Now I am taking my live rock out to put in a garbage can filled with water. I plan to put a pump in there as well. Anything else I should put in with the rock? How often should I change that water? I am also about to Introduce a lot of FW. Please, someone tell me I am not about to make a big mistake and kill everything!!!!
Sick Puffer
- Thread starter d_hartke
- Start date
arizona tech
New member
maybe a heater, make sure the water is salt not fresh, i would put a pinch of food in the rock every week, and i would'nt worry about water changes
arizona tech
New member
what ????? i dont understand cool you mean temp ?
arizona tech
New member
you bet
The puffer died last night 
I did everything I was told to do above. I just don't think I was fast enough. The biggest question that I had was, what about the water quality? It takes a long time to get the water quality where it needs to be. The water that the puffer was in was new salt water with PH buffer. I feel really bad about this. What about that Rx•P Marine?
I did everything I was told to do above. I just don't think I was fast enough. The biggest question that I had was, what about the water quality? It takes a long time to get the water quality where it needs to be. The water that the puffer was in was new salt water with PH buffer. I feel really bad about this. What about that Rx•P Marine?
Angela Short
New member
Sorry I couldn't get back online last night d_ Bad night with the kids...
If you put the puffer in straight new salt water when you got him you probablt stressed him out even more. Fresh mixed SW has a very high alk and is not "conditioned" meaning the levels have not stabalized. PH will fluctuate vastly in a new batch also till the oxgen from the air gets mixed in well. Thats why its recomended to mix your water change water and let it "age" fot about 2 days before doing a water change. I would say this didn't help him and just the stress of living in a 5 gallon bucket for a few days. If he did.
Crushed coral will have a ton more pods living in it than sand so you will experiance a lot more die off and possiably a good ammonia spike. So be prepared with some water changes to dilute the ammonia so the biofilter can try to keep up.
You never really gave the symptoms of the fish other than cloudy eyes and Icky. Did he have salt looking grains in him and did he ever get put in the main tank? I can't remember if you said or not. Most all reefsafe meds like you mentioned are a 50/50 shot of working and most people don't put much stock in them. Since you are this far into the hypo deal just go ahead and get the head ach over with and be 100% sure you are clear and just QT all new guys
Sorry the puffer didn't make it. Just keep the live rock under SW and a power head/heater if its cold, and it will be fine. A pinch of food a week will keep the worms and critters fed but is not necissary. If you have a alage problem this would be a good time to "cook" the rock. I mean by this is putting it in total darkness, water, PH, heater and all by covering it very tightly and letting the alage starve itself out. So no food or light at all for the 6 weeks you are doing hypo. You will be surprised at how many pods and worms still are living after cooking the alage off. Just a thought. Gotta run! Good luck!
If you put the puffer in straight new salt water when you got him you probablt stressed him out even more. Fresh mixed SW has a very high alk and is not "conditioned" meaning the levels have not stabalized. PH will fluctuate vastly in a new batch also till the oxgen from the air gets mixed in well. Thats why its recomended to mix your water change water and let it "age" fot about 2 days before doing a water change. I would say this didn't help him and just the stress of living in a 5 gallon bucket for a few days. If he did.
Crushed coral will have a ton more pods living in it than sand so you will experiance a lot more die off and possiably a good ammonia spike. So be prepared with some water changes to dilute the ammonia so the biofilter can try to keep up.
You never really gave the symptoms of the fish other than cloudy eyes and Icky. Did he have salt looking grains in him and did he ever get put in the main tank? I can't remember if you said or not. Most all reefsafe meds like you mentioned are a 50/50 shot of working and most people don't put much stock in them. Since you are this far into the hypo deal just go ahead and get the head ach over with and be 100% sure you are clear and just QT all new guys
Sorry the puffer didn't make it. Just keep the live rock under SW and a power head/heater if its cold, and it will be fine. A pinch of food a week will keep the worms and critters fed but is not necissary. If you have a alage problem this would be a good time to "cook" the rock. I mean by this is putting it in total darkness, water, PH, heater and all by covering it very tightly and letting the alage starve itself out. So no food or light at all for the 6 weeks you are doing hypo. You will be surprised at how many pods and worms still are living after cooking the alage off. Just a thought. Gotta run! Good luck!
In addition to the questions above.... My brother just bought a 150 gal. That is how I got the puffer. He wanted to keep the fish he had from his 55. During the move the puffer was in a bucket for a long time(about 24hours) Now his tank is up and running. Can I put some of my live rock in his tank(the ones with mushrooms on them that I would like to keep). Would it tranfer the disease to his tank? Should I just consider these mushrooms goners?
Once again, you guys have been great. Thanks
Once again, you guys have been great. Thanks
Angela Short
New member
did the fish have spots? describe.
arizona tech
New member
like seachem prime removes ammonia, and kordans amqual(sp),another thing i put on my qt tanks is a ammonia badge by seachem,
arizona tech
New member
i would leave the lights on as you did before this problem came up
arizona tech
New member
na if you started hypo stay on the coarse do not combine hypo + copper, i have used copper in my 25 fo tank with no substrate and removed the copper with carbon and water changes, if you use copper with sand it will be absorbed in the sand leaving it useless to you and copper can leatch out of the sand and kill your inverts
