HI All,
I have 2 new dwarf puffers currently in a quarantine tank for about 3 weeks - i've treaked for Internal parasites as a precaution.
Water Paramaters
Temp:77-80F
Nitrites:0
Nitrates: 40ppm straight out of tap, so using a nitrate removal filter to
bring this down to 0 before adding to my tank(not RO, just a nitrate
remover)
Ammonia: 0.001(from seneye, verified as "0" with an API test kit)
Both fish seem to have grown signficantly and I thought all was well. But I've started to notice a strange behaviour in one of the DPs - a sort of flicking/shaking motion that lasts for about 5-10 seconds and then stops.
I've inspected both fish very carefully and can't see anything untoward.
Any ideas what this could be? I'm very reluctant to move the two fish untill I know that they arent harbouring anything that could infect my Dwarf puffer in my main tank.
Thanks in advance.
flicking and shaking/Dward Puffer
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.
-
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: flicking and shaking/Dward Puffer
If it is flicking towards decor/substrate then ich is a possibility. Ich is primarily a gill parasite that only affects the skin once the gills are full so early diagnosis is difficult. Keep them in quarantine until you know for sure.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
Re: flicking and shaking/Dward Puffer
Thanks for the reply - is it worth treating as a precaution? and if so, whats the safest method?
Many Thanks
Many Thanks
-
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: flicking and shaking/Dward Puffer
You have them in quarantine which is a good move, I would just keep an extra close eye on them for now as it could be nothing and ich treatment is stressful for fish. Is this behaviour happening a lot or was it a one off?
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
Re: flicking and shaking/Dward Puffer
Its been happening on and off for the last couple of weeks. I notice it at least several times a day.
How long would you recommend I keep them in quarantine for?
Thanks.
How long would you recommend I keep them in quarantine for?
Thanks.
-
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: flicking and shaking/Dward Puffer
Keep them in there as long as it takes. If it stops and you are happy you can move them on. All the time it continues don't risk it
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
Re: flicking and shaking/Dward Puffer
one of them isnt exhibiting any symptoms but its being chased quite aggressively by the one that is. Is it a risk moving the one that isnt showing any symptoms?