*******OMG help little bugs in puffer tank???******

[SammyDee]

At what salinity is considered salt water and freshwater. THe only reason I ask is BC I plan to keep them BW and at what salinity should I be using my SW test cardsand or SW treatments? Where is the treatments in the library I have read them before but cant remember where they were?

[LilGreenPuffer]

Freshwater is zero salt, 1.000. Saltwater is 1.018 to 1.02something. I'm not quite sure where it turns into brine.

When your tank is under 1.010, you should use FW pH kits. When it's above, use SW pH kits. I think that the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate kits are the same.

Treatment for ich can vary from one salinity to another, but it's all based on adding or subtracting salt. Since you're already brackish, just raise the salinity again. You're still very low brackish, so use the FW treatment of raising the temp to 86 degrees and vaccuuming the gravel with a 50% water change every other day.
library/hospital/fwich/

[Pufferpunk]

API ammonia kits are also different for FW & SW.

Articles on disease treatments are in the Hospital section of the Library.

[SammyDee]

I just raised the salinity 2 days ago if I understand you correctly you want me to raise the temp to 86 and raise the salinity again now or next week and the weeks that follow. and while doing the WC during the weeks in between keep the salinity the same as to not kill off the beneficial bacteria in my filters. And yes today I am now seeing more very little spots, twitching and clamped fins. I just dont understand how it got there my tank is pristine it may have come from the live plants I have from different LFS. Or b/c I never quarantined the puffers since they were bought on 3 different occasions.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Begin the salinity changes next week. Raise the temp now.

Definitely keep the salinity the same during those in-between water changes. Only change the salinity once a week.

It's almost certainly because you didn't quarantine them.

[SammyDee]

thanks, yep thats probably what it was, the last gsp I got was a rescued puffer. thanks for the help. do you think if I do 50% wc every other day for 4 weeks with no meds will be enough to rid it of the tank forever?

[LilGreenPuffer]

Hopefully. The salt kills it during a certain point in its four-week life cycle.

[SammyDee]

So every other day WC should be ok. The spots Im looking at now to dont appear to be sticking off their body. I see them inside their black spots and almost look like indented brownspots smaller than a grain of sand.

[SammyDee]

just did a nice 75%WC hopefully thats the last of the overfeeding bugs and hopefully less ick issues too!