GSP turning white! Please help!

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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.
User avatar
messy_da_legend
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:53 pm
My Puffers: M. baileyi called Esau
Location: Ipswich UK

GSP turning white! Please help!

Post by messy_da_legend »

Over the last couple of days my GSP has turned white around the tail area and about a 3rd of the way up its body!
It's been hanging out near the top corner of the tank and moves slowly. It's been eating fine and again this morning.

NitrAte 5
NitrIte 0
pH 8.2
Ammonia 0

I can't figure out whats wrong, any of you know?
Tom

1 x M. baileyi
lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

Check your heater. My GSP's went white when their heater malfunctioned and the were chilled.
User avatar
messy_da_legend
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:53 pm
My Puffers: M. baileyi called Esau
Location: Ipswich UK

Post by messy_da_legend »

Temperature is at 27 which is normal. :|
Tom

1 x M. baileyi
User avatar
messy_da_legend
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:53 pm
My Puffers: M. baileyi called Esau
Location: Ipswich UK

Post by messy_da_legend »

Also it looks as if the colour has literally peeled off him. He is now hanging at the top of the tank and just looks at me when I go up to him rather than swimming away like earlier
Tom

1 x M. baileyi
User avatar
WilliamtheMan
Puffer Fry
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2006 8:04 am
Location: Essex, UK

Post by WilliamtheMan »

Check you SG level and try to increase the oxygen level if he seems stressed and breathing heavily
User avatar
messy_da_legend
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:53 pm
My Puffers: M. baileyi called Esau
Location: Ipswich UK

Post by messy_da_legend »

SG is 1.012 and I dont think it's oxygen levels as he's not gasping at the top at all, he is just hanging face down :cry:
Tom

1 x M. baileyi
User avatar
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:

Post by Pufferpunk »

Sounds like that flesh-eating disease that puffer_archer & someone else here had. I don't think they had much luck. Start adding Mela/Pimafix now.
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!"
User avatar
messy_da_legend
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:53 pm
My Puffers: M. baileyi called Esau
Location: Ipswich UK

Post by messy_da_legend »

Ok I just got back from the lfs with some melafix. Fingers crossed.....
Tom

1 x M. baileyi
lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

If it is really as bad as a flesh eating disease, I'd think a stronger med. is in order.
User avatar
messy_da_legend
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:53 pm
My Puffers: M. baileyi called Esau
Location: Ipswich UK

Post by messy_da_legend »

Really, like what? He has picked up a bit since this morning when I first posted and is swimming but still looks nasty.
Do you know what causes that flesh disease so it can be prevented in future?
Tom

1 x M. baileyi
perek
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 281
Joined: Mon Jul 25, 2005 12:07 am

Post by perek »

Try some Tetracycline HCL, thats the strongest anti bacterial available over the counter. You can pick some up under the name Maracyn-TC.

Melafix is only usefull for early/minor cases. You need some real meds to save it now.
User avatar
messy_da_legend
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:53 pm
My Puffers: M. baileyi called Esau
Location: Ipswich UK

Post by messy_da_legend »

I think I'll have to give that one a miss as I'm on a really tight budget at the moment, and plus I cant find that on an English site. :( I' trying to save for going away to college college next year to do ornamental fish there and I've already spent £10 on meds for this £3 fish today. We'll have to see what happens with melafix/interpet meds and keep fingers crossed. :cry:
Cheers for the help though
Tom

1 x M. baileyi
User avatar
Phaedrus
Former Staff Member
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 8:34 pm
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Contact:

Post by Phaedrus »

How do you measure your SG? Can you get it independently verified?
User avatar
messy_da_legend
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:53 pm
My Puffers: M. baileyi called Esau
Location: Ipswich UK

Post by messy_da_legend »

I use my hydrometer. Other than taking water to the lfs there is no other way of verifying. My knight gobies and scat have no problems (yet).
Tom

1 x M. baileyi
User avatar
Phaedrus
Former Staff Member
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 8:34 pm
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Contact:

Post by Phaedrus »

I'd get your water checked at the LFS just to verify your own tests. Something could be off.
Post Reply