The Puffer Forum

ok came home today and my gsp was sitting at the bottom of my tank all puffed up and has been that way since i got home, what do i need to do about it??????

There's info in the GSP article I wrote, in The Library.

If he is on the bottom of the tank, back up and belly down, he is puffed with water and it is likely stress. Is someone picking on the puffer? Are the water's ammonia and nitrite titers both at zero, and nitrate <25ppm?

Did you do the de-puffing manoevre?
How is he today?
You have to get that tank sorted out - you've got major problems.
Pami.

yea i did the depuffing thing and he seemed to be alright for a while but then i noticed that he had a bulge in his stomach and the next morning he was dead, i was very saddened especially after all the fish i got rid of to satisfy him, and another thing the smaller one seems perfectly healthy but hasnt eaten in a long while, hes not skinny but not plump either, any suggestions, is this an internal parasite?
thanx

Sorry for your loss, I know you've put a lot of effort in.
What've you got in the tank now?
I think he had such a rough time that it proved too much for him, so let's try to save the remaining one.
Give us tank params and how long it's been since he last ate.
Pami.

nitrites and ammonia are 0 nitrate is between 5 and 10 ppm pH is just above 8 sg is 1.006 and rising by .002 every week as not to kill the bacteria,there are currently 4 mollies and the gsp who is about an inch if that, he has eaten very sparingly since i got him about a month ago, but just in the beginning, i havent seen him eat anything after the first 2 or 3 days. he swims around the tank for the most part, usually right on the bottom, but there are times when he stays mainly stationary on the bottom or swims about the tank on various levels. lately since the other died, i have noticed that his coloring hasnt been nearly as bright and is more brownish than green, as i mentioned before he isnt too burly but not ungodly skinny either,
please send back soon

Remind me how big the tank is.
Could the mollies be picking on him? Really, he needs to be on his own. He must be eating a little, as a month for a little fish is a long time with no food.
Have you tried the garlic juice?
Pami.

Any update? How's he doing?
Pami.

the mollies were picking on him and he couldnt take the stress, plus my hydrometer was busted and the salt wasnt as high as i thought it was it turned out to only be at 1.002 when it said it was at 1.008 so in a combination of all of that the little guy didnt make it, i came home one day and he was swimmin in the big puffer tank in the sky, i have since upgraded my tank taking out all of those stupid mollies and freshwater fish doing a good cleaning so the tank is cleaner than anything rearranged everything, added some salt over time and have slowly added some more fish after making sure my parameters were adequate, i have restarted my tank with a small figure 8 and 3 monos they are all very healthy zooming around my tank for almost a week now
write back if you have anything you think i should be aware of

I would not keep a puffer w/monos. Are you aware that they will grow to 1' & need a huge tank eventually?

He was informed by RTR in this thread. You can lead a horse to water...

theyre tiny and am getting a bigger tank for the 3 of them as soon as they get larger, theyre less than an inch now
would that be ok, if not ill bring them back

You need to consider that they should live in a school (5-6, or more). This would require a 300+ gal tank.

It would help us to know--how old are you?

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