Help with Puffer please!!

[xtremenemo]

My puffer is a tonga dogface puffer (white with black spots) and when I turned on the lights today, he was all brown, and slow moving. Then after 3 mins he turned back to color. What happend to him? Could this be a problem with the copper in the tank? I am going to check the water tomorrow. Please tell me what happend to him thanks.

 

[tony detroit]

buy a copper test kit

 

[kittykitty]

All of my fish lose some of their color when they're sleeping, then when I turn the lights on, they start to get their color back. Especially my yellow tang. My stars and stripes puffer used to lose his color when the lights were off also. I think they just need time to wake up. Maybe this is the case in your situation.

 

[lazy east911]

my sfe and sometimes shark look a little bit pale or whiter when the lights are shut off, i think kitty kitty is right, but just incase, do what tony said, buy a test kit just to make sure.
hopefully its nothing..good luck

 

[oceanviews]

My panda puffer turns dark at night also, he also darkens if he becomes scared/intimidated (only happened once, he got a little freaked when I had to carry a bookcase past the tank, but he calmed down after about 2 mins.). Here is his normal shade, I will try to get a photo of him 1st thing in the AM. Take Tony's advise, just in case (I would do a full round of testing to be safe). He isn't getting picked on, is he?

 

[triggerfish]

My puffer does the same thing every so often. when the lights are tuned off he turns a dark brown.
oceanviews: How big is your broomtail and what size tank is she in? I LOVE broomtails

 

[oceanviews]

he is about 9.5/10" not counting his tail, and he lives in a 180 with Puff, a Naso and an Emperor, I have some pics of them posted in Photography "lets show off our predators" if you want to check them out..I love my Broomtail, he is a great fish!!!

 

[conogre]

Many of the larger puffers have two different colorations, one for daytime and another for nocturnal prowlings, so I woudn't be overly concerned there.
I would suggest using caution with copper in your main tank, however, as it leaches into the LR and can be with you for far longer than you intended.

 

[tony detroit]

Originally posted by Conogre
I would suggest using caution with copper in your main tank, however, as it leaches into the LR and can be with you for far longer than you intended.
YES, hypo is the way.

 

[flamewrasse03]

Most saltwater fish if not all go into defensive mode at night time(except nocturnal predators). They lose a lot of their color to help blend in with the reef and rock work. Kinda like parrotfish spin a mucus cocoon at night time to help hide their scent and others lock their dorsal fins into rockwork almost making it impossible for them to be removed. If you've ever been night scuba diving off the florida coast you'll know what i'm talking about. Quite an awesome sight.

 

[lionstorm]

pufferfish change colors a lot, almost like camellions (sp) my porc puffer does the same thing, sometimes he lays on the rocks and his body color shifts to match, your puffer is likely just changing colors at night to help blend into the rock work better like Xtremenemo said. Mine always looks pale when the lights first turn on and tan by the end of the day. HTH