Hi my new Figure 8 puffer appears to have white/clowdy patches on chewed fins. He came with the problem. Maybe improved a little since, but white tail patches concern me. Won't let me add pictures. Just looks chewed up with cloudiness. What should I do? This if my first puffer and first brackish tank. Eats and swims fine. Paces. Has a large aquarium and many decorations, not sure why he paces so much.
1) Water parameters -
pH: 7.6-8.2 (changes with CO2 injector)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrates: 20
Salinity: 1.003 (started increasing a week and a half ago, but fish already came with frayed fins and white patches.)
2) 38 gallon planted tank, cycled for 2 weeks. First and only fish in there. Had puffer for 4 days. Fish was in fresh water.
3) Only changed water once ~50% since he has been in there. Did 75% after finished cycling though.
Eats shrimp snails and worms. Feed twice a day only a little until his belly is full.. fed shrimps with Vita Chem twice. Use SeaChem Prime only after cycle and Instant Ocean Salt.
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.
I increased temperature to 84 and increased salt from 1.002 to 1.003. To cure ich.
5) Fishless cycle for two weeks.
Fish came with problem.
Fin Rot?
Forum rules
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.
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.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32771
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Fin Rot?
Melafix/Pimafix should repair this.
To post pics, you need to download them here: www.photobucket.com & link them here.
To post pics, you need to download them here: www.photobucket.com & link them here.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Fin Rot?
I don't have any melafix, but I did put in pimafix. I work midnights and just got home a couple hours ago to find my fish's back tail both worse and better. It doesn't appear as chewed up as it was, but has a bigger, more opaque, white streak.
This is the tank:
This is him on the second day. Already a little better: His side fins are better today. I didn't get a photo the first day. Can get him still enough for a good photo. You can't see to good, but the white streak is already there.
Him today:
Nitrates are up to 40 ppm today, I'll do a water change tomorrow 50%. .....actually, should I? With the medicine and all? Or wait a week? Ammonia and nitrites are both at 0 ppm. Do I need the Melafix or is Pimafix good enough?
BTW guys, I found this awesome Android aquarium app called Aquarium Note. Best app I have installed on my phone for such things. Let's me keep track of EVERYTHING that happens with my tank, including expenses and photos of both aquarium and individual fish day to day. Makes sharable parameter graphs etc. Pretty neat. Just an FYI.
This is the tank:
This is him on the second day. Already a little better: His side fins are better today. I didn't get a photo the first day. Can get him still enough for a good photo. You can't see to good, but the white streak is already there.
Him today:
Nitrates are up to 40 ppm today, I'll do a water change tomorrow 50%. .....actually, should I? With the medicine and all? Or wait a week? Ammonia and nitrites are both at 0 ppm. Do I need the Melafix or is Pimafix good enough?
BTW guys, I found this awesome Android aquarium app called Aquarium Note. Best app I have installed on my phone for such things. Let's me keep track of EVERYTHING that happens with my tank, including expenses and photos of both aquarium and individual fish day to day. Makes sharable parameter graphs etc. Pretty neat. Just an FYI.
Re: Fin Rot?
Oh, I did add more salt water today and took out carbon filters. One is from my hang on back filter and one from my canister. I also took out my SeaChem Purigen. Is that a good or bad idea?
I work again tonight and have to sleep now. Please tell me what I should do once I return home.
Thanks!
And thank you for showing me how to post photos.
I work again tonight and have to sleep now. Please tell me what I should do once I return home.
Thanks!
And thank you for showing me how to post photos.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32771
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Fin Rot?
I don't really think you ever need Purigen or carbon in there. I always keep Melafix on hand. It's very helpful for it's healing properties. Try to keep nitrate <20 at all times.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Fin Rot?
What about Maracyn? Pimafix does not seem to work. Will Maracyn work with a puffer fish?
Re: Fin Rot?
Could it be Cystivirusvirus? I'm starting to suspect that instead.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32771
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Fin Rot?
Maracyn is good, if Pimafix isn't helping. Personally, I'd do Melafix/Maracyn treatment.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"