Help! Puffer very sick!

[jacquelyn01]

10.52 AM

OMG! My puffer is really sick. This morning I woke up and he was swiming like he was drunk and weak. I put a breeding net in the tank and put him in there so he does not have to battle the current and he can rest in piece away from other fish. He wont eat and he is just laying on the bottom of the net breathing heavy. He seems really out of it. I see nothing wrong with him physically and his belly isnt' huge. He looks normal. I just bought him a week ago and he is pretty young yet. What can I do for him. I did a 15% water change this morning too to keep the water extra clean for him. Any ideas? I love this little guy.

 

[jacquelyn01]

9:12 pm

my tank is a fresh water tank that is 29 gal. I do 20% water changes every week. Sometimes twice a week because I have six yellow labs that are only babies. (approx. 1" big) My ph is at about 7.9-8.1 and I have hard water.

He is still alive right now but doing the same thing all day. just sitting at the bottom of a breeders net. sometimes he will try to scoot around but mainly just sits there. Before I put him in the breeders net, he had a hard time swimming. He would swim slowy, bumping into random things. kinda like a human does when they are drunk.

His gills are not red and he does not look bloated. The petstore told me he is just called a spotted puffer. They also said that he shouldn't be w/his own kind because of aggression. (hope that discription helps identify what kind he is) his lil head was bright yellow until today. He lost his color. They said he would only grow to be a couple of inches.

I feel so helpless and sad for him! I hate feeling like I can't do anything for him and I don't want him to suffer. Please help me.

Thanks.

 

[Discomafia]

My tank is a fresh water tank that is 29 gal..... The petstore told me he is just called a spotted puffer.

That's why you should research your fish before you buy them. Can't stress that enough. Green Spotted Puffers are brackish fish, meaning they need salt in their tanks. How big is he now? Is this what he looks like?

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/puf-nigr.htm

 

[jflowers]

If its a GSP then its brackish, it may still be FW though, you need to get the scientific name. Doesn't sound like its FW though from the symptoms you describe.

Jon

 

[SirMinion]

You fish store has mislead you, either intentionally or through ignorance.

This certainly sounds like a green spotted puffer (brackish) which actually get to over five inches and his symptoms do sound like a puffer suffering from inconpatable water conditions.

It is possible however that he's a leopard puffer (also known as a congo spotted puffer and gets to three inches) which is true freshwater fish.

Either way, it should not be kept with cichlids, and especially babies!

Most puffers are wild caught and are full of internal paracites & bacteria which take hold when the fish is stressed. In most cases it's pure chance whether he'll recover or not.

If he's a greenspotted puffer, moving him to brackish water with both ease his symptoms and his stress and you might be lucky enough to save him.

If he's a leopard puffer, then a little salt added to his water in a hospital tank may also help.

 

[jacquelyn01]

I called petco, where I bought him from and he was indeed a leapord puffer for fresh water. In any case, he did not make it. When I bought him he was pretty ripped up anyways because he said they were fighting because they dont' get along in groups. *snif snif* I have been in a constant state of panic since he got sick and I'm glad he is not suffering any longer. I feel so helpless and sad when one of my fish get sick. One time I lost a red betta to old age and I crawled in bed and called my bf just crying my eyes out. He went and got me some choc. cake and I ate it in bed crying. He thought I was pathetic. I HATE losing a fish.
Thanks to those who tried to help me. I appreciate it!

 

[Phantom Thief]

So sorry to hear about that

At least he managed to get some loving care in its final days

P.T.

 

[Opcn]

petco can have them labled as leopards (CSP's tetrodon shoutodeni) and think they are leopards and they can be DP's (carneotetrodon imatatur) or GSP's (tetradon nigrovidus) or GP's (tetradon fluvalitis) What you need to do is study the fish you want untill you can make a positive ID regardless of what they have them labled as and then go get it.

 

[Black_Ghost_Guy]

Very sorry about your loss.

 

[jacquelyn01]

thanks everyone. I appreciate it.