I dropped myself in a deep end...

[BedScien]

I dropped myself in a deep end... Having never owned a fish before, I went with a friend to a LFS and bought a 48L tank and 2 Fig8s and one GSP. I clung on the bag all the way home trying to protect the little fishes from bumps and turns. At one point when everything was quite for a bit, i heard FOUR little thumps on the side of the bag. (which was a bit weird as i'd only bought 3)

I got home, set up the tank, and gently emptied the bag into the tank to find out I had THREE Fig8s and a GSP. Back at the store, I was asking the staff if the little GSP would be alright as he is half the size of the F8s. After noticing that the upper fin of the GSP had been nipped off, I was surprised when I found out that the GSP may grow a full two inches bigger and be far more aggressive!

Researching these fish I became entranced. Over the (almost) two weeks I've had them I've tried to learn everything I can about their needs (trying my best to distinguish truth from nonsense) . I, of course, quickly learned about the need to mature a tank, and did daily water changes as soon as I could get hold of the tool. I bought a decorative cave wall another smaller cave like decoration so they could make their own hiding spaces.

Anyway, through learning and planned action, the fish's health has improved. Since I've had them they have gasped, nipped, and been easily shocked but now they seem happy in general. Unfortunately, due to the freshwater, the fish started developing these faint white rings which I later found out were fungus. I bought some marine salt and medicine (eSHa 2000) and have started light treatment at the same time as introducing salt.

Any tips are greatly appreciated. I'll put further specifics below for those who are interested

Current water quality -
Ammonia - 2ppm (mg/l)
Nitrate- Not tested recently (As the ammonia is high, I'm doing all that I know to do)
Water hardness - Not tested but I think tap water in our area comes out quite hard (we get a fair bit of limescale build up on appliances)
Salinity - In the last change, 1/3 of the tank was replaced with brackish water with a SG of between 1.018 and 1.019
Temperature - 26C

I am on the third (hopefully final) day of treatment with eSHa-2000 Day one - 6 drops, Day two and three - 3 drops. (the guy at a better LFS that i have since visited suggested halving the dose as they are puffer fish.

I am still using interpet 'Filter Start' but (I'm going to be totally honest) I only realised today that you are supposed to shake the bottle before use

[Pufferpunk]

Please, please, please return those fish & cycle that tank properly!!! Ammonia of 2ppm--well, just go inhale a bottle of ammonia & see how they feel... Filter Start is just like dumping more ammonia into the tank--nothing more than dead bacteria. You are also destroying any chance of good bacteria by adding that antibacterial med.

That Sg is way too high for F8 puffers. As fr as their size difference--immagine 3 ping pong balls (F8) & a Nerf football (GSP) living in that tank. In addition, your tank isn't even large enough for a single F8.

library/water-filtration/fishless-cycling/
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

[BedScien]

Please, please, please return those fish & cycle that tank properly!!! Ammonia of 2ppm--well, just go inhale a bottle of ammonia & see how they feel... Filter Start is just like dumping more ammonia into the tank--nothing more than dead bacteria. You are also destroying any chance of good bacteria by adding that antibacterial med.

That Sg is way too high for F8 puffers. As fr as their size difference--immagine 3 ping pong balls (F8) & a Nerf football (GSP) living in that tank. In addition, your tank isn't even large enough for a single F8.

library/water-filtration/fishless-cycling/
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
library/puffers-in-focus/fig8/

Thank you for the advice. Wish I'd come here earlier. To be honest, returning the fish might be no better a fate for them. The people in the shop are the ones who advised me that they would be fine together in that small tank and in the store I would imagine they would be put straight back into freshwater as they were. I can hardly imagine them nursing them back to health and selling them later with a new-found respect and responsibility.

Fortunately, I'll be in contact soon with a family friend who used to manage a (far better) fish shop which i have visited since. This shop he ran gave me much the same advice as you but with less urgency. Hopefully he can give me some help too.

Anyway, I will be sure to get in contact with him tomorrow when it's a less stupid hour (Current time UK 2am). I will post an update here when I have found out my next move.

Your passion is inspiring. Thank you for your prompt and helpful response.

BedroomScientist

PS By mixing in the 1/3 salt water with 2/3 of freshwater, is the salt itself further diluted or is the high salinity water just spread out?

PPS Carbon filtration, what is your approach? Constant or occasional?

[scpion]

And also, the faint white rings could just be bite marks. Which comes with new puffers especially gsps and f8 almost all the time. So be careful when u use the med.

