puffer/live rock question

[billgill]

i just bought some new live rock (18 lbs) and put it in my 65g tank on saturday. i already had about 20 lbs. in the tank. tonight (sunday) i was watching t.v. and noticed my puffer was puffing. this is the first time he's done this (that i've noticed) since i've gotten him (2 weeks ago). he's been behaving fine, eating well, always happy to see me, plus the water quality's been good. the 'puff' only lasted a minute, then he seemed to be normal. i gave him some food, which he ate readily, but moments after he, well, pooed. alot. at this point i figured something was wrong. my guess was that the tank was cycling too high for him with all the new rock. i took him out and put him in my 10g quarantine tank for now and then tested the water. everything was really high. my question: did i over react to the puff or am i right about the cycling? also, when a puffer puffs, is it always because they're in distress, or could it be that they're just stretching?

thanks

[joanadam]

Yes you were right, if your levels were high it was a stress response. I had puffers for about 3 years and never saw them puff unless something stressed them. They eat like pigs so it is hard to keep quality water conditions with them.
The live rock obviously wasn't cured, thus the spike probably in ammonia and nitrate. This will probably send the tank into recycle so your gonna have to wait it out and keep retesting the water until the ammonia drops. Your nitrates will probably go through the roof and at the end of the cycle you will have to do a water change and monitor for a bit longer, like a week or so.
Good thing you have a quarantine which most people don't and live to regret it.

[NitrateFarmer]

Agree, agree, agree...

W/ only 18lbs addition, your recycle shouldn't take to long - seeeing that your tank is over 55 or so.