Puffer Fish Help

[SoloDemon]

My pufferfish hasn't eaten for 3 weeks. For the last week and a half he has lain on a rock in the bottom corner of my tank without hardly moving at all. He seems to be breathing fast. I've checked my levels for ammonia, pH, etc. but they all seem ok. I've even tried using ick medicine but to no avail. Does anyone know what is wrong with my puffer fish?

 

[Hara]

Could you supply us with a little more info, such as how long the tank has been established, what tankmates are there, what supplements or chemicals have you added recently and what kind of filtration and water circulation do you have.

Why did you add ick medicine?

 

[SoloDemon]

I have had my tank set up for around a year now. It is 55 gallons. Other than my puffer, I have a trigger fish, a tomato clown, a yellow tang, a snowflake eel, and a zebra eel. The puffer was fine at least 1 month and a half after adding my last fish. The only chemical I have recently added was pH buffer. To describe his behavior a little better, it appears that he is in a seizure like state.

 

[Anemoneman]

If you head over to http://www.pufferlovers.com and ask Elliott (he is a member here but doesn't post often), your question will be answered by a puffer expert. Let us know what he says.

Mark

 

[pufferlover]

Mark asked me to look at your question. Based on what you have said it is hard to say what is going on. Puffers spend a lot of time on the bottom just laying around waiting for their next feeding time. The fact yours is not eating at all seems to indicate a problem beyond normal. Couple things come to mind. One is what did you last feed it and how much (Puffs are subject to over eating if given the chance). The Ick medicine you used what was it (copper based I have found can have a bad effect on Puffs esp. Dogfaces). As I reported elsewhere I have had Puffs not eat for 6 weeks and then turn around and start up (the time in question regards 2 Porks who were quite ill, but with time and effort they turned around and came back- and are still with me after 9 years). Two last things I wonder is what kind of Trigger is in that tank, and how have the 2 fish been towards each other before the Puff started acting badly. Second what color is the Puff showing- normal or a darker blackish coloration (which indicates stress problems if expecially showing during hours tank lights are on). I'll check back tonight to see if you have answered.