[BedScien]

And also, the faint white rings could just be bite marks. Which comes with new puffers especially gsps and f8 almost all the time. So be careful when u use the med.

Ah yeah, thanks. That's what i thought for a bit is they they might have been having at each other while I was gone. The most noticeable mark was on the GSP and that slowly started to become more clear and then filled out into a full dot so i figured it must be something else. My impression was that it was too large for ick and through close observation I couldn't notice any of the associated behavioral signs.

[Pufferpunk]

I also appreciate your genuine concern for these wonderful beings! So what's plan B?

[BedScien]

I also appreciate your genuine concern for these wonderful beings! So what's plan B?

I'm not sure at the moment. Maybe you can help me out with that?
At the moment the treatment is finished, however the white spots are just as prominent as before. I'm wondering whether the fungus will be able to grow in salt water... If not, I may put the carbon filter back in to get the meds out and set some more salt water dripping into the tank.

I'm feeding them new gen pellets at the moment and a varying (thawed!) frozen foods every three feeds (6 days). They eat the new gen pellets. Last time it was a little bit tricky getting some to the GSP as the others would shoo him off. At other times though, he has been the one shooing them off they seem to have a healthy respect for each other now and keep out of each others way. They did fight way earlier but i had been expecting that they would do that in order to work out a pecking order, right?

I could talk about these fish endlessly. I have to stop myself from blathering on to my friends .

[Pufferpunk]

Did you read the links I sent you? Lots & lots & lots of water changes! Keep the ammonia/nitrite at 0. The least bit is toxic & can cause permanent damage to eyes, skin & gills. It would be much easier for you to accomplish this with FW & then move them to BW slowly, after you have a stable system. It will be almost impossible to keep the levels livable though, with all those fish in such cramped quarters. If you read those articles I linked you to: 3F8s belong in a minimum of 35 gallons (135L) & the GSP, 30g (115L).

Get those tanks set up ASAP!!! library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

[BedScien]

Did you read the links I sent you? Lots & lots & lots of water changes! Keep the ammonia/nitrite at 0. The least bit is toxic & can cause permanent damage to eyes, skin & gills. It would be much easier for you to accomplish this with FW & then move them to BW slowly, after you have a stable system. It will be almost impossible to keep the levels livable though, with all those fish in such cramped quarters. If you read those articles I linked you to: 3F8s belong in a minimum of 35 gallons (135L) & the GSP, 30g (115L).

Get those tanks set up ASAP!!! library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

Yep, working on it. Contacting people on craigslist about a tank at the moment. Already added some BW so I'll just keep that low brackish so the bacteria can (hopefully) continue to operate.

Starting to think that the white marks maybe are healing nips after all as the anti-bacterial seemed to make no difference. Maybe the one on the GSP filled out by coincidental injury in the same place or just because of the way it healed. It's way too weird that the white marks are circular and they do seem to be about the right size. Plus it would make sense seeing as they are in such close quarters all day.

[Pufferpunk]

Get prepared to use a lot of $alt, then! I doubt you have any useful bacteria in there at this point.

[BedScien]

Get prepared to use a lot of $alt, then! I doubt you have any useful bacteria in there at this point.

Yep A LOT of salt. I imagine it will help them through this situation though from what I have heard. Any tips for buying or making effective, cheap, and plentiful marine salt?

The fishes all seem happy and healthy. They all have a healthy respect for each other - They do fine around each other around but avoid being vulnerable.

I've named them after what they're markings appear to spell on their back; 'Roni', 'Hol', 'Noo' and the GSP I've just had to call 'Dots'

The smallest, 'Noo', comes right up to my face and swims around following me. Seems very curious and interactive.

The GSP, 'Dots', loves to ride the current from the filter.

Is it normal for a figure 8 puffer to appear a lighter shade than the rest? He (Roni) seems to behave healthy and clearly has the defining 'two-eyespots' but appears to be a shade of murky green rather than the almost black skin of the others.

[Infinity8]

I'm newer, but I'm going to say yes, the lighter skin is normal. Feather's gone back and forth between the murky green you mentioned and a shade darker, depending on mood and lighting. It's the belly you have to watch for- that'll change when they're stressed.

I'm also going to say you proooobably can't "make" marine salt. Go for Instant Ocean, or from what I've been told, pretty much any brand of mix will do.

Cute names!

[Pufferpunk]

I get my salt in buckets from www.petsolutions.com. Instant Ocean will do.

[BedScien]

Thankyou both!!