Help Puff

[zakkp8]

I have my Figure 8 Puffer in a lightly brackish comunity tank, the first week I had him he acted fine now he swims and hedes between one of theplants and the tank wall. It is a 55 US gallon, with all readings at 0, and the ph is between 6.5 7.5. I dont know what to do. Please help.

 

[roseK]

maybe some of ur other fish are abusive

 

[Lhutch]

ur ph is rather low for a fig 8, try getting it to atleast 7.5

 

[zakkp8]

maybe some of ur other fish are abusive

But I also have a dojo Loach so that is why I keep it around 7.0, yes I know they don't like salt, but is it one of my happiest fish. Thanks for the help. Today the puffer has small white speckels on him but too small to be ich.

 

[DarkEntity]

What fish exactly do you have in the tank?

What are the exact water stats including the SG.

 

[zakkp8]

What fish exactly do you have in the tank?

What are the exact water stats including the SG.

I have 3 Angels, one honey gourami, one flame gourami, one small kissing gourami, 3 rams, one 4" common Pleco, one golden dojo loach, one 2" columbian shark, one spotted climbing perch, and the puffer.

Sorry is SG the level of salt? If so it two tabel spoons per 10 gal plus and extra table spoon, in a 55, planted tank.

 

[pieman]

From what you said, there doesn't appear to be much wrong, maybe he's just found a new territory where he likes to swim.

Edit: Just saw your last post, you might want to check the oddball forum, but I don't think a Figure 8 should be with those fish.

 

[DarkEntity]

What fish exactly do you have in the tank?

What are the exact water stats including the SG.

I have 3 Angels, one honey gourami, one flame gourami, one small kissing gourami, 3 rams, one 4" common Pleco, one golden dojo loach, one 2" columbian shark, one spotted climbing perch, and the puffer.

Sorry is SG the level of salt? If so it two tabel spoons per 10 gal plus and extra table spoon, in a 55, planted tank.

Figure 8 Puffers are brackish, not really freshwater although will tolerate it. You really shouldn't have him with the rest of the fish. Also what type of salt are you using? The Angels, Gourami, Rams, Plecs, Loach etc are all freshwater fish. You really need to have a look at your stocking and re home some. Either re home the Puffer or everything else.

If you are keeping the Puffer you need to get a hydrometer and marine salt and raise the SG to about 1.005-1.008. I don't know much about the Perch and Shark but i think they get rather large, and are predatory.

 

[zakkp8]

I plan on getting rid of the shark once he gets 6 inches but for now all the fish get along. I've had two of the gouramies and one of the Angels in salty water befor for atleast a year. So the others are all fine.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

I plan on getting rid of the shark once he gets 6 inches but for now all the fish get along. I've had two of the gouramies and one of the Angels in salty water befor for atleast a year. So the others are all fine.

The damage done by salt is like the damage done by smoking: it mostly shows up in the long run. But I'm not shocked that you haven't had major problems yet because you are using an inadequate amount of salt anyways.

Unless you move the puffer and the shark to a proper brackish environment, they will not live out their full lives. Period. The shark should actually be kept at a much higher salinity than the puffer but even a lightly brackish tank would be better for him than your current set-up.

If you are willing to rehouse your fish, then I would love to help you figure out a solution. If you are not and insist that your puffer is not getting sick due to improper conditions, then I don't want to waste my time arguing with you.

Odds are good that it is ich.

 

[DarkEntity]

Ditto!

 

[zakkp8]

Tetraodon biocellatus - Figure 8 puffer. Figure 8 puffers live in fresh water in the wild, but do best in brackish water tanks in aquaria. These fish can do well in tanks of 15g or more, and get on well with bumblebee gobies as tankmates.

Quoted directly from 'Puffers in Aqura' Pinned in Oddballs. And Puff is acting normal now! No spots, no hiding.

 

[Puffdaddy]

The tiny white spots you seen were most likely it's spines, most all puffers have them and they can be seen from time to time. Puffers also have the habit of laying around on the substrate, some more than others (the target species of puffer have been known to do this for days at a time). Yes Tetraodon biocellus are for the most part found in freshwater in the wild, although they do migrate into brackish water as well. It is also the general consensus that the Figure Eight Puffer (Tetraodon biocellus) will live a longer and healthier life in brackish water while kept in captivity. As stated before you must use marine salt to make brackish water.

On a side note your puffer really should not be housed with it's current inhabitants, soon or latter the puffer is going to kill or mame some or all of those fish.

 

[zakkp8]

The tiny white spots you seen were most likely it's spines, most all puffers have them and they can be seen from time to time. Puffers also have the habit of laying around on the substrate, some more than others (the target species of puffer have been known to do this for days at a time). Yes Tetraodon biocellus are for the most part found in freshwater in the wild, although they do migrate into brackish water as well. It is also the general consensus that the Figure Eight Puffer (Tetraodon biocellus) will live a longer and healthier life in brackish water while kept in captivity. As stated before you must use marine salt to make brackish water.

On a side note your puffer really should not be housed with it's current inhabitants, soon or latter the puffer is going to kill or mame some or all of those fish.

Thanks, if/when he starts to harass the other fish I sell him but till then I'll keep him. Thanks again.