Treating new F8 for IP - pumpkin seed method

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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.
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MilesE
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Treating new F8 for IP - pumpkin seed method

Post by MilesE »

I picked up a F8 on Friday and put him in my 8 gallon quarantine tank. He will be moving to my 32 gallon DT after he's had sufficient observation in QT. He seems to be doing quite well and eating healthily. I don't think he's showing signs of IP but, I'm rather new to puffers so, I may not be noticing the signs. I wanted to be prepared for his arrival but, the Metroplex and Melafix orders that I have been delayed (not sure if it's customs or bad weather as it's been raining a lot here in Taiwan the past several days). I've also been told by a LFS that Taiwan may not allow those item in (I guess because of concern over the chemical content - I don't know)

Anyway, instead of delaying any longer, I decided to try the "pumpkin seed" method/recipe to treat IP - just as a precaution and a preventative measure. I fed him some thawed bloodworms soaked in the pumpkin seed and he readily ate it up. I haven't observed him excreting any worms yet. So, any tips on knowing whether it worked other than observing his waste? How long should I continue this treatment - a few days? Can I refrigerate the excess pumpkin concentrate for future use?

I would like to upload a few pictures and get your thoughts on whether it looks like he has internal parasites.

Thanks,
Miles
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Re: Treating new F8 for IP - pumpkin seed method

Post by Pufferpunk »

How's he doing?
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!"
MilesE
Puffer Fry
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun May 14, 2017 7:50 am
My Puffers: Figure 8 (Pac Man)

Non puffers:
3 Bumblebee Gobies (Minions)
Location (country): Taiwan

Re: Treating new F8 for IP - pumpkin seed method

Post by MilesE »

Pufferpunk wrote: Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:00 am How's he doing?
He's doing great! I don't think the pumpkin seed method worked. But, fortunately, I was able to obtain some Praziquantel from a local vet and the Melafix I ordered finally arrived after several weeks. Anyway, I was able to treat him in my QT tank using both meds and it went very well. He's now been in the display tank for about a month and has settled in nicely, eating well, and begging alot :D

Thanks for all of the help!
MilesE
Puffer Fry
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun May 14, 2017 7:50 am
My Puffers: Figure 8 (Pac Man)

Non puffers:
3 Bumblebee Gobies (Minions)
Location (country): Taiwan

Re: Treating new F8 for IP - pumpkin seed method

Post by MilesE »

I was thinking about adding another F8 but, from what I've read, singles may fare better. And, I don't know if I want to mess up a good thing since things are going well with the one and the gobies.
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