Riley My Mbu Is Not Well

[sharon000111]

ok, 6 isn't as bad as 0 but still bad, and if 6 is the lowest on your test kit then it could actually be lower than this as the lowest reading on the test kit means '6 or lower'.

now if the pH drops below 6 then the filter bacteria stop doing their job which would explain why you've had an ammonia spike.

pH can drop over time in a poorly maintained tank, or one that does not have good enough filtration for the waste being produced.

starting to get somewhere now. firstly you need to get the pH up, perhaps someone with more experience of mbu's can offer some guidance on how sensitive they are for pH changes and then we can work out how best to correct the pH.

i asked a few posts back but you didn't answer, can you afford a really big filter like the FX5 in the next few days?

hi...yes i can get that filter the weekend

I would rip the under gravel filter out best thing I ever did.
There a nightmare for getting blocked and causing bad water quality.

ok going to take the ugf out tonight...shall i do another 80% water change and clean the gravel while im doing this....what will happen to all the waste under the ugf..

GOOD NEWS EVERY ONE....riley is trying to swim...he just went to th top of the tank...only about 10 seconds...but that is brilliant...

 

[WILDER]

Bless him but he's still got a long way to go.
Have you phoned lfs about taking some fish off your hands.

I just pulled the undergravel filter out and just did a gravel vac.

If you get a new filter you could soak the sponges in the waste to seed them.

 

[sharon000111]

thought i would put a pic of riley on here for you all...this was taken before he got ill...although he still looks the same from one side....just wanted to share him with you all..


i am removing ugf now...but will looking bk on here every 5 mins to see replys...


i cant thank you all enough....

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah rip out the UGF, and keep the tank bare bottomed for a short while as it's easier to keep it clean, hopefully reduce any chance on infection from lying on the floor. then as soon as you possibly can get at least one big filter, preferably two.

keep up the water changes, there's a link in my sig about pH and KH, you should be thinking about buffering your pH up and this thread explains how to do it safely.

 

[sharon000111]

yeah rip out the UGF, and keep the tank bare bottomed for a short while as it's easier to keep it clean, hopefully reduce any chance on infection from lying on the floor. then as soon as you possibly can get at least one big filter, preferably two.

keep up the water changes, there's a link in my sig about pH and KH, you should be thinking about buffering your pH up and this thread explains how to do it safely.

will it be safe to buff up the ph with the mbu...although i cant realy see i have a choice...i will look at the link for ph and kh as soon as i have got this ugf out...trying to do it without stressing out riley...

 

[WILDER]

Or bless him he's so cute.
Thats the cutiest fish i've ever seen.
Rip the undergravel filter out and see what your water stats are like after that.

 

[sharon000111]

Or bless him he's so cute.
Thats the cutiest fish i've ever seen.
Rip the undergravel filter out and see what your water stats are like after that.

doing it now...riley loves my hands in the tank...he is all excited and wiggling...just got to watch he dosn't bite me !!! so water change when im done..ok will do

 

[WILDER]

Ok I can see why you are fond of him he's adorable.
Keep us all updated and even more now I've seen him.

 

[sharon000111]

Ok I can see why you are fond of him he's adorable.
Keep us all updated and even more now I've seen him.

will do x

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Sorry I got a bit rowdy on the other thread but a few "helpful suggestions", its just because these are my favourite fish.

Try to get the PH higher as they come from Lake Tang (sp?) I think, and these waters have a very very high PH. Way above 8, and 6 Wont really cut it. I think he is probally wild caught as I havent heard of them being captive bred.

Also Mbu Puffers have a reputation for suddenly becomming ill and dying on their owners, I think it was on TPF (The Puffer Forum), someone had a well loved Mbu Puffer, well looked after, Huuge tank the works and just randomly died. Puffers in general are very sensitive compared to most fish over things like ammonia

Good Luck tho

 

[sharon000111]

Sorry I got a bit rowdy on the other thread but a few "helpful suggestions", its just because these are my favourite fish.

Try to get the PH higher as they come from Lake Tang (sp?) I think, and these waters have a very very high PH. Way above 8, and 6 Wont really cut it. I think he is probally wild caught as I havent heard of them being captive bred.

