The Puffer Forum

To start:
Ammonia : 0
Nitrites : 0
Nitrates : 10
pH : 7.8
SG : 0.012
Temp: 78F

Tank Size: 29 Gal
Auqa Clear 50 HOB Filtration
Feeding: Frozen Brine Shrimp / Blood Worms / Marine Mixture of Muscles,shrimp, and others...
Cleaning: About 30% Weekly

Basically the last month the tank has gotten a green cloudy, and Brown Algae is horrible in this tank. So I cut back on feeding to every other day and shut the lights off earlier. Then I tried API's Algae Destroyer (One Week Ago). Wow, it took the green cloud out fast! But left me with a white cloud... Oh, No. So a 70% Water change, with Gravel-Vac and new filter element later and I noticed Puffer wasn't hungry the next morning, or the next three mornings. By the third day his belly had began turning a greyish brownish. I tested the water: Ammonia: .25ppm (all other parameters as they are now) The tank is still partially cloudy but I can see through it better after a cleaning again today. and the ammonia seems to be back to 0ppm.

I went to the store, came back, and found Puffer hanging in between the tank wall, and the heater power cord. My presence scared him out of there. So I've Put him in a Fry breeding net to keep him from hurting himself.

I think the Algae Destroyer might have killed some bacteria? A member on Aquarium Advise concurred this might be the case, and suggested not feeding him for a few days, but he was the only member to help me, so I quickly remembered about my membership here! I can understand the less than ideal tank conditions stressing him, I just don't know what to do from here. He still seems active, just a bit more laying around than normal.

What was the sg at after you did the 70% water change? The fast change in sg may be causing this. did you change the biomax in the aquaclear?

Ahh, Forgot to mention that... It's hard for me to get this timeline strait because it feels like so many critical things happened in a short time. I think Puffer's first day of not eating was the morning of the water change, the water change was performed that evening, and I did run out of salt and could only get the SG to 1.010 so it would have been about a .002 drop.

In the AuqaClear I had the Filter Foam, AC, and BioMax. The AC is no longer active, but is still in there. I usually give the Foam Pad a good rinse every 4-5 weeks. This time I changed it, but left the AC and the BioMax. I was planning on Changing the BioMax in a week or so, to keep from getting rid of all the bacteria. Admittedly, This tank had been running for about 8-9mo. and That's the first maintenance I've done for the AquaClear. BioMax helps with Ammonia Right? Should I go on about my plans and still change the BioMax since it seems the tank has balanced back out?

OK, this morning, I turned on the light, and he is floating on the surface, very lifeless!! I Moved around a little, and I think it was more accident, but ate about 3 brine shrimp, I was watching him, and he reached out of the water, took a breath and then floated there just like he was dead. I blew on him a little, and he drifted to the edge of the net and hit it like a dead fish floating. Then he let out his breath, and swam in a circle and did it again! Does this mean anything?

I fear he will be dead by the time I get home from work. I can't believe I will loose him after a year! I can't check this until after work, about 9 hrs from now.

Thanks.

Have you been testing the parameters daily? What are they now? I never change out my BioMax.

Yes I have been testing this entire week. The ammonia stayed at .25 (slight greenish in the API Liquid test kit) for about 2-3 days, and is now a yellow (zero ppm)

I Just got home, and checked:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 15ppm
pH: 7.8

Puffer did make it, but looks sicker than ever. He's not controlling himself well, he comes up and gasps for air then holds his breath for a second, and lets it out. I noticed his skin doesn't look good, it's got like green patches (darker than his normal patterns) of almost like mold, and very small short (2mm) white stringy things coming off him. (I've never gotten this close of a look as he usually hides, maybe it's normal?) Anyways I'm wondering if meds are in order or what?

Tank still looks pretty cloudy, but aren't my parameters good? How could it still be cloudy after these water changes? Or not still be, but to not be improving in clarity...

Is he in QT or is that his main tank?

Main Tank. I'm very low budget, and have a lack of funds for a QT Tank in addition to my 55G FW and this 29G BW.

I've just got him in the net for safety. But I don't think it's going good. he's lying on the bottom lifeless. Not breathing. If I disturb the net, he flips his fins a bit, then falls back to the bottom. I wish I knew why I am screwing up on Puffers, my last Fig. 8 died after 1.5 yrs.

Thank you for your help.

Something's definately going on. Does he perk up after a water change?

Looking back I would say over the last four weeks, he has not been perking up after water changes, more of a lying around a lot, and hiding in his little cave. And I'm not even sure he has been too perky about food in the last 2 weeks. Life gets away, and so busy, I recently had to start a new job after being fired, all kinds of things going on with family and such, by the time I noticed an abnormality it is too late.

I'm Off to bed now, I gave his net one final poke, and I believe he has passed. I'm very upset about the loss of my puffer fish. There is something in me that is bound and determined to get puffer keeping right, and try again, but something in me that wants to quit the hobby all together.

Never the less, I would like to know what has gone wrong so next time I wont have problems like this. I felt like I learned a lot when caring for my Fig. 8 puffer, and I've learned more with the GSP, but not enough.

Am I right to believe the water has turned cloudy due to a lack of cleanliness in the tank? But for me anyways, I think 30% PWC weekly, and monthly rinsing of the filter media, as well as I've monitored the water's parameters since always, and they've always been like they are now. I move the decor and clean under it. I just want to locate me error.

Thanks for the help!

White cloudyness is a bacterial bloom in a tank trying to cycle.

Don't change your biomax, if you think it's dirty, just rinse is in aquarium water, don't do it in tapwater, as tapwater contains chloramines and that could kill a lot of the nitrifying bacteria. I would suggest replacing the foam and the AC. Get the sg back to his usual level, and don't do extreme water changes; 25% every day, maybe every other day should suffice.

Sorry for your loss. Such bacterial blooms (cloudy water) may use up most of the oxygen in a tank and puffers are very oxygen demanding fishes. I would start aertion with an airstone or strong water surface movement in such a case.

I've never replaced the foam either. I think 1 is >20 years old.

Pufferpunk wrote:I've never replaced the foam either. I think 1 is >20 years old.

Wow! I thought I might have been neglecting the tank!

Well, right now I'm going to keep on with the water changes and try to get this cloudiness sorted. I'll still have to think about if I should try a puffer again. Since my 55G FW tank has gotten cloudy as well, I think it's something to do with my practices. I'm going to have to be very careful and see if I can find my flaws.

It seems after changing the water, it clears up, but within 2 days it's cloudy again after 50-70% PWC's