Sick Dogface Puffer Help

[jcr37962]

For the last three days my puffer has been breathing hardand looks like he is sheding a layer of skin. Plz help.

Salinty:1.021
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: .25

 

[jcr37962]

Nitrate:80
pH:8.0

 

[tanner86]

I would do a quick water change to get the ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite down and see if he improves.

 

[jcr37962]

Its a 65 gallon how much should i change

 

[saltwater junky]

i would do a 25 percent if it were me.

 

[flyingarmy]

Agree...change at least 25-50% of the water and get the amonia, nitrite and nitrate down. I would also possible move him to a QT tank for a while to let him heal up. Puffers are very hardy fish but those water parameters can severly affect their health!

 

[jcr37962]

The only other tank i have is a 15 gallon in my room with no water in it is it ok if i fill it up and put him in there

 

[flyingarmy]

I would place 1/2 of your tank water and 1/2 new SW in your 15GAL. Add a heater and a HO filter with some filter media from your other HO filter if you are using one. The reason is to add the same bacteria to keep everything stable as possible. Remember to use a tupperware container to get your puffer out, no net, making sure it doesn't stress and inflate with air (this would possible kill it since they can't expel air like they can water).

 

[jcr37962]

What is a HO filter I only have a year and a half of ok exp.

 

[flyingarmy]

Sorry..HO is hang on...the filter type that just hangs on the edge of the tank. If you are using a filter pad or similar just make sure you use a piece of it to help just start the bacteria in your QT tank.

 

[jcr37962]

I have a Millenium 2000 i am using as extra on my 65 is that a good enough Hang on filter.

 

[stanfill reef]

You can also use some Stability in the water to help jump start the biological processes. The nitrate is WAY too high. Toxicity is usually around 100 ppm and you are at 80.

 

[flyingarmy]

Yep, you can just take it off and use it on your 15GAL. What other filtration do you have on your 65GAL?

 

[saltwater junky]

also you need to do lots of water changes to keep the ammonia down,just make sure u test your water several time a day and have plenty of backup water just in case .ammonia in even very small amounts is very deadly you can also pick up some ammonia remover from most pet stores .

 

[dakota9]

Marineland and Seachem make some very good carbon type ammonia removers. If you can run these in your filtration, do so. This ONLY addresses the symptoms, water changes will address the cause.

Water change , water change, water change, test, test, test!

That Dogface puffer really needs a tank of 90+ gallons for the long term. They excrete A LOT of waste, which might be the reason your parameters are off. Consider beefing up the biological filter with more live rock, better filteration and vacuuming the portion of substrate you can get to.

Most inportantly, address the cause for the long term, address the symptoms in the short term.

 

[jcr37962]

I have a 15-20 gallon sump and i have about 10-15 pounds of live rock

 

[dakota9]

Is that all the live rock you have in your system? To keep a Dog Face Puffer you'd need atleast 60 pounds of rock in the tank, maybe another 30 in the sump. This statement is strictly IMHO.

How big is this fish right now? They can get pretty huge. What is it sharing the tank with?

 

[jcr37962]

The Puffer is about 8 inches and their is a Dragon Goby and Yellow tail Blue damsel.

 

[dakota9]

Hm, that puffer is throwing out a lot of poo...... If this is a Tall tank, it might not have enough substrate to support this guy. Definately make sure you have lots of live rock, and VACUUM regularly!

 

[jcr37962]

It is 24in tall 36in wide 18in depth.