Poppy didn't make it

[kimmers318]

Woke up this morning and went to get some better pics of my new puffer and found him dead. What happened I have no clue, he was eating and acting fine, looked healthy as can be, water parameters were ammonia=0 nitrites=0 and nitrates=10 so it had to be either something internal that hadn't shown symptoms or possibly ammonia poisoning from being held over at the airport. He was supposed to be in late Tuesday afternoon and got held over til Wednesday about noon when he came in. Still, I had him 8 days and all looked well. Let that be a lesson to me, when special ordering fish that get no guarantee check the water parameters at the store before bringing it home to make sure there is no ammonia present.
Now I have an empty 20 gal long tank that I have to figure out what to put in it ASAP before I lose my cycle, or quickly throw someone else in there to keep it going.

[*Sarah*]

That stinks, I'm sorry. I guess you never know when they're being shipped. I'm sure the holdover didn't help him either. Are you going to try to get another like him?

[jeffs99dime]

sorry to hear that

[cocoa_pleco]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, not the gangsta puffer

[Lady Hobbs]

Kimmers! Dang it all. I am so sorry you lost your new puffer. If he'd have cost $2 he'd have probably lived forever. I'm so sorry.

[Severus]

Sorry to hear that kimmers. I can imagine your quite frustrated.. i would be.

[Lauren B.]

That totally sucks. I am so sorry. May the pufferman rest in peace.

[Chrona]

Really sorry to hear that :(

[Incredulous_Ed]

So very sorry to hear that.

[crackatinny]

Sorry to hear that Kimmers

[Drumachine09]

That stinks.

[cocoa_pleco]

that ultra stinks. OMG, banana!

[AquaQueen]

OMG...That's a crappy way to start your day...I am so sorry you lost your Puffer. He was the one in the pic showing off his lil teeth right?

[cocoa_pleco]

the red gangsta one

[kimmers318]

Thanks guys, no, I am not going to try for another one right now. Not sure what I might do just yet, going to plunk a few misfits in the tank to keep it cycling until I decide.
Hubby came up with a possibility and let me throw this out there to see if anyone else has experienced this. Due to my high level of stupidity, I left one of my ancistrus plecs in the tank. Now, I know the puff is going to grow up to be highly aggressive, but for right now he is just a measly inch long and a baby, if I notice ANY nipped fins I will remove the plec ASAP, is my figuring. The puff had been given plenty of live food and I figured I was safe for the couple of weeks it would take to get his permanent home ready right...WRONG....BIG WRONG. See, my other 4 puffs are not nearly as aggressive as the experts lead you to believe, I know many people that have other species of puffs in with other fish so I took a chance and intended to watch closely. For 6 days all was well, and then day 7 BAM! the plec is dead. Do you think it is possible that some of the sharp fins and such from a plec could harm the puff internally? I would not have even considered it being a possibility due to the fact that puffs eat snails, shrimp, crayfish etc. but I can say, this guy NEVER touched a snail so I guess he is one of the few puffs that don't eat too many crunchies. There really isn't much known about them. My other puffs that don't crunch shells suck the snail out. Anyone ever entertained the possibility that a fish attacking a plec could cause some internal blockage or damage from the hard fins and armor that is found on plecs? If so, boy will I feel really really bad! I learned a very valuable and expensive mistake on this one.....I knew it would never work long term, but chanced it with an inch long juvie facing a 4 inch plec, I never would have thought the odds were in the puffs favor!!!!