Tank Specs: 55 gallon, ammonia/nitrites:0, nitrates: ~5ppm, 80F,
SG ~1.005-1.007
Inhabitants: 2 Figure-8 Puffers (approx. 2" from beak to tail), 3 bumble bee gobies and 1 violet goby (aka "dragon goby")
In accordance to the images attached (figured it'd be easier than trying to put into words):
1 - Their home, aragonite sand, 2 filters (turning at a rate of approximately 650 gallons per hour), bubble wall and plastic plants (oh, don't forget the rock leaned against the glass for the dragon! =)
2 + 3 - One of the puffers - does he seem a little thin? In comparison to the other puffer, he's much skinnier. He eats like a little pig, and as you can see in the fourth image, his poops are gigantic (or is that normal)? He will eat until his belly is rounded, and then about an hour or so later, his stomach is flat as a pancake, sometimes concaved in. His colors seem much more faded and dull compared to the other guy. He always seems to appear in the morning with a brand new scuff on his body. I don't know how that happens. I, from what I can observe, have never seen him rub against rocks or plants. Despite the shrunken stomach and random scuff marks, he's very active, swimming around the tank, occasionally cruising the glass, chasing the other guy because he can, and so on. I introduced them into a fully cycled tank. Maybe it's internal parasites? I've been soaking their food in Gel-Tek Ultra Cure PX by Aquarium Products, which contains Praziquantel, Flubenol and Metronidazole. It's been about a week since I've been feeding them that stuff, and now I'm just completely stumped. Are there any sure-tell signs of internal parasites? Any thoughts?
4 - His poops that seem to pass too fast - within the hour that he has eaten. Sometimes he'll eat, then his stomach will go flat, and when he seems like he has nothing to poop from, he's pooping until his stomach is actually concaved in. I JUST took the images that I have attached on here now, and he's already pooped twice while typing this. I will see if I can't get a photo of what his stomach looks like after he's done. He seems like he's wasting away and I want to help this poor little fella.
5 - The other puffer (he's got a big waistline and isn't ashamed of it! We call him "Big Mac")
6 - For fun, the dragon goby out from under his rock, to on top of his rock! This guy loves to shake up up a sandstorm!
Otherwise - for reference, I feed the puffers a WIDE variety of foods - all frozen then thawed, then soaked with Gel-Tek.
Ranging from bloodworms (main staple of their diet), snails (as big as they can fit in their mouths - pond ones, not the MTS), plankton, brine shrimp, krill, etc.
For the dragon, tube-fed bloodworms, krill, plankton, half an algae wafer every two days.
Bumble bees, mysis, bloodworms, brine shrimp, etc.
Any ideas, thoughts or suggestions would be very helpful.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
SG ~1.005-1.007
Inhabitants: 2 Figure-8 Puffers (approx. 2" from beak to tail), 3 bumble bee gobies and 1 violet goby (aka "dragon goby")
In accordance to the images attached (figured it'd be easier than trying to put into words):
1 - Their home, aragonite sand, 2 filters (turning at a rate of approximately 650 gallons per hour), bubble wall and plastic plants (oh, don't forget the rock leaned against the glass for the dragon! =)
2 + 3 - One of the puffers - does he seem a little thin? In comparison to the other puffer, he's much skinnier. He eats like a little pig, and as you can see in the fourth image, his poops are gigantic (or is that normal)? He will eat until his belly is rounded, and then about an hour or so later, his stomach is flat as a pancake, sometimes concaved in. His colors seem much more faded and dull compared to the other guy. He always seems to appear in the morning with a brand new scuff on his body. I don't know how that happens. I, from what I can observe, have never seen him rub against rocks or plants. Despite the shrunken stomach and random scuff marks, he's very active, swimming around the tank, occasionally cruising the glass, chasing the other guy because he can, and so on. I introduced them into a fully cycled tank. Maybe it's internal parasites? I've been soaking their food in Gel-Tek Ultra Cure PX by Aquarium Products, which contains Praziquantel, Flubenol and Metronidazole. It's been about a week since I've been feeding them that stuff, and now I'm just completely stumped. Are there any sure-tell signs of internal parasites? Any thoughts?
4 - His poops that seem to pass too fast - within the hour that he has eaten. Sometimes he'll eat, then his stomach will go flat, and when he seems like he has nothing to poop from, he's pooping until his stomach is actually concaved in. I JUST took the images that I have attached on here now, and he's already pooped twice while typing this. I will see if I can't get a photo of what his stomach looks like after he's done. He seems like he's wasting away and I want to help this poor little fella.
5 - The other puffer (he's got a big waistline and isn't ashamed of it! We call him "Big Mac")
6 - For fun, the dragon goby out from under his rock, to on top of his rock! This guy loves to shake up up a sandstorm!
Otherwise - for reference, I feed the puffers a WIDE variety of foods - all frozen then thawed, then soaked with Gel-Tek.
Ranging from bloodworms (main staple of their diet), snails (as big as they can fit in their mouths - pond ones, not the MTS), plankton, brine shrimp, krill, etc.
For the dragon, tube-fed bloodworms, krill, plankton, half an algae wafer every two days.
Bumble bees, mysis, bloodworms, brine shrimp, etc.
Any ideas, thoughts or suggestions would be very helpful.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
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