Is it possible that this could be some kind of internal parasite? Someone suggested I might consider treating with internal parasite meds. Any thoughts?
Dan
Dust?
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.
-
Pufferpunk
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Puffer Queen
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Sorry Puffer Queen... I forgot to answer that question. Right now I have an Emperor 400 (?) as my biological/mechanical filter. I'm also using a cheap protein skimmer (recommended to me by a LFS that I no longer use), but I'm in the process of putting some money aside to upgrade. I also had a UV filter, but it recently sprang a leak and fried the ballast, so I need to get a new one (I think I need a second job 
). Those two items are my top priorities to replace.
The good news is that my porc is starting to look a little better. Yesterday was definitely his worst day so far, but I've managed to keep the water in check today (after three water changes) and I think I'm starting to see a definite improvement. He's been more active, the bumps have gone done substantially, and their seem to be less spots. He still doesn't look great, but I think the cupramine is starting to do the trick (knock on wood). He also ate some food for the first time since I quarantined him.
Tomorrow, I'm going to run up to my LFS (the only one in the area I trust) and talk with them in person. There's a guy that works there that is really into puffers (he's how I found this website), and I'll see what he says. Overall, I'm starting to feel a little better, especially after seeing the improvement of my puff. I know we're not out of the woods yet though...
Anyway, thanks again for all your help (Pufferpunk too). I really appreciate it!
Dan
). Those two items are my top priorities to replace.The good news is that my porc is starting to look a little better. Yesterday was definitely his worst day so far, but I've managed to keep the water in check today (after three water changes) and I think I'm starting to see a definite improvement. He's been more active, the bumps have gone done substantially, and their seem to be less spots. He still doesn't look great, but I think the cupramine is starting to do the trick (knock on wood). He also ate some food for the first time since I quarantined him.
Tomorrow, I'm going to run up to my LFS (the only one in the area I trust) and talk with them in person. There's a guy that works there that is really into puffers (he's how I found this website), and I'll see what he says. Overall, I'm starting to feel a little better, especially after seeing the improvement of my puff. I know we're not out of the woods yet though...
Anyway, thanks again for all your help (Pufferpunk too). I really appreciate it!
Dan
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- 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:
Oh, I'm so glad! That last pic looked terrible. I'm really happy you found this forum in time. Thank goodness for PQ! Seems she joined us just in time too!
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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Puffer Queen
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Dan,
Thanks for the updates - hopefully your marine friends will continue to improve.
You may consider taking the biological filter off of the display tank and use it on the QT. Is there live rock in the display tank?
I would NOT run a protein skimmer or a UV during any treatment as they can break down the chemicals/medications.
UV sterilizers are not worth the money in my opinion. They will only remove the pathogens that are free swimming and that pass through the UV. They do nothing for acute infections - only decrease the numbers slightly - and that is ONLY if the UV tube is cleaned regularly, the bulb is replaced at least every six months ($$), the water entering the UV is prefiltered with a micron filter and the biggest key is the flow rate is appropriate for the pathogen you are trying to kill allows the appropriate exposure to the UV light.
I would not spend the money on a UV but rather on a larger tank, a better skimmer, or an ozonizer.
Best of luck.
Thanks for the updates - hopefully your marine friends will continue to improve.
You may consider taking the biological filter off of the display tank and use it on the QT. Is there live rock in the display tank?
I would NOT run a protein skimmer or a UV during any treatment as they can break down the chemicals/medications.
UV sterilizers are not worth the money in my opinion. They will only remove the pathogens that are free swimming and that pass through the UV. They do nothing for acute infections - only decrease the numbers slightly - and that is ONLY if the UV tube is cleaned regularly, the bulb is replaced at least every six months ($$), the water entering the UV is prefiltered with a micron filter and the biggest key is the flow rate is appropriate for the pathogen you are trying to kill allows the appropriate exposure to the UV light.
I would not spend the money on a UV but rather on a larger tank, a better skimmer, or an ozonizer.
Best of luck.
Kelly
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- 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:
Thanks again for all the advice. I wish I had known that about the UV filter before I spent a small fortune on one (before I fried it). Oh well... live and learn, right?
Is my filter too big for a 10 gallon tank? I do have live rock in my display tank, but I was tempted to move it to one of my other tanks since I dropped the salinity. Is there risk of spreading the disease if I do this? I'm guessing the answer is yes. Oh well... if I lose the LR, I lose it... better than losing my puffs. Incidentally, the GSP is still showing no sign of the disease.
Here's the latest update on my porc...
Phil (my puffer) is looking a lot better. The big spots have begun to fade, but the smaller spots are still there, although fewer. I would guess that about 30% of the spots have disappeared off my porc in total. He is acting much better (almost normal now) and was even begging for food this afternoon (he ate like a pig).
