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Well I had a bad surprise today when checking in for feeding time with my pufferwings.

1 dead under the filter, 2 others very weak and tossed around in the current a little, sink like rocks. The 4 one is perfectly fine however.

They would always swim under/around the filter (it's just a little tetra whisper) all the time and we've never had a problem.

What should I do with these 2 weak puffers though, I can't get them to eat!

Isolate the 2 weak puffers where there isn't much filter current and let them rest there. Maybe some sort of breeding trap that is close to the water surface, in case they do start eating or need to gasp for air.

Is there any physical differences you see in the dwarf puffers? Did the tank cycle? Did you add a dechlorinator? What are your water parameters (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate readings). If you have excess ammonia, nitrite, and/or nitrate, do a water change. These are some details you need to tell us so we can be more aware of your situation. Hope the puffers do well.

Let's look at it this way...

A 5.5 gallon is nothing more than a death trap for many, if not all, fish.

Tiny tanks like that one go bad real quick, meaning, the parameters can change in a flash. When the water changes so rapidly the fish just can't adjust and the end comes fast.

If you'll remove the existing fish to a larger tank, matching the temp and pH, and plant some flowers in the 5.5 gallon, I can promise you your problems will be over.

--garyroland.

With 50% weekly water changes, a five is OK for puffers. But not more than two.

Kim

Fifty percent water changes every week are dangerous in small tanks and rarely done even in large tanks...

Failure to match pH and temps with such a large change in such a small tank can stress fish to the max.

It's bad enough that hobbyists keep fish in a ten gallon, another death trap for inexperienced fishkeepers.

--garyroland.

The water parameters have always been fine in the puffer tank.

pH 8.0
Ammonia:0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0

I've been doing the same exact type of water changes as I always had on this, it's been 3 days since it's last water change, nothing new has changed.

I took out the 2 weak puffers and put them in quarintine, one has now passed away. These 3 puffers DEFINETLY look thinner then the big one. But I feed them, by hand, every night, and watch them while they eat, and they all get a good share. Yes the tank has been cycled for about as many months as I've had these puffers... which is plunty of time.

look thinner then the big one. But I feed them, by hand, every night, and watch them while they eat, and they all get a good share.

Sounds like it could possibly be internal, maybe something parasitic.

^_^

Well I'm down to only 1 puffer left, the orginial healthy one of the bunch. He's been in the tank alone. Just fed him this morning with frozen bloodworms.

What are signs of internal parasites in fish? How high is the risk of their LIVE food being contaminated. Is there anything I can do to the live food to prevent this?

Internal parasites are common with new dwarf puffers. Their bellies look kind of sunken in, not much of an appetite.Discomed was a great product for the puffers, but they went out of business. Every other med for internal ones will harm inverts. So move one or the other if you have them. I'm now using Parasite Care from Jungle Labs. It's been a day and his stomach is already looking fuller.
For more info, check out www.dwarfpuffers.com

Kim

They are not new puffers I've had them for about 6 months or so now. They always had good appetites.

I've had mine for 4mos.He's always looked like that,but his appetite was alright so I didn't do anything. Well, he slowly began eating less.That's when I decided that it was probably parasites.

Kim