Arrrgghhh, I am SO bummed out!!!

Lotus

Lotus

Ultimate Fish
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#1
Aug 26, 2003
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Southern California
home.earthlink.net
#1
Edit: for some reason the server clock has gone haywire, this should be the third post in this thread.

Sorry to hear about that I have lost a couple of fish in "powerhead incidents" and had some near misses, too. I now cover all intakes very well. I've had small loaches get stuck into powerheads looking for snails. Is it possible you had snails in there?
 

Limi310

Limi310

Superstar Fish
#2
Nov 30, 2005
1,101
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Charlotte, NC
#2
Edit: This should be post #4

Lotus said:
Edit: for some reason the server clock has gone haywire, this should be the third post in this thread.

Sorry to hear about that I have lost a couple of fish in "powerhead incidents" and had some near misses, too. I now cover all intakes very well. I've had small loaches get stuck into powerheads looking for snails. Is it possible you had snails in there?
Click to expand...
I don't think so.....but of course I can't be sure. I only add snails 1 at a time for them to eat and they usually get them right away. I haven't even fed them a whole lot of snails yet....so it's only been maybe about 4. There is a 'grid' like cover on the intake so the fish can't get sucked straight in.....but he was stuck to the grid area. I'm just not sure what happened and now I am like a nervous mother that keeps going to check on them :eek: I left the powerhead in the tank for now, but it's turned off. I might only try turning it on again when I am home and can keep an eye on things.

I just fed them a ghost shrimp and like usual they took turns pecking away at it. They just seem so polite to each other..lol. I may try another one, if I can find one (had a heck of a time trying to find these guys) but I am wary of indroducing a foriegn puffer so I'm just not sure. My tank just seems so empty now.

(and the server is definitely haywire - I clicked on new threads and it told me I must wait 22389 seconds before trying again).

Thanks for your sympathies.......these guys are my favorites, so it's always tough losing one :(
 

Limi310

Limi310

Superstar Fish
#3
Nov 30, 2005
1,101
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Charlotte, NC
#3
:( This happened yesterday when I got home from work. As usual I walked around to check on all the fish. Hmmm what's this? I only see 2 F8 puffers....where is the other one? After some searching around (and growing concern) I located his poor little body stuck to the bottom of the power head intake. ARRRGGGGHHHHH. I immediatly unplugged the power head and he came off and floated down...then started to swim. He was severly disfigured but still alive. Now I was feeling sick.....my poor puffer :( :( . I did the only humane thing and euthanized him. There was no way he was going to pull through. After he was dead I inspected his body and there was kind of a bloody chunk missing.......I have no idea what happened.....could he have gotten in a fight and been weak and got sucked/stuck to the intake? That has to be it......I can't see a healthy puffer being unable to swim away. It's just odd - I know the nature of puffers, but these guys seemed to get along so well. They even take turns and share with snails and ghost shrimp. :(
Of course to be on the safe side I tested all water parameters and everything was good, I also did a water change. I guess that is just the way it goes sometimes but it really sucks.

I am about to give the remaining 2 puffers a ghost shrimp treat.
 

MOsborne05

MOsborne05

Superstar Fish
#5
Oct 3, 2005
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#5
Awwww, sorry about your loss, its real easy to get attached to them :( I think that something must have happened to weaken him because they are definitely strong enough to get away from the intake tube. I've never had any problems with my puffs, although my intake tube is normally covered in plant pieces! If you do decide to get another one make sure it is about the same size and rearrange the tank before you put it in so that there aren't any established territories. Let me know what you decide :)

BTW, I did my first major tank cleaning yesterday and man was that thing gross!!! Normally I do a water change and spot clean with the python as I'm draining the water. I didn't think the gravel was that dirty because it looks pretty clean. Well its been set up about 3 months now so I decided to get the gravel vac out for the first time. I was amazed at how much gunk was stuck in the gravel, it was disgusting! The puffers color is much brighter now, so I think they were telling me that it was time for a good cleaning :p I normally hand feed them so I never realized how messy they were, I think gravel vacs should be done at least once a month!
 

Limi310

Limi310

Superstar Fish
#7
Nov 30, 2005
1,101
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Charlotte, NC
#7
Thanks, I'll probably keep looking around and if I happen across some, then I might try again with another. I'll do what you said and rearrange the tank if I do get one. Lol, about your gravel. I have sand in my tank so it's easy to see the debris.....which is both a blessing and a curse. I just stir it up with my hand when I do water changes to help eliminate dead spots. I've decided against BBgobies I think because the ones I saw for sale were SO small they would be a snack in about 5 seconds.
My boyfriend likes the balloon mollies...........I wonder if they would get along together?
 

Limi310

Limi310

Superstar Fish
#8
Nov 30, 2005
1,101
5
0
46
Charlotte, NC
#8
Lotus said:
If it's covered, I would guess it was sick (or dead) already, and got stuck on it. :( Has there been any aggression in the tank? I'm assuming he looked fine earlier in the day.
Click to expand...
No, there hasn't been any aggression at all, that's why it is so weird. He was fine in the morning when I looked at them. And he was still alive when I unplugged the powerhead...........he was trying to swim. But then one of them did swim up and attack him in the face before I had a chance to pull him out. I am assuming they did that because he was sick/dying and fish have a tendency to attack other sick or dying fish. He did have a wound on his side.......so I am guessing there was some kind of fight.
I've been watching the other 2 closely and no sign of aggression between them either.....and like I said they took turns killing the ghost shrimp side by side.
 

MOsborne05

MOsborne05

Superstar Fish
#9
Oct 3, 2005
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Gibsonburg, OH
#9
I have gold-dust mollies in my tank right now, and they are crazy! They are bigger than the puffs and are complete psychos when its feeding time. The next time I get a chance I am going to take them back to the lfs and get some dwarf platies. I don't want my puffs to have to fight for food, they are my main priority.

So if you do get mollies, make sure they are the balloon bellied ones and not regular ones, and definitely not sailfins! Or you could regular platies, or the cute little dwarf platies that I saw at Petsmart. My puffs leave the bb gobies alone for the most part, although I only have 5 left and I started with 9! Whenever I forget to feed them they promptly let me know by chomping a gobie in half :eek:
 

Limi310

Limi310

Superstar Fish
#10
Nov 30, 2005
1,101
5
0
46
Charlotte, NC
#10
Grrr...I just brought 2 platies to my lfs - had to clear out my 10gal to covert it to a nano....didn't realize I could have kept them. I didn't know they could go in brackish water........although my SG is probably only 1.002 right now, but it will get higher over time. Maybe I can go this weekend and see if they are still there and get them back...............I doubt I would recognize them though. Grrr. I really like platies though, so that might not be a bad idea.....I like them more then mollies ;)
 

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