AboutBenty Expertise GOT A QUESTION ABOUT:
Basic needs for specific fish, illnesses, best tankmates, breeding, water chemistry, tricks to safely cut corners, and/or “stupid” questions? Maybe I can help! :)
I like to explain why you do things in aquariums (like why to use spring instead of distilled, or what pH numbers mean, ect.) so you understand why and not just taking someone’s word for it. I also like giving answers where you have two choices so you can choose which is best for the time and money you can commit to your fish. I understand how tight money can be and how expensive fish related things get.
I will NEVER leave you with an “I don’t know.” Ever. I hate that. That would waste your time and that's just mean. :)
Puedo contestar tus preguntas en español también.
Experience I have had tropical fish since 1999. I currently have: a 55gal, ten 10gal, 3 five gallons, three 2gal, and a bunch of jars and bowls. At the time I'm typing this, I have: 14 angels, 13 goldfish, 73 bettas, 12 barbs, 5 catfish, too many guppies, 4 gouramis, 2 plecos, 10 loaches, bunch of swordtails, and probably a few others, lol.
I love to rescue fish. I've had everything from mutant danios, to one eyed goldfish, to my newest adoptee, a 2 year old betta with a MASSIVE tumor problem. He was brought to a pet shop and left there because the lady didn't know what to do with him. He's pretty scary looking. One of the guys at the store there I know let me have him. :D YAY! Elephant Man lives in a gallon bowl with pretty stones in my bathroom.
Plus!!!
I sell: veil, delta, halfmoon, plakat, and crowntail bettas as well as halfblack and blonde tuxedo fancy guppies. Ask me about it sometime.
Expert: Benty Date: 3/17/2008 Subject: green spotted puffers
Question Hi, I got 2 puffers about a month and a half ago. I have them in a 10 gallon tank. The salinity is at 1.00 and I have a sand bottom. Unfortunatley, the only place I could buy these fish (I had wanted them for a long time) was at walmart. Of course I didnt want to buy them there but I had no other choice as no petstore would do a special order for me. One was healthy right from the beginning and the other was much scrawnier. The larger one picked on him a bit but I have lots of plants so that helps with stopping that. However, the smaller one recently looks completely immaciated and won't really eat. Its like he cant see the food or is missing it everytime he goes to bite it. I feed them bloodworms by the way. I also will get baby snails to feed to them occasionally to keep their beaks trimmed. I'm getting worried that the smaller one is going to wither away while the larger one is flourishing. What can I do? Why won't he eat? Is this a common problem? Please help!!
Answer Puffers are brackish/saltwater fish. They need a little more salt than that (1.00 is pure water). Bump it up slowly so they can ajust. Get to 1.009-1.01 over about 2 weeks.
I assume you mean LIVE bloodworms. Although they are not very nutritious, they really like them. (Most of the time anyways.) They generally won't take frozen unless used to it already.
I would separate them RIGHT AWAY. If one is weaker, the other WILL pick on them until they die. Get a divider or container and put the weaker in it. Start treating for a basterial infection now incase it is an internal infection. Things like Maracyn-TC, or Maracyn I and Maracyn II (both at half doses treating together) would work well.
Try feeding live brine shrimp. Fish love them. You can get them at little pet shops sometimes (where I get mine) or at a salt water store sometimes. Ask around first.
Also, Puffers need greens for there eyes, so make sure you give him lettuce and seaweed (you can buy seaweed in packets from supermarkets). If they don't get greens, its eyes will cloud. Other wise give him live brine shrimp all marine fish love that, even the frozen stuff. The frozen veggie mix is also good for eyes.
