Dwarf Puffers Sick - Please Help

[eggie100]

Hi everyone,

Here's the situation:

My dwarf puffers are ALL lethargic. I've had 6 of these guys for 3 weeks now. They were all fine right up until this morning. throughout today, they are all quietly resting on the bottom. A couple of them sometimes seem to lose their equilibrium and will twirl around without control.
What's going on? The last thing I did last night was a water change. They usually come up eagerly awaiting to be fed but not today.

I have them in a small 5 gal Mini Bow. There are a few live plants in there and an ornament. It uses a HOB filter. There's a 50 watt heater set to 78 degrees fahrenheit, and a 20 watt colormax PC bulb.

I do 40% partial water changes once per week. The only substance in there are plant tablets (placed under the gravel). I haven't introduced anything new into the tank.

I feed only frozen blood worms, nothing else. Ok, I did use the microwave to defrost the fozen blood worms in a small tupperware container for about 15 seconds. Does this make them sick? I don't overfeed them.

Help! We've become quite attached to all 6 dwarf puffers as they are all so inquisitive and have personality.

Any thoughts or ideas of what to do would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[dixaisy930]

Did you cycle the tank first? Eventhough puffers tend to be a relativley hardy fish, they don't tolerate an uncycled tank. This could be part of the problem.

Also, have they been just in the 5 gallon? If so, this is too small of a tank for six dwarf puffers. Eventhough they are small, they need roughly 2-3 gallons per puffer. They need to have well established territories, and the 5 gallon probably isn't giving each of them enough room. This stress could also be a factor.

You may want to start offering them small snails. They need them to keep their teeth trimmed down. Also, I think hunting the snails gives them something to do.

Can you test your water? I suspect that either your ammonia and/or your nitrites are high. Doing daily water changes should help. Also, I would either get a bigger tank (atleast a 10 gallon), or take back four of the dwarfs.

HHTH

 

[Dwarfs]

I would recommend getting a 20 gallon tank, or two more 5 gallons 2 DPs in a 5 gallon is max, I would imagine yours are stressed out from being so cramped Until yu can work out housing, you should up the water changes to 2-3 times a week DPs are small, but they produce a lot of waste