Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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.
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Salmon
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

Reaperpilot2014 wrote: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.
I tried that and he ate a couple bites, I let it soak for 15 minutes. Then I tried blood worms and of course he just chased them and didn't eat them.
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Srkoe »

I've had two dwarfs that died of IP's because they refused to eat medicated anything :(. I have 6 left and one is real skinny and won't touch medicated food either...even soaked in garlic. I'm afraid I might end up losing her as well. I hope you find something that works for you. Some of them just seem to be more stubborn than others.
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Reaperpilot2014
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Reaperpilot2014 »

Sometimes you have to force feed them, although it's not a pleasant experience for either party. Actually, the puffer may not be too bad off since they're sedated. Anyway, I've luckily only ever had to do that with my GSP.

Every single puffer needs to be treated for IPs. Every single puffer I have owned has had them. It's better to just treat them soon after you get them.
It's a crayfish! It's a snail! It's a... ah who cares?
Nom nom nom!...

Tank: 4 liter custom-shaped sphere
Contents: 1 Brainfish
Ph: 7.4
Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates: ?
Problem: Cloudy/muddy water
Can you help me?
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Salmon
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Location: Ohio

Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

I don't know If I can force feed him. I may QT him in my only empty tank, my 2.5 gallon. and see If I can get him to eat something...
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
Srkoe
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 770
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 2:46 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 1 Fahaka "Ares"
2 GSP "Wally"&"Marty"
6 Dwarfs "the peas"
2 Figure 8 "Fugu"&"Gizzard"
1 Honeycomb Toby "Ashera"
2 Congo "P-Nut"&"Bevo"
1 mystery puffer (turgidus?)"Manson"
Location (country): United States

Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Srkoe »

I would never attempt to force feed a Dp...they are sooooo tiny.
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Reaperpilot2014
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55g - 3 SA Puffers "Larry, Curly, * Moe"
30g - 1 GSP "Demon"
15g - 1 C. Irrubesco "Raoden"
29g - 1 Figure 8 - Looking for good name ideas...
29g - Ramshorn, Marmorkreb, Cherry & Ghost Shrimp Breeder Tank
10 wonderful years with puffers!
Location (country): USA
Location: Utah

Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Reaperpilot2014 »

Not sure where you would find a tube that small anyway. It would be easy to cause damage to them.
It's a crayfish! It's a snail! It's a... ah who cares?
Nom nom nom!...

Tank: 4 liter custom-shaped sphere
Contents: 1 Brainfish
Ph: 7.4
Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates: ?
Problem: Cloudy/muddy water
Can you help me?
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Salmon
Green Spotted Puffer
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Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:54 pm
My Puffers: Albie (F8) soon to be rehomed
Milo and Millie (DPs)
Location (country): United States of America
Location: Ohio

Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

Yeah IDK what to do, Its stressing me a little bit.
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
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sevenyearnight
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by sevenyearnight »

Did the snails not work?
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by sevenyearnight »

I mean, a few bites is better than nothing, is he rejecting them now?
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Reaperpilot2014
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 638
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:38 am
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 150g - 1 Fahaka Puffer "Ramses" (The Pharaoh)
55g - 3 SA Puffers "Larry, Curly, * Moe"
30g - 1 GSP "Demon"
15g - 1 C. Irrubesco "Raoden"
29g - 1 Figure 8 - Looking for good name ideas...
29g - Ramshorn, Marmorkreb, Cherry & Ghost Shrimp Breeder Tank
10 wonderful years with puffers!
Location (country): USA
Location: Utah

Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Reaperpilot2014 »

Agreed. You said he took a few bites, and that's a start. If he's taking those snails, or any other food you've been able to soak, you're doing fine.
It's a crayfish! It's a snail! It's a... ah who cares?
Nom nom nom!...

Tank: 4 liter custom-shaped sphere
Contents: 1 Brainfish
Ph: 7.4
Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates: ?
Problem: Cloudy/muddy water
Can you help me?
User avatar
Salmon
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 270
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:54 pm
My Puffers: Albie (F8) soon to be rehomed
Milo and Millie (DPs)
Location (country): United States of America
Location: Ohio

Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

He only bit off of that first batch, and now he refuses all medicated snails, but if I put in normal ones in he scarfs them up...
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
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DrKennethNoisewater
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by DrKennethNoisewater »

strange your dwarfs dont accept bloodworms. mine LOVED them. i have had lots of different picky fish and none of them have ever not liked bloodworms. with my ghost knife everyone says its a struggle getting them to eat when first moved cause of their stress. i put mine in my tank, he looked scared, i grabbed some bloodworms, hand fed him and he immediately seemed far less stressed and happy. (probably his first good meal of his life)

kind of off topic just saying for me its strange that your puffers dont readily accept bloodworms. you could try a different med and try the half clams, just get small ones. puffers cant say no to those little clams.
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sevenyearnight
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by sevenyearnight »

Try doubling up with the garlic, and using less medicine for a 5 - 10 min soak.
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Salmon
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Location: Ohio

Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by Salmon »

Only my male DP will not eat bloodworms, my little girl loves the bloodworms, she gorges herself on them, so I gotta be careful when I feed them.
sevenyearnight wrote:Try doubling up with the garlic, and using less medicine for a 5 - 10 min soak.
What food do you suggest I do this with?
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
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sevenyearnight
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Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs

Post by sevenyearnight »

Whatever she'll eat really.
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