Dwarf Puffers and IPs

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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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Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

Do you treat dwarf puffers for IPs. My Male puffer looks very skinny almost always thats why I am wondering.
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sevenyearnight
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by sevenyearnight »

Yes sir, especially if he looks skinny. :/
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Pufftastic »

Definitely. Mine were loaded with IPs when I got 'em. They pooped out worms for 2 days after I treated them.
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

Done deal. will begin treatment asap
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by bertie 83 »

Good work lol
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by sevenyearnight »

Just a couple of tips, as I found my fish hesitant to eat the medicated food:

Use either garlic extract, or a pressed garlic clove/juice along with the medication, this seems to either mask the medicated flavor and smell, or make it smell so irresistible they will eat it anyway.

Allow the food to soak in the medication for about 30 hour to an hour, but don't soak it longer than that or they pretty much won't touch it no matter how much mashed garlic you infuse it with.

I've used the Jungle tabs and Tetra Parasite Guard tabs types of the Praziquantel, Metronidazole based medications both with success just breaking of little pieces for the food marinade.
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

Thats how I treated my F8, but the vitamin soak I have has garlic flavoring so that helped out. I used Tetra parasite guard.

My problem is, the little walrus won't eat bloodworms or shrimp or plankton that I have, He will only eat snails for some reason, so I think I'm screwed.
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by jjj5311 »

How does your dwarf eat snails, mine only eats them if i crush them prior to the feeding
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by jjj5311 »

I would imagine soaking the snails wouldnt be an issue, i believe i have read it on here before that people have done it, but someone will correct me if i am wrong
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

I think it dissolves them... but I'm not positive
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by sevenyearnight »

Try soaking the snails for 15 minutes, less time to dissolve?
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

I might try that, unless some experts step in.

I need to find some live black worms
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

Before I feed today, I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on what to use as far as food, since he will only eat snails as far as I know? anyone?
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by sevenyearnight »

If he will only eat snails, then you don't have much option. You could try a small earthworm, cut into small pieces, if you haven't tried that already.
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Reaperpilot2014 »

Most of mine will eat a snail that has been crushed, so theoretically, you could take most of the shell off of a few snails, and then soak them and try that. If you do end up being able to get him to eat earthworm or another food, that would be easier.
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