The Puffer Forum

Background history...

bought 2 male C Irrubesco yesterday from LFS, very gradual acclimatisation. Tank temperature 28 degrees (I've now turned that down)
Extra airstone in situ
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate <10 mg/l
Ph 7.6
The 15 gallon tank has been fully cycled for the last 4 months with no previous record of diseases etc in previous tank inhabitants. Fluval 2 filtration.
Undertaken 50% water change.
My parameters are the same as the LFS
They didn't feed yesterday and I was unduly worried considering they had the shock of being moved to the new tank from the LFS. They were swimming about fine yesterday and this morning they seemed a bit dopey but moving.
They are now laying at the bottom of the tank and look like they are gasping for air. They are lethargic and when they do swim it looks like they are drunk a bit.

I'm really worried. Can anyone throw any suggestions my way please?

Are they any better? Lowering the temp to 23-26 C and adding the airstone should help.

They are no better this morning. In fact one of them is not breathing at all. It's belly is swollen too. The other is still breathing but just sitting on the bottom almost on it's side.

I'm calling my LFS today to see if they can help and possibly looking at taking the surviving one back for them to observe. It could possibly even be that I got a pair that aren't well anyway, but I just need to rule out if I have done anything wrong.

It might be worth adding some epsom salt to see if that reduces the swelling.

I dont think you've done anything wrong, it's more likely they have something wrong with them before you picked em up.

You say the tank was cycled for 4 months with other tankmates. Are they still in the tank with the puffers? If so, are any of them showing any symptoms? If not, how long before you added the puffers did you remove them?

Ok...update...just spent 2 hours at my LFS. The guys were really helpful. My water was tested and the parameters were as I found...0 ammonia and nitrite, <10mg/l nitrate (same as local tapwater tbh), Ph 7.5, temp now stable at 25 degrees. They compared their puff tank water out of interest,and it's the same as mine.
They put Ringo in the tank with the other fish and we waited while he acclimatised etc, but he didn't perk up at all, so we're all ruling out my water etc. The guys think that if they were fighting tooth and nail in the bag they were sent home with me in (which they were and one bit a hole in the bag too), then that could well be the problem, especially as one of them has bite bruises already, according to Nick's trained eye The LFS said that in future they will also be sending them away in separate bags so as this doesn't happen again.
So, I am trying again with another pair. They were active in the tank and are active in their separate bags at the moment. I've also added another couple of amazon swords and the mopani 'cave' should be ready soon.
Fingewrs crossed and thanks for the help/advice

Boxermom wrote:You say the tank was cycled for 4 months with other tankmates. Are they still in the tank with the puffers? If so, are any of them showing any symptoms? If not, how long before you added the puffers did you remove them?

The tank had been cycled fishless and has had fish in it for the last 4 months. The other occupants had been removed from the tank the morning of the day I went to get the puffers, so there was no interruption in the nitrogen cycle. The occupants that had been in there before had not shown any signs of any illnesses or problems whatsoever and are now happily living in another tank.

They were probably fighting in the tank as well.

I would keep a close eye on the new two as well because chances are the same thing will happen.

When the first two went in the tank they paid each other no attention at all and just sat in separate areas doing very little at all.

I certainly will be keeping a real close eye on them both tho. At the mo all seems calm enough but I do know it's early days. If there's trouble one will go back to the LFS.

What people do not realise with this species is that during the day butter wouldn't melt in their mouths. After lights out they become aggressive as they hunt. Under full darkness they become killers.

So yes it is not unusual to see them happily getting on during the daytime even being very shy and timid. Catch them under pitch darkness and they are a different creature.

I'll consider myself reprimanded

jennybugs wrote:I'll consider myself reprimanded

I certainly didn't mean that but merely to point out that these are puffers that are active at night. Must be their red eyes!
I still believe in the 'never trust a puffer' saying.

Rocker wrote: I still believe in the 'never trust a puffer' saying.

Now as a newbie to puffers, I've never heard that saying, see?

I wasn't trying to be sarky or owt

It's a learning curve for me and we all of us have to start at the bottom and work our way upwards. I was given advice and was acting upon it in good faith. I am a mod on many other forums, and yet still I get nerves about joining a new one and getting to know people and their ways