Puffer help

[Arrow]

Hello new here


I have 2 gsp , in a 50 gal tank, i am raising it to brackish slowly.


1 of the puffers seems sick, he wont eat and sits on the bottom alot. The other is fine . The sick one is darkish , while the other has white belly. i got some ip meds, parasite clear jungle brand. i started the meds yesterday and i am wondering how long to wait. Is there anything i can do for the sick puffer ?

I also bought a scat yesterday. The scat seemed to bother the puffers so i put him in another tank for now. Can i save this puffer ? When shoukld i put the scat back in ?

please help

oh yeah the puffers are about an inch. and where kept in fresh in fish store

[Boxermom]

How long as the tank been set up? What are your water parameters? How did you cycle the tank? How long have you had them? I wouldn't recommend IP treatment right now unless they are very skinny and/or pooping white stringy poop. Leave the scat out.

[Arrow]

hi

tank has been setup for 2 years , took out tangs. the water is fine, amm, nit, ph , 78f , ph is high ,

i started seachem salt first day, about 10 spoons, will gradually increase, have hydrometer on order.

i have had puffs for 4 days and the 1 puff is very skinny, dark and not eating.

hope i answered all the questions.

[Boxermom]

What are your exact water parameters? "Fine" is meaningless to us.

It often takes them awhile to settle into their new home. A dark belly is a sign of stress, which could be from water parameters if they aren't spot-on, or from being moved around. I would not recommend adding any additional salt until you get a hydrometer. If you didn't acclimate them to the salt water properly, that could also be adding to his problems. How are you adding the salt?

[Arrow]

hey again


exact , 0 amm , 0 nit , ph, around 8 , best i can do there.


i added the salt by mixing in a bucket and letting it dissolve for about 3 hours.

i already added the ip meds yesterday, so i cant change that. should i keep the lights on less or anything like that to reduce the stress ?


ty

[Boxermom]

If you are using IP meds that you add to the water, it won't matter anyway as they have to ingest the medication or it doesn't do any good. He may just need to destress and settle down. I'd recommend leaving the lights on the tank off but the light in the room on and leaving them alone. Don't walk around the tank too much, just let him get used to his new home.

Is the 10 tablespoons of salt all the salt that's in the tank? You said you had tangs before, were they in freshwater? I'm a little confused. But definitely don't add any additional salt until you get the hydrometer.

[Arrow]

hi boxer


thank you for the info


Yes the only salt in the tank is the seachem i added. And the tangs where in freshwater.

I will do what you say and leave the lights off.

1 more question. i have some anubus nana plants in the tank , should i leave them in or put them in my freshwater tank ?


ill keep you informed.

[Boxermom]

I'm not sure if anubias nana is brackish adaptable but you'd probably be better off moving it to your freshwater tank and using some artificial plants. Not many commonly available live plants can go high end brackish. They do need lots of decor though. I use artificial plants, artificial corals and artificial anemones in my GSP tank.

[Arrow]

thanks for all the advice boxer


have a good day

[Arrow]

One more question

should i feed the puffers while i have lights off and letting them adapt ?

if yes, should i soak food in meds or garlic ?

[Boxermom]

Yes, feed them, and yes you can soak in garlic. I wouldn't do the meds just now.

[Arrow]

thank you once again

[Pufferpunk]

Never heard of a FW tang. Please describe or post a pic.

[Arrow]

A calvis or trophues , tangs from lake tangynika

they come from an african lake. google african cichlids you will find info there.

[Boxermom]

Those are not tangs, those are cichlids.