Ph 6.5, my testing kit does nitrites and nitrates (<0.5mmg) but not ammonia (will get a fancier testing kit!) and it's a freshwater tank with no salt. 180l tank, home to two south american puffers and five neon tetras. Puffers are fed frozen bloodworm, occaisional nibble of an algae pellet, daily ramshorn/ pond/ baby apple and malaysian trumpet snails that I breed in a separate tank. 30% water changes with decholorinated water once a week. Tank is heavily planted with bogwood and stone caves. Tank is two months old, cycled for a month with neons and snails and plants before adding the fish.
The fish were bought via a newspaper advert from someone who found them incompatible with her parrot fish (sheesh). She had them housed in a bare 10l tank, fed on the frozen bloodworms. They were both a bit skinny and both have slightly overgrown teeth. I bought them because SAP's are really hard to come by in UK, and I reckoned they'd fatten up and improve their teeth with some live snails and a happier home.
I am aiming to have 5 SAP's (found a supplier in UK who will courier them up with heat packs etc) and 25 neons, and (hope against hope) a breeding colony of snails and shrimps...but wow, the puffers can hunt!
One of them is great, active and happy.
the other one has been increasingly agitated for a week - darting, glass surfing, swimming in the filter flow, eating but more reluctant than usual. He has a real lumpy tummy and looks a bit scrawny under his chin as compared with his pal.
I wondered about worms, and today, found a string of creamy lumps in the aquarium. There's a grey, mucousy ending to this 2,5cm string of lumps which are about 2mm across - and, I swear I think I saw one of them "twitch"!
I have caught the weird stringy thing and it's contained in a bottle floating in the tank.
Is this a case of worms? I doubt the fish will ever have been dewormed, and I wonder whether the agitated fish was trying to pass this stuff yesterday and that was causing him distress?
Can anyone recommend a worming treatment that won't kill the snails? I am hoping their wee teeth will be worn down naturally, I don't much fancy dentistry! However, am happy to learn. Haven't seen jungle fizz - I'm in the UK.
thanks in advance,
bests,
emaggied
x
weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
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.
-
RTR
- Mentor
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- Location (country): East Coast, USA
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
180 litres for 5 SAPs and a large school (30) of neons is massively overcrowded.
SAPs should not be fed Malaysian trumpet snails - those will break their incisors plates (the visible teeth).
SAPs should not be fed Malaysian trumpet snails - those will break their incisors plates (the visible teeth).
Where's the fish? - Neptune
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suvattii2012
- Green Spotted Puffer
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Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
Welcome to the forum im sure somebody will tell you a treatment soon, im not sure myself.
Arrowhead
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
![[welcome]](./images/smilies/welcome.gif "welcome")
I agree with RTR--15g for the 1st puffer & 10g for every extra. That gives you 3 puffers in there. Personally, I'd not trust the puffers with neons.
Find a worming med: Metro or Prazi & soak their food in that & crushed garlic clove.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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puffykid
- Former Staff Member
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- Location (country): Madison, WI
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
Also please bring the wc's up to 50% a week. Puffers have a heavy bio load and need the extra fresh water, if your short on time do 3 25% wc's spread out over the week such as M W F or Tues Thurs Sat.
1 M. Turgidus - 29 gallon
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
Wow, thanks very much for the advice, guys!
I'll certainly change more volume, no problem.
The reading I have done on the SAP's says they are happiest in groups of 3 - 5, and they have totally ignored the 5 neons, perhaps because there are so many plants in there?
Top tip about the snails too - one of them came with a chipped tooth, and that's what they lady I bought them from was using.
Am away to source the recommended de-worming and hope to find it at my LFS this afternoon.
I really appreciate these tips, the wee puffers are by far my all-time favourite fish, if they are happy then so am I!
Bests
Elaine
I'll certainly change more volume, no problem.
The reading I have done on the SAP's says they are happiest in groups of 3 - 5, and they have totally ignored the 5 neons, perhaps because there are so many plants in there?
Top tip about the snails too - one of them came with a chipped tooth, and that's what they lady I bought them from was using.
Am away to source the recommended de-worming and hope to find it at my LFS this afternoon.
I really appreciate these tips, the wee puffers are by far my all-time favourite fish, if they are happy then so am I!
Bests
Elaine
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32976
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
Keep in mind, that unless 90% of their food are snails, you will have to do dentistry on them about every 4-6 months.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
I am having a problem finding metro/prazi here...
LFS gave me "Sterazin" (malachite green, piperazine citrate, acriflavine hydrochloride, formaldehyde) use on days 1, 3, 6,8, 10. They certainly seem happier - less rampant glass surfing, eating more, and we're half way through the process.
But, I've read here to treat IP's I should soak their food...would you soak bloodworms in the above formula?
Also, the crushed garlic - in lumps, or soak their food in that?
Lastly, LFS suggested frozen peas - really?
thanks for your help, in advance.
x
LFS gave me "Sterazin" (malachite green, piperazine citrate, acriflavine hydrochloride, formaldehyde) use on days 1, 3, 6,8, 10. They certainly seem happier - less rampant glass surfing, eating more, and we're half way through the process.
But, I've read here to treat IP's I should soak their food...would you soak bloodworms in the above formula?
Also, the crushed garlic - in lumps, or soak their food in that?
Lastly, LFS suggested frozen peas - really?
thanks for your help, in advance.
x
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bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
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- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
Malachite should not be used with puffers. Do a large waterchange and add carbon to your filter to completely remove the meds from the tank
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
-
bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
Crush garlic and add to food whilst soaking. As for peas defrost in boiling water, remove the shell and feed. My fahaka gets peas every week as do all my fish, they love em and it gets veggies in them yum yum
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
Uh oh!
Why not malachite? Is that only for fish with scales?
Am now cross with LFS, but am away to change the water whilst I think dark thoughts...
Thanks for answering, my fish are grateful!
Why not malachite? Is that only for fish with scales?
Am now cross with LFS, but am away to change the water whilst I think dark thoughts...
Thanks for answering, my fish are grateful!
-
bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: weird white, lumpy, stringy thing?
As they are scaleless it can be potentially dangerous. Try not to panic whilst you are away, but do not add more. In the meantime try to find something more suitable and treat his food
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly