Hi everyone,
My GSP has been sick for about a month with saltwater ick. I followed the directions in the Puffer Library and moved both my GSP and my damselfish into a bare-bottom 10g quarantine tank (this was about two weeks ago). I used Ick Attack for a week as directed, and then did a 25% water change at the end of the week and put in a carbon filter in the HOB Biowheel. My damselfish (which was already pretty sick since he was covered in white spots) died yesterday. I removed him as soon as I got home from work. For the past week or so (since I changed the water), my GSP hasn't been his usual self. I found him lying on the bottom of the tank this morning (which is what he's been doing frequently for the past few days) with his fins tucked against his body. His belly is white and he will still eat vigorously when fed (I am feeding him krill infused with garlic supplements and Selcon), but I see white spots on his head, eyes and fins. This morning he pooped a stringy white poop, which was unusual because he usually has big round ones. I checked the water parameters and they aren't great. The ammonia level is 0.25ppm and the nitrite is 0.25ppm as well (I didn't have time to check the nitrates before work). The water temperature is at 82 degrees. I will be doing another 25% water change tonight after work. At this point, I am lost as to what I should do. This is the first time I am dealing with a sick fish, and I would like advice before I go ahead with my other idea, which is to buy a stronger Ick medication). Thank you...
Please help my sick GSP...
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.
-
crazedpuffer
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 1755
- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:57 pm
- My Puffers: 1x Porcupine Puffer
1xValentini - Location: Long Island, NY
Re: Please help my sick GSP...
I used quick cure for ich when my porc had ich and it worked.
Also try hyposalinity treatment that should help. How big is you GSP? Also does his belly get sunken in? White stringy poo is normally from IP, I'd treat for that just in case (I have had puffers die from IP with no signs of it at all untill they were dead and I netted them out of the tank and they basically fell apart.)
Also try hyposalinity treatment that should help. How big is you GSP? Also does his belly get sunken in? White stringy poo is normally from IP, I'd treat for that just in case (I have had puffers die from IP with no signs of it at all untill they were dead and I netted them out of the tank and they basically fell apart.)
Re: Please help my sick GSP...
hi rocco,
i'll try quick cure. my GSP doesn't have a sunken belly (i don't feed him much either), but he might've just started getting IP. should I use antibiotics for the IP? i've had him for about two years, and he's about 2.25inches long.
i'll try quick cure. my GSP doesn't have a sunken belly (i don't feed him much either), but he might've just started getting IP. should I use antibiotics for the IP? i've had him for about two years, and he's about 2.25inches long.
-
crazedpuffer
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 1755
- Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 11:57 pm
- My Puffers: 1x Porcupine Puffer
1xValentini - Location: Long Island, NY
Re: Please help my sick GSP...
I'd treat just in case. Most medicines for IP don't work. Try to get praziquantel (?)
Gel-Tek works good for FW fish but I'm not sure about marine puffers.
Gel-Tek works good for FW fish but I'm not sure about marine puffers.