Figure 8 puffer fish

Hanissah

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 24, 2017
6
0
1
43
I bought my puffer fish Monday July 27th an 1 died last night because they wouldn't eat the pet store said they are fresh water fish and that's what he Keep them in an feed them krill got home they would only eat crayfish feeders I read on here to change them to brackish water so I did that today and I put ghost shrimp in the water an guppies I pray they will survive an be happy oh this my first time having puffers and I have one pacu fish in there with them any advice love to here oh it's a 55 gallon
 

Bigfishnut

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 28, 2016
1,638
1,716
904
48
Warren PA
Try posting in the puffer forum. You'll get more responses. Is your tank (filter) fully cycled? Fish don't starve in 4 days. Most fish can live for weeks with no food.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tlindsey

Yuki Rihwa

Redtail Catfish
MFK Member
Jan 22, 2015
2,596
1,432
154
Asia
I bought my puffer fish Monday July 27th an 1 died last night because they wouldn't eat the pet store said they are fresh water fish and that's what he Keep them in an feed them krill got home they would only eat crayfish feeders I read on here to change them to brackish water so I did that today and I put ghost shrimp in the water an guppies I pray they will survive an be happy oh this my first time having puffers and I have one pacu fish in there with them any advice love to here oh it's a 55 gallon
First of all, you CAN'T change freshwater to brackish water overnight.
Second, Pacu don't live in brackish water and need tank as large as 500+ gallons or even better thousand gallons or outside pond to live for life.
Third, your tank is not even cycled yet and can't not handle the heavy bio load from those fish, with your sudden change the water salinity, you're pretty muck messed up the tank cycled if it was proper cycled.
*Your best option is return the Pacu and the puffer until your tank is cycled, if you decided to keep the puffer then pretty much you will have to do daily water change for next few weeks until your tank proper cycled and don't feed live feeder to your puffer. Next is spend all your free time search this forum or google about cycling your tank and how to keep your puffer happy.
 

Bigfishnut

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Aug 28, 2016
1,638
1,716
904
48
Warren PA
First of all, you CAN'T change freshwater to brackish water overnight.
Second, Pacu don't live in brackish water and need tank as large as 500+ gallons or even better thousand gallons or outside pond to live for life.
Third, your tank is not even cycled yet and can't not handle the heavy bio load from those fish, with your sudden change the water salinity, you're pretty muck messed up the tank cycled if it was proper cycled.
*Your best option is return the Pacu and the puffer until your tank is cycled, if you decided to keep the puffer then pretty much you will have to do daily water change for next few weeks until your tank proper cycled and don't feed live feeder to your puffer. Next is spend all your free time search this forum or google about cycling your tank and how to keep your puffer happy.
It may sound harsh...but that is sound advice right there
 

Fizzicks

Exodon
MFK Member
Dec 12, 2016
72
58
21
33
Las Vegas
Its unfortunate that this hobby has such a barrier to entry on preparation and information required. A lot of the big box type stores won't fill you in on this to make the sale.
Theres a bit of knowledge required before hand. Stuff having to do with beneficial bacteria colonies in your tank that break down chemicals produced from the fish into less harmful compounds.
Youtube is a great resource on this. Educate yourself on the "cycling process"
Everything my friends have mentioned before me is true. I would encourage you to take the fish back and get your tank stabilized and running correctly. Theres a good chance all your fish will die in the next 36 hours if you do not. You also have some issues with fish selection and compatibility. Trust me I get it, I want to keep em all too!

But in order to achieve success in this hobby you have to do some homework first. But I guarantee you its worth it.

Things I think you should look into
-cycling
-water changes and general up keep
-fish compatibility (size, aggression, type of water, temperature)
-testing your water parameters Primarily ammonia nitrite and nitrate
 

Hanissah

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 24, 2017
6
0
1
43
Try posting in the puffer forum. You'll get more responses. Is your tank (filter) fully cycled? Fish don't starve in 4 days. Most fish can live for weeks with no food.
This was my first time on here posting so don't know how yet
 

Hanissah

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 24, 2017
6
0
1
43
First of all, you CAN'T change freshwater to brackish water overnight.
Second, Pacu don't live in brackish water and need tank as large as 500+ gallons or even better thousand gallons or outside pond to live for life.
Third, your tank is not even cycled yet and can't not handle the heavy bio load from those fish, with your sudden change the water salinity, you're pretty muck messed up the tank cycled if it was proper cycled.
*Your best option is return the Pacu and the puffer until your tank is cycled, if you decided to keep the puffer then pretty much you will have to do daily water change for next few weeks until your tank proper cycled and don't feed live feeder to your puffer. Next is spend all your free time search this forum or google about cycling your tank and how to keep your puffer happy.
Yea well the pacu was in the tank with the puffer fish at the store he said they great mates I didn't choose him never heard of him till I saw him didn't want him just the puffer and the pacu doing great
 

Hanissah

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 24, 2017
6
0
1
43
Its unfortunate that this hobby has such a barrier to entry on preparation and information required. A lot of the big box type stores won't fill you in on this to make the sale.
Theres a bit of knowledge required before hand. Stuff having to do with beneficial bacteria colonies in your tank that break down chemicals produced from the fish into less harmful compounds.
Youtube is a great resource on this. Educate yourself on the "cycling process"
Everything my friends have mentioned before me is true. I would encourage you to take the fish back and get your tank stabilized and running correctly. Theres a good chance all your fish will die in the next 36 hours if you do not. You also have some issues with fish selection and compatibility. Trust me I get it, I want to keep em all too!

But in order to achieve success in this hobby you have to do some homework first. But I guarantee you its worth it.

Things I think you should look into
-cycling
-water changes and general up keep
-fish compatibility (size, aggression, type of water, temperature)
-testing your water parameters Primarily ammonia nitrite and nitrate
Thank you so much I'll arch it the pet owner said
It may sound harsh...but that is sound advice right there
it is harsh to talk to a person who trying this for a first time but some people can't help them.self
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store