# Dwarf puffer dying?



## clock906 (Nov 22, 2007)

I have this skinny puffer that looks like he is dying... 
He has always been very skinny and shy since the I got him about 2 month ago...
He was constantly being bullied by another healthier puffer so I separated them last month
SO he is now in a 5.5g by himself with a few shrimps and 5 tetra I added 2 weeks ago.

He usually eat snail and live copepod I have from another tank...
but these 2 days, he looks extremely weak and isn't eating anything at all...
he is resting on plant most of time and sometimes even let the water current blow him around like dead fish. But he would still swim away when the amano shrimp step on him..
snail now walk past him and he doesn't pay any attention, I put him in a small container filled with copepod and he isn't eating them either. He used to eat them as soon as he see them.
Yesterday night he looks so dead that I was sure he won't make it...but he is still here tonight

His eyes is still rolling around and I feel so sorry for him and I really wanted to help him.

I don't know what's wrong with him, but he looks so skinny that it looks like he is starving without energy..but the problem is...he is not eating at all. I also gave him a 5 mins aquarisol (http://www.bigalsonline.ca/StoreCat...64-def-CAD-18003##0##q&query=parasite&offset=) dip yesterday thinking maybe he has some parasite or diseases?

I don't know what else I can do now..


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## Calmer (Mar 9, 2008)

Check the water temperature as some say it should be from 72-82°F; others say 80F is best. Mine are at 76F - 78F and doing good. Within the fish's temperature range an increase in temperature helps increase the appetite and metabolism. Increase in metabolism means the tank needs to be cleaned more often.
Hopefully this helps


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## clock906 (Nov 22, 2007)

the water used to be at 72-73'F
When I added the tetra, I slowly raised the temp to 76'-77'F

it actually seems like the problem start showing up after I put in the tetra & raise the temp
But all the tetra looks fine and are eating a lot (flake)


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## Jackson (Jan 30, 2009)

clock906 said:


> the water used to be at 72-73'F
> When I added the tetra, I slowly raised the temp to 76'-77'F
> 
> it actually seems like the problem start showing up after I put in the tetra & raise the temp
> But all the tetra looks fine and are eating a lot (flake)


These guy's are known to die off just like this. It could be that it is not eating enough or it has internal parasites. You could try some prazipro and see if that helps but most of the time when the fish has reached this stage they dont make it.


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## conix67 (Jul 27, 2008)

If he has always been skinny, it's possible he was already not healthy enough to begin with and you probably couldn't help much either. 

I'd say the best you can do is to put him alone, without other fishes, and give him enough time to rest and recover, and feed just enough.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Are you sure he is a dwarf and not a figure 8 does his mouth look funny. Can you post a pic.


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## clock906 (Nov 22, 2007)

pat3612 said:


> Are you sure he is a dwarf and not a figure 8 does his mouth look funny. Can you post a pic.


Pretty sure he is a dwarf...since I got him for $1.99 from bigals under the name pea puffer. I doubt they will sell figure 8 for $1.99. He is also under an 1"

I can try to snap a few pic tonight if he is still alive..


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## PeterJ (Feb 16, 2009)

Hi,
I had two of them but one died exactly you said. getting thin, not eating, doesn't like moving and died later... Too sad .
I think it's a not easy task to care her for me. (I am a beginner yet)
So I can give you mine to you if you want.

Cheers.


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## clock906 (Nov 22, 2007)

Thanks peter, I just really want to do what I can to help this puffer get better...I particularly like this guy since he is much more "gentle" than the other puffer and never bother my shrimps and fish.

I found a photo on the web that looks very similar to him...(skinny, you can see the bottom half of him really thin out)









some other ppl said the condition sounds like it has parasite...
He has always looked skinny even after eating a bunch of stuffs and you can see the bottom of his belly protruding.


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## kwokers (Feb 26, 2009)

I would try feeding snails, but crush them a bit first. I know it sounds morbid, but it seemed to work for one of my puffers when they were really skinny/lethargic.

Good luck.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

clock906 said:


> Pretty sure he is a dwarf...since I got him for $1.99 from bigals under the name pea puffer. I doubt they will sell figure 8 for $1.99. He is also under an 1"
> 
> I can try to snap a few pic tonight if he is still alive..


Yep he probably is then .


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