F8 Puffer Fish - White Fungus Growth
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.
First off, very sad news - one of our puffers died last night 
Thank you for trying to help him out.
We still have 1 F8 puffer and 2 GSP that we want to help as much as possible. The F8 puffer is the only one showing signs of fungus at this point.
After calling around we were able to find Melafix, Pimafix and Prime. However Biospira is not available in Canada. Are there any substitutes that you can recommend?
If not, any additional recommendations as to how to move forward without Biospira would be helpful.
Thank you for trying to help him out.We still have 1 F8 puffer and 2 GSP that we want to help as much as possible. The F8 puffer is the only one showing signs of fungus at this point.
After calling around we were able to find Melafix, Pimafix and Prime. However Biospira is not available in Canada. Are there any substitutes that you can recommend?
If not, any additional recommendations as to how to move forward without Biospira would be helpful.
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Boxermom
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Sorry to hear that.
See, location would have helped, Biospira is only sold in the US right now.
You can order Biospira online from http://www.drsfostersmith.com but its a tad pricey since it has to be shipped overnight. Otherwise, just use the Melafix, Pimafix and Prime and do daily water changes of 50% until the cycle completes. This is just a temporary fix though, as you need a much bigger home for the two GSPs and a larger one for the F8 eventually, although he'll be okay in the 10g for awhile if you can get the GSPs into another home.
See, location would have helped, Biospira is only sold in the US right now.
You can order Biospira online from http://www.drsfostersmith.com but its a tad pricey since it has to be shipped overnight. Otherwise, just use the Melafix, Pimafix and Prime and do daily water changes of 50% until the cycle completes. This is just a temporary fix though, as you need a much bigger home for the two GSPs and a larger one for the F8 eventually, although he'll be okay in the 10g for awhile if you can get the GSPs into another home.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
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
Thanks so much once again as always. You are very kind. We are definitely going to get these guys in a bigger tanks asap. We were once again told that 10G is "fine" for these guys
In terms of the cycle, sorry for the ignorance once again but:
1) The cycle will still occur naturally without any other additives? If so, how long would that usually take?
2) Doing 50% water changes - does that impact the durtaion of the cycle (seeing as you keep adding in new water)?
Thanks again!
In terms of the cycle, sorry for the ignorance once again but:
1) The cycle will still occur naturally without any other additives? If so, how long would that usually take?
2) Doing 50% water changes - does that impact the durtaion of the cycle (seeing as you keep adding in new water)?
Thanks again!
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Boxermom
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
Yes, the cycle will occur naturally. Usually takes an average of 4 weeks, sometimes sooner, sometimes longer.
Yes, changing the water may slow the cycle down, but it also helps to minimize the toxicity to the puffers. Being scaleless, puffers are extremely sensitive to ammonia and nitrites and even small amounts can damage and/or kill them quickly. Most of the bacteria attaches to the surfaces like substrates, decor and filter media and there's just a small amount in the water, so it shouldn't make too much of a difference.
Yes, changing the water may slow the cycle down, but it also helps to minimize the toxicity to the puffers. Being scaleless, puffers are extremely sensitive to ammonia and nitrites and even small amounts can damage and/or kill them quickly. Most of the bacteria attaches to the surfaces like substrates, decor and filter media and there's just a small amount in the water, so it shouldn't make too much of a difference.
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
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
Thanks again for your response!
We just completed a 50% water change.
Prime package instructions say "to detoxify nitrite in an emergency, up to 5 time normal dose may be used". We put in a double dose of prime to start.
We then added MelaFix and PimaFix as per package instructions (including removing charcoal from filter).
We then retested the levels. Ammonia = 1.0 and Nitrite = 1.0
So here are our questions:
1) Should we add more Prime (as per the package instructions) to bring down the Nitrite? Or is cycling the only way.
2) Anything else we should do to reduce ammonia levels?
3) MelaFix and PimaFix both say to repeat dose daily for 7 days followed by a 25% water change. As you suggested, we do 50% daily. If so, should we continue to add Pima/Mela daily as per instructions?
4) We just saw that the white fungus has grown on our Driftwood in our aquarium. Should we remove this asap and all other things (i.e. rocks, plants etc.)?
Once again, thank you VERY much for your time and expertise.
We just completed a 50% water change.
Prime package instructions say "to detoxify nitrite in an emergency, up to 5 time normal dose may be used". We put in a double dose of prime to start.
We then added MelaFix and PimaFix as per package instructions (including removing charcoal from filter).
We then retested the levels. Ammonia = 1.0 and Nitrite = 1.0
So here are our questions:
1) Should we add more Prime (as per the package instructions) to bring down the Nitrite? Or is cycling the only way.
2) Anything else we should do to reduce ammonia levels?
3) MelaFix and PimaFix both say to repeat dose daily for 7 days followed by a 25% water change. As you suggested, we do 50% daily. If so, should we continue to add Pima/Mela daily as per instructions?
4) We just saw that the white fungus has grown on our Driftwood in our aquarium. Should we remove this asap and all other things (i.e. rocks, plants etc.)?
Once again, thank you VERY much for your time and expertise.
Last edited by check on Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Boxermom
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
1. Prime won't bring down the ammonia or nitrites, it just converts them into a less toxic form from what I understand, but they remain in the water to be used by the biological filter (cycle).
2. Nothing else you can do really.
3. Yup.
4. Yup.
My pleasure. Just hope I can help.
2. Nothing else you can do really.
3. Yup.
4. Yup.
My pleasure. Just hope I can help.
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
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
Thanks again. Ordering BIO-Spira right now. Just to confirm, should we only get the Freshwater version? Or should we order both Fresh and Marine (for when we setup their new tanks which should be this weekend). We plan on reading a whole bunch more before we set up this new tank. Should be a fun next couple of days.
Thanks again for your continued support!
Thanks again for your continued support!
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Boxermom
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
Good to hear! You just need the freshwater version, not both. You only need to use it once, when first setting up a tank, and with the new tank, you should be setting it up as a freshwater and then slowly begin raising the salinity after that. The GSP care sheet article thing in the library has great instructions on raising the salinity for the GSPs, and what SG they should be at as they age and grow.
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
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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Boxermom
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
Try http://www.aquariumplants.com They carry Biospira, ship to Canada and even have a Canadian distribution center.
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
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