Also Mbu Puffers have a reputation for suddenly becomming ill and dying on their owners, I think it was on TPF (The Puffer Forum), someone had a well loved Mbu Puffer, well looked after, Huuge tank the works and just randomly died. Puffers in general are very sensitive compared to most fish over things like ammonia

Good Luck tho

thankyou so much..i am taking the ugf out now......and going to do a gravel clean...i have heard of a lot of mbus just dying after a couple of years...they seem to get to about 2ft then die...it must be wrong to keep them in tanks!!! perhaps they should be left well alone in there own lake...they are so sensitive...riley was doing great though up to now...i will just get this tank sorted for him..what is the best way to get the ph up...will this change be ok for him...im worried as well now as will be getting him a biggr tank but dont want to stress him out any more...this poor bloody fish....you are right they are wild caught...and most get imported from holland...he is trying to swim now...the arowana is more hardy and is in good health...but why do we have them in tanks...we know how big they get...and they jump out the tanks...i have to put weights on my lid so he cant get out...but he has been about about 4 times now...my cats run a mile!!! and thank god no damage has been done to him...just lost a few scales...i have had to think about all this now..and will be rehoming all my other fish...but will be keeping riley...will sort him out a nice big tank and get the right filters as well...again thank you sharon

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Sorry I got a bit rowdy on the other thread but a few "helpful suggestions", its just because these are my favourite fish.

Try to get the PH higher as they come from Lake Tang (sp?) I think, and these waters have a very very high PH. Way above 8, and 6 Wont really cut it. I think he is probally wild caught as I havent heard of them being captive bred.

Also Mbu Puffers have a reputation for suddenly becomming ill and dying on their owners, I think it was on TPF (The Puffer Forum), someone had a well loved Mbu Puffer, well looked after, Huuge tank the works and just randomly died. Puffers in general are very sensitive compared to most fish over things like ammonia

Good Luck tho

thankyou so much..i am taking the ugf out now......and going to do a gravel clean...i have heard of a lot of mbus just dying after a couple of years...they seem to get to about 2ft then die...it must be wrong to keep them in tanks!!! perhaps they should be left well alone in there own lake...they are so sensitive...riley was doing great though up to now...i will just get this tank sorted for him..what is the best way to get the ph up...will this change be ok for him...im worried as well now as will be getting him a biggr tank but dont want to stress him out any more...this poor bloody fish....you are right they are wild caught...and most get imported from holland...he is trying to swim now...the arowana is more hardy and is in good health...but why do we have them in tanks...we know how big they get...and they jump out the tanks...i have to put weights on my lid so he cant get out...but he has been about about 4 times now...my cats run a mile!!! and thank god no damage has been done to him...just lost a few scales...i have had to think about all this now..and will be rehoming all my other fish...but will be keeping riley...will sort him out a nice big tank and get the right filters as well...again thank you sharon

I really wouldnt raise the PH at this point in time as main thing is to get him better before any changes, But if you do decide to up the PH do it very slowly, and I mean real slow. As sudden PH shocks can kill a sensitive fish like this. That is why your not meant to dump your fish from the LFS in straight away, isnt a problem with common fish but when it gets to a fish like this it can really affect it. And I agree, I dont think fish like this should be in the trade, but where there is demand there is supply ...

 

[sharon000111]

Sorry I got a bit rowdy on the other thread but a few "helpful suggestions", its just because these are my favourite fish.

Try to get the PH higher as they come from Lake Tang (sp?) I think, and these waters have a very very high PH. Way above 8, and 6 Wont really cut it. I think he is probally wild caught as I havent heard of them being captive bred.

