One of my dwarf Puffer fish died. Why?

Question

Help!!! I got 4 pufferfish about 2 weeks ago. 2 days after I got them it looked like they had ick. I treated them with Salt (followed instructions from dwarfpuffers.com) I fed them some shrimp, and dried worms, one started acting reserved, and hiding in the plants a lot. Then was dead today. But the other 3 seem fine. They do change their belly color to gray sometimes, I think it is a emotional response. I believe I have all girls because they are green with lots of black spots. What do you think happened, to the one. Am I doing something wrong? How often do you feed?
MY CARE SCHEDUAL:
Feed: 2 x a day shrimp, dried worms
Clean water: 30% 1 x a week
Temp: about 78 degrees
Size: 1 - 1.5 inches each
Please help I don't want to loose another one. They are so sweet!

The ick went away after a few days.

Answer 1

It's hard to say what may have happened to your puffer. If the ich infestation was heavy enough, it could have killed him. I'd keep an eye on the other fish, though, because ich doesn't just go away - it may have been killed by your treatment, but if any survived in the water, it may appear again. You don't say for how long you treated, but it should be for 10-14 days. Dwarfs can tolerate some salt in the water, but you don't mention raising the temperature to speed up the lifecycle. I'm not sure what treatment is recommended at the puffer site you list, but this is one from pufferforum.com - you might want to see if this is similar to what you were doing: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/library/hospital/fwich/

They are sensitive to ammonia and nitrites, so test for these and do partial water changes if necessary.

Another possibility of a cause of death - from your list, I notice you didn't mention snails - are the shrimp you're giving them still in the "shell"? they need the hard surface to keep the beak worn down - otherwise, they have problems feeding properly and this can cause their deaths - sometimes, directly by starvation, other times indirectly as they attempt to "chew" gravel and swallow a piece, causing an intestinal impaction.

Answer 2

Dwarf Puffers are extremely time eating and expensive to look after because of the fact they basically devour frozen nutrition and stay nutrition (some circumstances they basically devour stay nutrition). they are approximately as a good distance from an area fish as you will get. nevertheless they stay approximately an inch long, they have a sharp beak they might (and could) tear by using the different fish. they are one hundred% freshwater fish and could die in brackish water (aquarium salt is diverse than brackish salt). Puffers would desire to be stored in a tank with purely Puffers of a similar species. till you're an experienced fish keeper, i could warning against Puffers. Nosoop4u

Answer 3

Adding 4 fish to any tank at one time is too many for the biofilter to handle. 1 or two fish only at a time. Chances are adding 4 fish stressed them out further with the one being totally stressed. (opening the doors to ich) Adding salt to a freshwater scaleless fish is not the way to treat ich. Medicines should have been used to keep the already stressed fish more calm. Also, your puffers are turning gray due to the water conditions not because they have nothing to do in the tank. What is your water testing out at? has your ammonia spiked? how much salt did you add to the tank?

Your dwarf puffers are strickly fresh water no salt for any reason. Also, dwarfpuffers.com is a web page designed by ONE man's view of dwarfpuffers and what he has observed and learned from others. It isn't a scientific based page and more ideas on how to keep them than fact.

If you see an ich outbreak again use the proper medicines. To keep your fish alive. Your water changes are fine. You do need to test the water however. How long has your tank been up and running?

Answer 4

Did you put them in a newly established tank? If that is the case they probably died from the ammonia. Buy a water testing kit, and as soon as the ammonia or nitrites are elvated change the water 25%. Make sure the pH is around 7.0 Them temp is a little on the high side, don't let it get up any higher than that. Dried worms? Do you mean frozen blood worms? If you do mean that their diet it fine. I would recomend changing just 25% of the water at a time. Also, how big is your aquarium?? I recomend feeding only what they will eat in a 3-4 minute time per day. Do you have filter? You deffinitly should consider getting one, our else youre gonna have to do a 10% water change every day. Make sure the water you add in is conditioned and why not add one tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5 gallons of water.... alot of fish, especially these guys thrive on salt. Ps, these guys should at least have 3-5 gallons per each puffer~~

Answer 5

yes.. puffers are very very sweet!!
but have you considered checking the amount of nitrate, nitrite, ph and the softness of the water?
sometimes that could be a bit of a problem because they like hard water with a strong ph.
also try not to clean the water once a week. it should be about once a month, maybe you are disturbing the water too much and it got a bit too stressed out which is causing it to die.
you need to leave the water to mature.
i hope this gives you some help :)
and good luck with yor puffers!

Answer 6

Your fish have become bored with their environment. The grey coloring you noted is an indication of depression.

An unhappy fish sees little value in his/her life and starts to contemplate ways out. Sometimes, they will leap out an exposed top to the sweet release of the air and the ineviditability of death on your carpet/hardwood floor. Your little fellow probably asphixiated himself with one of those plants. Don't worry, its a quick, painless death.

All is not lost, however. I recommend buying a scuba guy immediately. You know, the little plastic diving one. Maybe get him a treasure chest, too. Fish like scuba men.

Also, they need music. And I'm not talking 2007 pop trash. Fish are sophisticated beings with good musical taste. It varies from species to species, but I'd recommend early 90's hip hop/rap for your little puffers. They will be shaking their fins to some Notorious BIG in no time at all.

Remember, a sad fish is a dead fish. And possibly, a reanimated zombie fish if you aren't careful with that salt.