I guess there is enough oxygen in the water. If there isn't enough oxygen, wouldn't they have done the gasping a few weeks ago?

Maybe they have parasites, I'd better start treatment for that then asap. How long would that take on average before I see some results so I know I'm doing the right thing?