Yellow Spotted Puffer

[AbGo]

Hi,
We just set up a 30 gal brackish tank two days ago and put in a yellow spotted puffer, an oscar and two african cichlids. Temp is 77*. Our puffer was swimming near the top of the tank, began to shake violently, bent in half, and sunk to the bottom. He is breathing but there is no fin movement. Ideas???

 

[cgthebeast]

Was the tank cycled? No Oscar or African cichlids belongs in a 33. Also never mix new world and old world cichlidsHow did you acclimate. If you released them after floating then it's prob salinity shock as it takes a least a month to accumulate from pure freshwater to brackish safety imho. Also oscars are not brackish there completely freshwater and will not survive long in brackish conditions, same for Africans. Oscars also get huge an are very messy so if the tank isn't cycled then you prolly have a ammonia spike at the moment that's pretty huge.

Now a 33 for a green or yellow spotted puffer is just fine but if you bought it from a local store in guessing the acclamation did go right as most keep them in freshwater at first. They can actually live in full marine conditions. Also puffers like to nip and have been known to shred the fins of other fish