The Puffer Forum

I got 2 figure 8 puffer fish at my LFS tuesday,its now monday,ive succsesfully gotten them to eat atleast once,ive heavely decorated the tank with plants and 3d structures,enouph for them to go in and out of to have fun.I put a background on the back of the tank and on one of the sides,the puffers completly avoid the decorations and just pace around the glass on the side despite having a 40gal Brackish Tank,Heavilly decorated,nothing but them and 2 flounders and 2 gobies all under an inch. One Of the Fig 8 puffers is alot paler i wanna say because the colors on the other puffer are much brighter and not faded looking. Here are my water stats


79F
8.0 Ph
1.003 Brackish(using marine salt)
0 ammonia
0 nitrites
40 Nitrates


The Fig 8 that appears to be troubled or sick i found was just laying on a leaf not moving much so i went to poke it and i touched it and it sorta paced away. There not eating but have round full looking tummys,there pacing around the glass as if there was nothing in the tank,one appears to be sick or just has problems. I really just dont know what to do with the puffs, i am at the point where im thinking ill just take them back and get some regular fish. Ive tried feeding them clams,freeze dried krill,Brine Shrimp,and shrimp from the market(what i got them to eat).Ive Done so much just to try and make the puffers happy. I Dunno what to do,thanks for the help i could use some advice.

Nitrates are a bit high--should be <20. Try some water changes to bring them down. Why are you being so fickle about your fish? Give them a chance to settle down--they'll reward you.

I'm curious. What kind of behaviour are you expecting from them?

normal puffer behavior,as in not pacing around the glass or laying on a leaf looking dead

That is normal puffer behavior. They pace the glass when they are bored or stressed, and lay around looking dead when they sleep. Do you have a picture of your tank? What you think is sufficient decor may not be what he thinks is sufficient. Some of mine are very picky about not just how much is in the tank but how its arranged, too, and what types of decor are used.

ya ill post a pic up in a few minutes ,thanks for the help,i did a water change and they do seem more livly,maybe i just have lazy puffers

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w163 ... eep002.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w163 ... eep003.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w163 ... naleep.jpg

lots of decor and backround,should i cover up the sides where they pace?

Some puffers are very sensitive to colors in the red spectrum (red, pink, orange, etc.). I have a puffer who gets seriously spastic and bashes his face into the walls anytime anyone with those colors walks into the room. He’s an extreme case but many others have had puffers who act very strange when those colors are around – in the tank, near the tank, within eyeshot, etc.

Just something to consider.

not really any red around the tank,one of the puffers appears to be sick ill be posting something in the hospital momentarilly

You have red and maroon plants.

ya they dont seem to mind it tho

Lhutch wrote:ya they dont seem to mind it tho

You were just complaining that 1 waas pacing & not seeming relaxed. Could be because of the red plants.

Could it be from the noise ogf the air bubbles? Is it very high powered?

i dont think so,it is kinda loud but i think its ok,ill try and take it out an dsee what they do

Will Melafix help it?