Treatments for new Puffer?

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Read this before posting!!

Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.

Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
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Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

I should be picking up my Figure 8 in the next week or so. What if anything should I be treating it for, I'm thinking for parasites etc.

Also if you could recommend puffer safe brands etc and how treatment is performed etc, I'm a total newbie to fish keeping.
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:11 pm
Location (country): United Kingdom

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

Yet another thing...

I just read if you add a substrate to a tank it can actually cause a cycle? Is this right, if so I'll have to delay getting the Puffer until things calm down. I'm going for Aragonite sand if that makes a difference.
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bertie 83
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Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by bertie 83 »

How have you cycled the tank? It's always good practice to treat puffers for internal parasites, find a med you can soak their food in and add some crushed garlic to mask the taste. Pick a big healthy one with a rounded tummy, although likely dominant you stand a much better chance of getting them acclimatised to your tank. Even if they hunger strike for a week or so they have the weight to withstand it
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
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Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

I was going to use the Ammonia method and do it completely fish free but the guy at the aquatic store said that was ridiculously slow.

So instead I used Stability with fish food at the beginning before then adding a couple of Guppies and snails. They have been in a week or so now and water tests are coming out good. I'm gonna run some more soon as I just got the test kit today so I don't have to run to the fish shop. I'll be moving the guppies to a spare tank but I might as well leave the snails in when I get the Puff.

The Puffer I picked is the sw one biggest in the tank but he's very bright and lively plus has several 8s all over his body and looks awesome.
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
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Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

Sorry forgot to mention I have some Seachem Prime just in case I get an ammonia spike.

Bertie what UK wormer should I use?
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
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Location (country): United Kingdom

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

I retested the water today and I detected the tiniest amount of ammonia and nitrite so I'm going to delay picking up the Puffer for another week at least. I think it's because I added a couple more snails in a few more days ago.

Should I be doing any water changes at all?
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bertie 83
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Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by bertie 83 »

The fishless cycle often takes no longer to complete, often less as you can control the ammonia going in to a high concentrate allowing the bacteria to colonise not only quickly but effectively. Plus no fish have to go through the drama. You can order most meds on line, jungle fizz tabs are the most recommended on here but anything you can treat there food with should suffice. Don't waste your time and money treating the water, it has been proven ineffective as the fish doesn't drink the water. If in any doubt speak to a good vet who will get the medication for you and will unlikely charge for their time. If you are just getting an ammonia spike now I would hold off for at least 2-3 weeks using a fish in cycle before you pick up your puffer. Just to add the fish you are using should equate to your bio load added by the puffer or you could end up in trouble. Basically your fish shop has given you horrendous advice. I personally won't shop at places like that
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:11 pm
Location (country): United Kingdom

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

Actually one fish shop told me to just use Prime and Stability and then just put the fish straight in. Fortunately they aren't all that bad, I went out to one place today who told me no way should I even attempted to add the Puffer.

I was thinking, although it might take me a little longer would it be helpful to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria by adding a few more snails to give them more food. Kinda like how using the ammonia method saturates the filter with bacteria, except obviously not anything like that much!

I just figured the filter might be better equipped to deal with the waste load of a puffer when I switch out the snails and guppies.

Looking up that wormer now, it's bizzare it says to put it in water when there's so much evidence it doesn't work!
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
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Location (country): United Kingdom

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

I was asking about med brands because one shop said you have to be careful with puffers due to having no scales some meds are toxic. However they couldn't recommend me which one to get either lol
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bertie 83
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Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by bertie 83 »

When treating for internal parasites you treat their food, so them being scaleless is neither here nor there. Good you have looked into it for future reference though. See what meds are available to you and post them here we can advise the most suitable from there
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:11 pm
Location (country): United Kingdom

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

User avatar
bertie 83
Moderator
Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by bertie 83 »

Flubendazol, spelling likely incorrect. I'm pretty sure from memory that is ok. Please wait for confirmation though. I think it's what the vets would suggest. I'm sure someone will chime in to help as it's been a long time and I can't find the packets I had that I used
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:11 pm
Location (country): United Kingdom

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

Ok well I got the treatment it comes in a sachet and says to add to the tank. Any idea how much I use if soaking a few snails or bloodworm in it, I'm a bit wary as there's a warning saying that an overdose will kill my fish!
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bertie 83
Moderator
Posts: 5298
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
Location (country): Brighton, England
Location: brighton , england

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by bertie 83 »

You won't need much, how much is in each sachet?
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
sarahnya
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 117
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 6:11 pm
Location (country): United Kingdom

Re: Treatments for new Puffer?

Post by sarahnya »

It's a 5g sachet of powder. It says to use 0.3g per 30 UK gallons. It's made from Flubendazole, I think it's OK because one of the reviews said they used it on their puffer ok.

Anyone know how to orally dose this and what amount to use?
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