Help with green spotted puffers

Question
We went ahead and did a 25% water change. Shark Bait seems to be swimming better, and his tail seems to be thicker, and whiter... less pink and inflammed. Yet now the figure 8's seems to be out of it. It seems as if the 2 figure 8's, as well as our GSP are bumping into the walls of the aquarium. Before the tank change, we noticed that our GSP developed a dark line right along his sides (at the border of the white of his belly, and the color of his top). After the tank change, the figure 8's aren't eating as well either. Can you please give some suggestions as to what we can do now to help them?
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Followup To

Question -
Hello. I am writing in hopes that someone can help me out. We had purchased 6 puffers about 1 1/2 weeks ago. 2 dwarf, 2 figure eights, and my favorite, 2 green spotted. We added the aquarium salt, the "good bacteria", and what-not. We've been feeding them a combination of the flakes along with the freeze dried brine shrimp, and well... a snail that wasn't meant for food purposes. Anyway... we noticed that the larger of the 2 green spotted... "Shark Bait" as we call him, started to develop something like a pinkish growth within his tail. Neither of the two are/were as active as the figure eights. The other green spotted began to stay towards the top of the tank, close to /behind where the filteration system was. Anyway...we made sure that they had enough food when we went out of town for a day. When we came back...the green spotted was dead. Needless to say, we were pretty hurt, and worried. We've also noted that the pink area on Shark Bait has grown a bit, and it seems as if some of his tail is gone. If anyone can help out in any way we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you in advance.





Answer -
Hi Nina;

You have a couple of problems going on in there actually. Puffers are exceptionally aggressive and will take chunks out of each other's tails. They need enough room and places to hide from each other as needed. It only gets worse as they get older. Here are profiles on each;

http://www.pufferfish.co.uk./aquaria/species/pufferfish/types/tetrbioc.htm
http://www.pufferfish.co.uk./aquaria/species/pufferfish/types/tetrnigr.htm
http://www.pufferfish.co.uk./aquaria/species/pufferfish/types/tetrtrav.htm

They are also experiencing the effects of New Tank Syndrome, also called "The Break-in Period". Make a 25% water change right away. You should change 25% daily for the next 3 or 4 more days too. This will hopefully lower the break-in toxins to a safer level that they can tolerate without stopping or delaying the break-in. Even when you add the products that say they provide "bacteria", the tank still has to go through the process. Those products have very little, if any, effect on the break-in process. In my experience they don't do a thing and are a waste of money. The only exception is one called "Bio-Spira." It is kept refrigerated to preserve the bacteria. The nitrifying bacteria colonies can't survive on a shelf like the other products claim.

You didn't mention what size tank you have them in. I hope it's very large. Those guys will need the space. During the first 6 to 8 weeks of having a new tank you should keep the population very low. You can safely have one inch of fish for every ten gallons for the first 6 to 8 weeks. The beneficial bacteria that is trying to establish itself is very slow to grow and get started. Once the tank breaks in, you can add more fish, but very slowly. No more than one inch per ten gallons per week. This gives the beneficial bacteria time to compensate for the new population. Find out how big your fish each get so you can avoid overcrowding.

Here is a link to my article about New Tank Syndrome;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

Answer
Hi Nina;

You will have to keep doing water changes and read about "New Tank Syndrome" at the link I provided so you know what is going on in there. Even a daily 25% change is not too much. It relieves the fish without stopping the break-in. I still don't know what size tank we are dealing with but it's very important not to add more than a single one-inch long fish for every ten gallons of a new tank. You can't add more fish for 6 to 8 weeks or fish waste toxins will rise to lethal levels. It's all due to New Tank Syndrome. Beneficial bacteria has not had time to fully develop to handle the waste toxins. Water changes, lots of them, will be necessary to keep them alive. Even adding products that are supposed to help a new tank get bacteria are not going to do it. They are useless based on my own experience anyway. The process still has to complete and that takes time.

Read the info I provided with my first answer and it will help you understand more about it.

Followups welcome.....

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins