# HELP!!! Valentini Puffer Dying...



## shempdevil

Not sure there is anything I can do, but I figured I should try.

Woke up this morning and my Valentini Puffer was lying on his side on the bottom of my tank.

He was gasping heavily, but his fins weren't moving.

When I put a net in the tank, he took swimming fast like normal.

Then after 30 seconds, he fell to the bottom again and is lying on his side.


Parameters good...temperature good...all other fish are fine.



ANY IDEAS??? Thank you.




46 Gallon Euro Bowfront Tank

36" Nova Extreme Pro 6x39w T5 (2 hrs dawn, 9 hrs daylight, 2 hrs dusk)

45 pounds of Florida Crushed Coral Substrate

45 pounds of Fiji Live Rock

(2) Maxi Jet 1200

Shatterproof Heater

Tetra Bio Filter

Tank Established for over 5 years

CORALS

(2) Sarcophyton Leather

(1) Flower Leather

(1) Purple Finger Leather

(1) Evergreen Starburst Polyp colony


　

(1) Blue Devil Damsel - Chrysiptera cyanea 

(1) Banggai Cardinal - Pterapogon kauderni

(1) Saddled Valentini Puffer - Canthigaster valentini

(2) Blue Velvet Damsel - Neoglyphidodon oxyodon

(1) Brown Scopus Tang - Zebrasoma scopas

　

　

　

(3 Turbo Snails

(1) Scarlet Hermit Crabs


----------



## drhank

Difficult to say from the information provided. Actual numeric values of your water parameters might tell the story. The description you provide of the actions of the fish would tend to indicate Ammonia poisoning but I would rule that out if none of your other fish are acting strangely.

Although I think that it is too late to save your fish, I would recommend a partial water change and if it were my tank, I'd remove the substrate and replace it with sand and add about 20lbs more live rock. Crushed coral traps detritus which can cause problems later. Live rock is your primary biological filter and you have less than the 1 1/2 - 2lbs normally recommended.

Finally, I probably wouldn't add another puffer. They are notorious fin nippers and may terrorize your other tank occupants.

Sorry to hear of your problem!


----------



## shempdevil

Thanks, Doc.
I just got back from my tank...I was doing a 25% water change in hopes that it would help.
Checked temp again and it was 81.F. It was 80.2F when I turned the lights on.
It has been about an hour since I completed the water change.
He is now sitting on live rock in an upright position and swimming a bit.
The other fish are not bothering him at all, and I am not prodding him to swim.
He is doing it by himself.


----------



## shempdevil

Just thought I would post an update of the mystery that is happening.
10:00am: Turned tank lights on and found puffer lying on his side on the bottom of the tank. He was gasping, but not moving his fins at all.
10:50am: Performed 25% water change & replaced filters and carbon.
11:05am: Puffer began moving his fins, sitting upright, and swimming a bit
1:00pm He began to swim in place constantly in a cave under a piece of rock
4:00pm: He began swimming normally around the tank, but retreated frequently to cave.
6:00pm: It is like nothing ever happened...all normal now.


----------



## phil_pl

Just now found this thread, so i am a little late to help but i am glad to hear all is well!


----------



## phil_pl

I just found this so i am a little late to help but i am glad to hear all is well!


----------



## shempdevil

I am now wondering if the puffer "puffed up" for some reason overnight.
I have heard that this puts a tremendous amount of stress on their system.


----------



## Chillwill007

Sounds like that could the problem. hopefully it's ok but not put any one down here our the site maybe you should just check The Puffer Forum • The Puffer Fish Care Community since they are a puffer specific site.


----------



## steedaflow99

Ive had similiar issues like this in the past, I think it might have been that your tank was low of oxygen, which would make sense as to why he seemed fine after you did a water change..., which would had inadvertently added oxygen...Just a thought


----------