I stopped by my LFS and spoke with the owner/marine biologist. I showed him some pictures, and he strongly believes (like Puffer Queen and Pufferpunk) that my puff has velvet. He said to continue treating with the cupramine and keep him quarantined for at least a month (sounds familiar - thanks PQ!).
I'm just happy Phillip is showing some improvement. Thanks again to everyone for helping me out. With some luck, I'm starting to feel confident that he'll pull through. I'll keep you all updated.
Thanks again,
Dan
Is my filter too big for a 10 gallon tank? I do have live rock in my display tank, but I was tempted to move it to one of my other tanks since I dropped the salinity. Is there risk of spreading the disease if I do this? I'm guessing the answer is yes. Oh well... if I lose the LR, I lose it... better than losing my puffs. Incidentally, the GSP is still showing no sign of the disease.
Here's the latest update on my porc...
Phil (my puffer) is looking a lot better. The big spots have begun to fade, but the smaller spots are still there, although fewer. I would guess that about 30% of the spots have disappeared off my porc in total. He is acting much better (almost normal now) and was even begging for food this afternoon (he ate like a pig).
I stopped by my LFS and spoke with the owner/marine biologist. I showed him some pictures, and he strongly believes (like Puffer Queen and Pufferpunk) that my puff has velvet. He said to continue treating with the cupramine and keep him quarantined for at least a month (sounds familiar - thanks PQ!).
I'm just happy Phillip is showing some improvement. Thanks again to everyone for helping me out. With some luck, I'm starting to feel confident that he'll pull through. I'll keep you all updated.
Thanks again,
Dan
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Puffer Queen
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The salinity in the display tank can remain "normal" - rock can stay in it. Just NO FISH in it for 6 = 8 weeks. Inverts are fine in the display tank as the parasite needs a fish to continue its life cycle - no fish the parasite dies.
If the filter is too much flow for the 10 gallon QT - you can take the biological media (sponge?) out of the filter and put it in a smaller (cheap) HOB that can be purchased anywhere and reused for QT in the future.
If the filter is too much flow for the 10 gallon QT - you can take the biological media (sponge?) out of the filter and put it in a smaller (cheap) HOB that can be purchased anywhere and reused for QT in the future.
Kelly
Here's the latest update...
Phillip is behaving almost 100% normal now. He's been begging, swimming around, eating well, and even smiling! He is no longer gasping, and if it weren't for the spots still on him, you'd think he was a very healthy puffer!
The copper is doing its job. At this point, I'd say 60% of the spots have disappeared and his skin is starting to return to its normal color. His fins still have the most spots, but even they are clearing up. I'm very happy at his progress, and I can't wait until I eradicate the disease. It'll be so nice to return him back to the display tank... only 6-7 more weeks to go!!
Each day I'm feeling more confident that he is going to pull through. Thanks again to everyone (especially Puffer Queen and Pufferpunk) for all the support and help. I really appreciate it!
Dan
Phillip is behaving almost 100% normal now. He's been begging, swimming around, eating well, and even smiling! He is no longer gasping, and if it weren't for the spots still on him, you'd think he was a very healthy puffer!
The copper is doing its job. At this point, I'd say 60% of the spots have disappeared and his skin is starting to return to its normal color. His fins still have the most spots, but even they are clearing up. I'm very happy at his progress, and I can't wait until I eradicate the disease. It'll be so nice to return him back to the display tank... only 6-7 more weeks to go!!
Each day I'm feeling more confident that he is going to pull through. Thanks again to everyone (especially Puffer Queen and Pufferpunk) for all the support and help. I really appreciate it!
Dan
Some call it a product of a mis-spent youth, I call it Rock n Roll ! 
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Puffer Queen
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I'm keeping on top of it. Everyday has been an improvement and his spots have drastically decreased. I'm guessing that within the next couple of days, he'll be spot free. I'll keep dosing him with the cupramine though for another week and a few days (is two weeks long enough?) and I'll keep him quarantined for at least another three-four weeks.
He did puff up this morning, but I think he was just "practicing." He was begging for food, and when I came back with the food, he was a little ball of spikes (I took some pictures which I'll post later). He stayed like that for about 30 seconds and then went back to begging. He pigged out when I fed him and didn't seem stressed at all. Should I be concerned?
Anyway, as always, thanks for the great advice!
Dan
He did puff up this morning, but I think he was just "practicing." He was begging for food, and when I came back with the food, he was a little ball of spikes (I took some pictures which I'll post later). He stayed like that for about 30 seconds and then went back to begging. He pigged out when I fed him and didn't seem stressed at all. Should I be concerned?
Anyway, as always, thanks for the great advice!
Dan
