Hi everyone,
I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. I recently found out about this dedicated forum and I hope all the puffer experts here can give me some advice.
So I have 2 DPs in a 12 gallon Fluval Edge and I've had them for about 2 and a half years now. Recently, one of them started to look less round then normal. This past week the belly started to look even more sunken in. She's still eating as usual. At first I thought it might be old age but then I remembered that DPs are prone to IP. So today I today I got some Tetra Parasite Guard and I did the following:
I read in one of the threads here that I should dissolve a quarter of a tablet in 1 cup of tank water and soak the food. I did that. I soaked the thawed frozen bloodworms (although I'm not sure if this was intended for dried food).
I dissolved the rest of the tablet in a bit more tank water, and then returned medicated water to the tank.
Now I'm wondering if I need to keep soaking their food in the medicine. I just saw the skinny one pooping and it was dark poop, not white and pearl-like. Any advice on how I should proceed would be very much appreciated. Thank you!
pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Tank inhabitants: Just the 2 DPs
Planted tank
Last water change: Yesterday (50%)
The 2 DPs were moved from another 12 gallon to this new tank about 2 months ago. The new tank was cycled with old filter media from their old tank before they were moved.
DP with possible IP
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.
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scpion
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Re: DP with possible IP
Just continue treatment for ard 7 days and monitor. There no real need to medicated the tank water as they do not drink water. Though there are some discussion if medicating the water does kills the free swimming parasite or in the IPed poop. This being a relatively smaller tank, a Not too sure if the concentration of med will affect the good bacterial as well though.
I am not a Troll, I am just pissed..!
Re: DP with possible IP
Thank you. Then I'll put the carbon back in the filter and also monitor the water quality.
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bertie 83
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Re: DP with possible IP
It is unlikely to be ip's as you would likely have noticed it before. Ip's normally manifest themselves quickly, unlikely to lay dormant for 2 years unless I am mistaken
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Pufferpunk
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Re: DP with possible IP
They can actually be infected with IPs for quite some time, before their health fails. Not 2 years though.
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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Tim
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Re: DP with possible IP
As a curiosity; I don't suppose pond snails or ramhorns could pass it along to DPs?Pufferpunk wrote:They can actually be infected with IPs for quite some time, before their health fails. Not 2 years though.
*A wild water plant appears, Pig the Green Spotted Puffer is intimidated*
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Pufferpunk
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Re: DP with possible IP
I'm pretty sure they can, which is why they should be quarantined or home-raised.
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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Tim
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Re: DP with possible IP
I just got new ramshorns that are in their own tank, should I get some anti IP medicine next time I am at the LFS just in case?Pufferpunk wrote:I'm pretty sure they can, which is why they should be quarantined or home-raised.
*A wild water plant appears, Pig the Green Spotted Puffer is intimidated*
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Pufferpunk
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Re: DP with possible IP
That will kill your snails for sure.
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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Tim
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Re: DP with possible IP
What else can you do when the snails have them, how can you even tell?Pufferpunk wrote:That will kill your snails for sure.
*A wild water plant appears, Pig the Green Spotted Puffer is intimidated*
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Pufferpunk
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Re: DP with possible IP
You can't tell, that's why we suggest to QT them.
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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Tim
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Re: DP with possible IP
Is there a specific amount of time before you can then feed them safely or are the offspring safe to feed?Pufferpunk wrote:You can't tell, that's why we QT them.
I apologize for the thread hijack
*A wild water plant appears, Pig the Green Spotted Puffer is intimidated*
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Pufferpunk
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burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: DP with possible IP
I believe QT is one month. Myself, have never had any issues.
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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Tim
- Fahaka Puffer
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Re: DP with possible IP
ThanksPufferpunk wrote:I believe QT is one month. Myself, have never had any issues.
.*A wild water plant appears, Pig the Green Spotted Puffer is intimidated*
Re: DP with possible IP
Thanks everyone. So could IP have tagged along on new plants that I added to the tank? They will both eat a lot and then the next morning they would look starved. And recently they keep hanging around the front of the tank begging for food. One has an obviously pinched stomach. The other one is ok though. And the last snail they had were raised at home. Should I continue treating their bloodworms with tetra parasite guard?