FLFishChik’s Pea Puffer Journal

[Odd Duck]

A little Harry Potter always helps!

[FLFishChik]

Well, finished treatment and changed the water. Offered the Beanz some bloodworms… but they still aren’t eating. Not sure how long it takes to get their appetite back, but hoping it’s soon!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Some people use garlic guard to stimulate appetite

[FLFishChik]

On 5/23/2023 at 2:27 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Some people use garlic guard to stimulate appetite

Well, this evening, Cheddar definitely ate. The other showed some interest, but then moved on. Keeping fingers crossed that they are just having a delayed reaction.

[FLFishChik]

I am sad to report that this evening, I lost a Bean. I may have lost more as I only see 3 for certain, the other two could just be laying low. I feel so bad. I trusted that where I bought them from had indeed done a thorough deworming (and they very well may have) , but I should have done my due diligence and dewormed again upon receiving them. Lesson learned. I only hope I can save the rest. Saturday seems so far away for the next round of expel p. I hope they hang on. Cheddar seems to have her appetite restored, but she seems the only one.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 5/24/2023 at 8:00 PM, FLFishChik said:

I am sad to report that this evening, I lost a Bean. I may have lost more as I only see 3 for certain, the other two could just be laying low. I feel so bad. I trusted that where I bought them from had indeed done a thorough deworming (and they very well may have) , but I should have done my due diligence and dewormed again upon receiving them. Lesson learned. I only hope I can save the rest. Saturday seems so far away for the next round of expel p. I hope they hang on. Cheddar seems to have her appetite restored, but she seems the only one.

Well, how could you have known? Because they had all been eating well up until just recently.

I’m sorry for your loss.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Jennifer V]

I'm so sorry for your loss! I just lost my first one about a week ago after having her for two and a half years. It's never easy! Funny how attached we get to these little guys.

Don't beat yourself up about not deworming them immediately. It's all a learning process. Your other peas might be just fine. They can really disappear even though you look everywhere and then suddenly there they are again. 

Just a side note, do you have any Vita Chem? You can add it directly to the tank once you're clear of deworming, one drop per gallon, to make sure they're getting some vitamins. You can also soak food in it so they get vitamins that way as well. 

[FLFishChik]

Well, after 2nd round of expel p, two are finally eating! Took @Odd Duck’s advice and went ahead with Prazipro. The third puffer seems lethargic and not interested in food. Just lays on the substrate .I’m hoping the Prazipro will help and it’s not too late for this little Bean, but glad the other two have finally found interest in eating again!

Edited May 28, 2023 by FLFishChik

[FLFishChik]

This morning I went to feed my Beanz and noticed one motionless on the substrate 😢. I scooped him up in a shrimp net and gave him a proper burial. There are still 3 remaining. I thought I only had 3 left but I guess Number 4 was good at hiding. 
 

2 of the 3 remaining are eating well. They had bloodworms and crushed snails this morning, but the 3rd still isn’t eating and is looking so skinny. I’m losing hope for him. He keeps going to the food and inspecting it, seems very curious to watch the other two as they circle and eat.. even gets right up close to them as they hunt the snails, but he doesn’t eat. I’m keeping fingers crossed that he’ll miraculously bounce back, but I don’t know if I’m hoping for too much. 
 

I will try again with new Pea puffers once I’ve finished the deworming with these little Beanz. I’m working on setting up a 10g tank to use as a quarantine/deworming tank for future Beanz. 
 

I've learned a big/hard lesson here. I should have known better… I DID know better… and I dropped the ball.  It’s a difficult truth to swallow that it could have been prevented had I done what I know deep down, I should have. Hopefully, I will never make that mistake again.

[nabokovfan87]

I'm very sorry for your loss. Hoping things can recover for you.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I’m sorry for your losses. 😭

My family and I had fish tanks years ago and we never quarantined anything. We didn’t know about quarantining because there weren’t forums like this one. Most times we lucked out, but not always. I hope that your other puffers gain health and strength.

[Odd Duck]

I’ve had to relearn that when I started back with fish 3 years ago.  I used to know it, but a long break from fish, my brain had dropped out some stuff.  I skimped on a quarantine - only did 2 weeks instead of 4 weeks - and paid for it with fish loss and expensive meds.  I’ve had to retrain myself a bit, for sure.

