Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

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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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BigLarry
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by BigLarry »

And in answer to your question , currently at 32ppt aiming initially for 30ppt.
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by Pufferpunk »

ALL your fish need to be in QT, so the Crypt will die off in your DT w/o any hosts. FW dip will remove the cysts when the fish is really infested with them.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by BigLarry »

I only have one other fish in the DT, a goby which I'm currently attempting to trap too.

Although I understand that to break the cycle even 1 is 1 too many.
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by Pufferpunk »

I'm glad you understand. PITA to catch all those fish in a reef tank, huh? I hope you didn't break too many SPS. I couldn't do it in my tank...
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by BigLarry »

Yeah, a complete pain.

Lost a few nice frags but nothing that I can't replace really. The priority is the fish.

Looking at the two in the QT tank they are looking rather sorry for themselves. Keep telling myself that i've done the right thing and had I just left them in the tank they wouldn't have survived.

Slowly lowering the Sg jug by jug, it's gonna be a long night!
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by BigLarry »

Just a small update.

The puffer seems more active this morning, having leisurely swims around every so often and has fed twice this morning. He still has "grains" on his fin.

Although it's a puffer forum, best not forget my Pyjama Carindal :D (he was my first ever fish) he's active and eating albeit little. The white bits in his eye appear to be coming out which I'm assuming is a good sign.

Salinity is coming down again slowly - aiming to finish today on 24ppt (from a start this morning of 30ppt).

Just a question, I'm adding RO to bring it down - should I be buffering this to get the Ph to tank level before adding it?

Ph is currently 8.0 (which is the same as the DT they came out of).

Thanks again.

Larry.
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by jdak »

From what i've read, you can drop the salinity pretty quickly. I dropped my salinity to about 9ppt in about two days. Bringing the salinity up should be a slow process tho. I have a S&S puffer, damsel, and clown at these levels for several weeks and never seen any sign of stress. I was a bit surprised myself so don't be too worried about it. Also, it seemed to take a week or two for all the spots to fall. I believe ich as adults can survive hypo and it's the reproduction that fails. I buffed right after water changes but thats probably a personal preference. Sorry in advance for linking another forum but i feel this article helped me. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fis ... facts.html
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by Pufferpunk »

I never mind linking to other forums, as long as they are factual.
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by soggydrysuit »

Hmm, I didn't realise hyposalinity for treating ich in marines could be as low as 10ppt. Thanks :)

Looks like I may have a few good candidates for a FOWLR - the two GSP's and the ytb damsel. Not sure about my three scats - they may need a pond of their own :)
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by BigLarry »

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zxZ0El5A5Fw&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zxZ0El5A5Fw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>[/youtube]

Here's a video I made of the "ich" just to have it confirmed really.

Thanks,

Larry
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by BigLarry »

By way of update.

Just running now at 0.009 with the puffer doing really well and now eating more than ever :D

Just 8 weeks to go in the QT, let's hope he doesn't go stir crazy!!
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by jdak »

I'd recommend 8 weeks from the last visible spot and not the date hypo started. Good luck.
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by Pufferpunk »

The 8 weeks is for the DT to remain fallow. Hypo only needs to be 21 days after the last spot is gone.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by BigLarry »

Just by way of an update and thanks to everyone for their advice.

The hypo worked and cleared the ich and the stock (including my favourite - the Valentini (of course)) are doing fine back in the display tank and thriving.

I've learnt a lot but mainly how savage whitespot can be, it's relentless and needs treating immediately, there is no time to spare.

Thanks,

Larry.
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Re: Valentini Puffer - white spot/scar on fins

Post by jdak »

Great job and i love the "treat immediately". Many people in my local forum recommend "waiting it out". I just don't understand that considering how safe and easy hypo is. Great job again...
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