After treating ich, can you treat for parasites?

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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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newpufferowner
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After treating ich, can you treat for parasites?

Post by newpufferowner »

(Background: This all started because my 3 year old daughter saw the GSP's in WalMart and I couldn't resist them. When I got home, I did some research on the internet and found out they were not the easiest of keepers and therefore invested about $400 in equipment and necessities the next day to make them the best home I could)

I have a 10 gallon tank with 2 small Green Spotted Puffers in it - just got them about a month ago. We recently overcame a horrible case of ich (we lost one GSP) which I treated with RidIch - still treating, about nine days into it (along with Instant Ocean and Melafin)....they seem to have recovered, all ich spots are gone and they seem healthy.

One of my GSP's though, who actually had the worst case of ich, is now VERY thin around the sides (until yesterday he/she had a lot black areas on his belly and around his face, but today those are gone, thankfully) - I'm guessing he/she has internal parasites (My other GSP is still nice and round and healthy looking); they are both eating fine and seem to be active (they used to be REALLY active, but I think they were also adjusting to the tank).

:? MY QUESTION: After having treated for ich for ten days, is it too soon to treat then for internal parasites????? I'm afraid of over-doing it with the chemicals. Any advice is most appreciated - I am a true beginner in the fish aquarium world, but am dedicated to trying to keep my friends alive and happy! I JUST read your article about the Discomed sub, thanks!

By the way, great site - without you, my little guys might not still be swimming! I am so thankful....I've contemplated going to WalMart to rescue the rest of them as they were labeled as "freshwater"...my husband would kill me because that would mean another big tank, but how can we resist?
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newpufferowner
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Addition to my first post about the skinny guy...

Post by newpufferowner »

Just so ya know, I realize that the ten gallon is WAY to small for these guys...looking to get a bigger tank, like a 55 gallon tank....hopefully in the next few weeks. Any ideas as to a great site to order something like that from or are you better off at the LFS?????
Learning the ways of the Green Spotted Puffers
Aspen, CO USA
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Boxermom
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Post by Boxermom »

Resist because if you buy them, doesn't matter why, Wal-Mart will just order more thinking that they are successfully selling them. Aside from the fact that you would need several large tanks.

GSPs require 30 gallons each. 10 gallons is way too small, especially for two and most certainly not for three. Two GSPs should be in at least a 60, although many around here recommend a 75. This is due to a number of reasons, not the least of which is that they get to be 6" long (not including tail), thick in the body, are very messy, need overfiltration, and tend to become more and more aggressive as they age and grow.

As for your question, usually the sign of IPs is a sunken stomach. Wouldn't hurt to treat for IPs, I don't think. I would say go ahead.

Normally, I think most of us just treat ich with raised temp and salt. I've never used any chemicals and have been very successful - no lives lost so far.

EDIT: okay, you updated while I was writing my response. :) For another tank, you might want to check EBay for somewhere close to you, or I've had great success with Craigslist.com. You can get some great deals on used tanks both places. I wouldn't order one to be shipped though, you'll pay a fortune in shipping. Better off getting it at Wal-Mart or an LFS.
Tina

Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
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lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

Great advice there.

I would look on http://www.craigslist.com if you want a great deal on a local sellers aquarium. If you want new, go to a retail store. I think you should look into a 75-gallon. I have 2 GSP's in a 75, and I quite like that size for them, and they're still only an inch. At maturity it will be perfect.
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Pufferpunk
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Post by Pufferpunk »

What in the world did you buy for a 10g tank that cost $400???

Read the sticky here on treating puffers w/ich. You really shouldn't use meds on them for that. Glad you're using Melafix too. Great article on GSPs in our Library too.

Welcome to TPF!
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!"
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monsterpuffer
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Post by monsterpuffer »

What in the world did you buy for a 10g tank that cost $400???
If that's not flaming someone, then what is?

The fact is you dont know what he got - he did mention IO. So maybe they're in SW or BW now and he bought a skimmer, an EHEIM canister, or any other expensive gadgets with upgrading in mind.

I've seen a lot of posts around here lately, though not normally from you PP, that cross the line when it comes to manners and behavior.

You should always write as if you're reader is standing right in front of you. If you can't write it then, then it shouldn't be written.
A man without data is just another man with an opinion.
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brian
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Post by brian »

Id have to agree with PP on this one. I don't see how u could invest $400 on a 10 gallon tank buying products recommended for that size of a tank. Now if you were buying products for a 55 gallon or bigger tank i could see you investing that much and if that was your plan to upgrade i could see that.
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lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

Guys, I don't think PP was flaming or saying he shouldn't have, she was just surprised, that's all. I'm sure nothing bad was intended.

How's it coming newpufferowner?
Last edited by lisalisa on Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Boxermom
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Post by Boxermom »

That wasn't at all a flame, that was a question from someone who was astounded, as quite a few of us seem to be, at that statement.
Tina

Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
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Pufferpunk
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Posts: 32979
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:
Contact Pufferpunk

Post by Pufferpunk »

Nope, just an expression of great suprise. Wondering how it could be done, that's all. $400 would buy a whole lot of stuff but for a 10g?
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!"
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lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

LOL I could spend that in a heartbeat.
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