[FLFishChik]

All 3 Beanz are EATING!!!!! Even little guy! Ate a blood worm, then tackled a snail! So happy! I really didn’t think he’d make it!

[Odd Duck]

🎉 💃🏻  That’s awesome!!!

[FLFishChik]

**MURDER BEAN UPDATE**
 

Sadly, not a happy one. I’ve lost another Bean. Treated the tank yesterday morning with 3rd round of Expel P. All seemed fine. Beanz we’re eating well, looking a little better beforehand, but when I removed the blackout cover I found a Bean had passed. I am now down to 2 and they are back to passing up food. I’m now unsure if the remaining 2 will survive. 
 

 I think my adventures in Bean Keeping have officially come to an end, at least for the foreseeable future. If these 2, by some  miraculous divine intervention do manage to survive, I’ll be thrilled and be content with just 2. If they don’t, then it will be a very, very long time before I attempt it again.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

So sorry… I wonder if, in general, they are a more delicate species? Bc some species are labeled or advertised as “hardy”. Fingers crossed for the others. ❤️🙏

Edited June 4, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@FLFishChik how are the 2 pea puffers doing?

[FLFishChik]

On 6/8/2023 at 12:28 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

@FLFishChik how are the 2 pea puffers doing?

It’s kinda iffy .. last night I took one of my biggest bladder snails… twice the size of the puffers and smooshed it up and dropped it in. They picked at it for about 30 minutes . Woke up this morning and it was completely gone. So hoping they ate it.

[Jennifer V]

Don't give up on peas! They did come in pretty thin, so maybe it was going to be an uphill battle from the start. They are so rewarding to keep and you know you have what it takes to keep them. Maybe just try a different supplier next time so you know they're coming in fat and happy from the start. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 6/9/2023 at 11:17 AM, Jennifer V said:

Don't give up on peas! They did come in pretty thin, so maybe it was going to be an uphill battle from the start. They are so rewarding to keep and you know you have what it takes to keep them. Maybe just try a different supplier next time so you know they're coming in fat and happy from the start. 

Yeah because you need these fishes to eat your 1,000,000 snails @FLFishChik

[FLFishChik]

On 6/9/2023 at 11:24 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Yeah because you need these fishes to eat your 1,000,000 snails @FLFishChik

No kidding! They are breeding so dang fast! The Ramshorn seem to be more prolific than the Bladders!

On 6/9/2023 at 11:17 AM, Jennifer V said:

Don't give up on peas! They did come in pretty thin, so maybe it was going to be an uphill battle from the start. They are so rewarding to keep and you know you have what it takes to keep them. Maybe just try a different supplier next time so you know they're coming in fat and happy from the start. 

I probably won’t give up! I’ll wait a few weeks or so after this upcoming final treatment, then try more

[Odd Duck]

I know you probably already know this, but you’ll want to quarantine the new bunch and do the full deworming.  Then do a very thorough, full rescape to introduce the new group into the tank.  Otherwise the resident peas may take exception to newbies.  Yours are very young, but peas can be very unforgiving about territories and your “old” peas will likely be bigger than the new peas.  Don’t forget this story about my asocial, big male.  This link should take you directly to my trials and tribulations with Bad Pea Daddy (BPD) just in case you haven’t found that story, yet.

 

[FLFishChik]

On 6/9/2023 at 3:32 PM, Odd Duck said:

I know you probably already know this, but you’ll want to quarantine the new bunch and do the full deworming.  Then do a very thorough, full rescape to introduce the new group into the tank.  Otherwise the resident peas may take exception to newbies.  Yours are very young, but peas can be very unforgiving about territories and your “old” peas will likely be bigger than the new peas.  Don’t forget this story about my asocial, big male.  This link should take you directly to my trials and tribulations with Bad Pea Daddy (BPD) just in case you haven’t found that story, yet.

 

Yeah, I know! I have a 10g tank not in use that will be the new quarantine/ deworming tank. I learned my lesson, yup, yup

[FLFishChik]

Just finished dosing the 4th and final round of Expel P. Tomorrow night, I’ll do a water change and dose the final round of Prazipro. Cross fingers that at least 1, if not BOTH, Beanz make it!

[Jennifer V]

How are they doing?