Also Mbu Puffers have a reputation for suddenly becomming ill and dying on their owners, I think it was on TPF (The Puffer Forum), someone had a well loved Mbu Puffer, well looked after, Huuge tank the works and just randomly died. Puffers in general are very sensitive compared to most fish over things like ammonia

Good Luck tho

thankyou so much..i am taking the ugf out now......and going to do a gravel clean...i have heard of a lot of mbus just dying after a couple of years...they seem to get to about 2ft then die...it must be wrong to keep them in tanks!!! perhaps they should be left well alone in there own lake...they are so sensitive...riley was doing great though up to now...i will just get this tank sorted for him..what is the best way to get the ph up...will this change be ok for him...im worried as well now as will be getting him a biggr tank but dont want to stress him out any more...this poor bloody fish....you are right they are wild caught...and most get imported from holland...he is trying to swim now...the arowana is more hardy and is in good health...but why do we have them in tanks...we know how big they get...and they jump out the tanks...i have to put weights on my lid so he cant get out...but he has been about about 4 times now...my cats run a mile!!! and thank god no damage has been done to him...just lost a few scales...i have had to think about all this now..and will be rehoming all my other fish...but will be keeping riley...will sort him out a nice big tank and get the right filters as well...again thank you sharon

I really wouldnt raise the PH at this point in time as main thing is to get him better before any changes, But if you do decide to up the PH do it very slowly, and I mean real slow. As sudden PH shocks can kill a sensitive fish like this. That is why your not meant to dump your fish from the LFS in straight away, isnt a problem with common fish but when it gets to a fish like this it can really affect it. And I agree, I dont think fish like this should be in the trade, but where there is demand there is supply ...

ok will leave the ph alone for now...i have had riley for over a year now and he is just over 1ft now...what size tank would you say i need...i was getting a 9ft is this big enough...where my tank is now i can only fit up to a 10ft tank there will that be ok...
i just love the mbu ...but yes they should be left alone

 

[Ace Of Spades]

Sorry I got a bit rowdy on the other thread but a few "helpful suggestions", its just because these are my favourite fish.

Try to get the PH higher as they come from Lake Tang (sp?) I think, and these waters have a very very high PH. Way above 8, and 6 Wont really cut it. I think he is probally wild caught as I havent heard of them being captive bred.

Also Mbu Puffers have a reputation for suddenly becomming ill and dying on their owners, I think it was on TPF (The Puffer Forum), someone had a well loved Mbu Puffer, well looked after, Huuge tank the works and just randomly died. Puffers in general are very sensitive compared to most fish over things like ammonia

Good Luck tho

thankyou so much..i am taking the ugf out now......and going to do a gravel clean...i have heard of a lot of mbus just dying after a couple of years...they seem to get to about 2ft then die...it must be wrong to keep them in tanks!!! perhaps they should be left well alone in there own lake...they are so sensitive...riley was doing great though up to now...i will just get this tank sorted for him..what is the best way to get the ph up...will this change be ok for him...im worried as well now as will be getting him a biggr tank but dont want to stress him out any more...this poor bloody fish....you are right they are wild caught...and most get imported from holland...he is trying to swim now...the arowana is more hardy and is in good health...but why do we have them in tanks...we know how big they get...and they jump out the tanks...i have to put weights on my lid so he cant get out...but he has been about about 4 times now...my cats run a mile!!! and thank god no damage has been done to him...just lost a few scales...i have had to think about all this now..and will be rehoming all my other fish...but will be keeping riley...will sort him out a nice big tank and get the right filters as well...again thank you sharon

I really wouldnt raise the PH at this point in time as main thing is to get him better before any changes, But if you do decide to up the PH do it very slowly, and I mean real slow. As sudden PH shocks can kill a sensitive fish like this. That is why your not meant to dump your fish from the LFS in straight away, isnt a problem with common fish but when it gets to a fish like this it can really affect it. And I agree, I dont think fish like this should be in the trade, but where there is demand there is supply ...

ok will leave the ph alone for now...i have had riley for over a year now and he is just over 1ft now...what size tank would you say i need...i was getting a 9ft is this big enough...where my tank is now i can only fit up to a 10ft tank there will that be ok...
i just love the mbu ...but yes they should be left alone

As I said in the other thread, 9/10 Foot means nothing unless its atleast 3 Feet wide...

 

[sharon000111]

ok...first ugf out...wow...there is so much stuff under it....the water is well cloudy and dirty now.....shall i do the other 2 ugf filters now...or should i leave a bit of time inbetween...i have turned the other 2 off so they are not working now...what do you think...