The Puffer Forum

Thanks Pufferpunk for the links, they were helpfull

I hope those links helped.

A few question:

Since I could only find chelated copper sulfate locally, this is what in the tank now, and I will be getting SeaChem Cupramine tomorrow, how should I go about doing the switch to cupramine?

Since I will be monitoring the level with a test kit, what is an acceptable level?

When a fish gets in contact with the parasite that causes velvet, does anyone know how much time before we can see any symptoms?

Thank you

Since your fish is in an uncycled tank, it shouldn't take long to change out the 1st med, substituting it for the new one.

bigden wrote: When a fish gets in contact with the parasite that causes velvet, does anyone know how much time before we can see any symptoms?

Thank you

I recently was tank sitting a guys tank and velvet was introduced through a Butterfly fish. All of his fish were affected, and died (there was no QT tank or anything to move them into) except for 3 wrasses that never showed any symptoms. The wrasses are still fine a month later. I think some fish are just weaker and more susceptable to the disease. But I would definately treat the fish anyway, even if there are no symptoms.

Here is my advice that I had sent yesterday via PM (so all can learn/benefit)


"If it is velvet - copper is the only proven method of cure/eradication.

Need to use Cupramine (Seachem) and monitor levels daily with the appropriate test kit for this copper. All fish that are in the tank with the puffer need to be treated regardless if they have symptoms or not. Do not add copper to a tank with live rock, substrate, inverts or corals.

Monitor water parameters daily. Increase aeration. Do not increase the tank temp."



If there is another form of medication in the tank - 100% water change. Run carbon in a filter for a couple hours. Remove the carbon and then add medication. Follow the directions on the medication and make sure to treat for the entire duration regardless if the fish appears to be symptom free.

Disease, poor water conditions as well as medications can contribute to anorexia.

If there is another form of medication in the tank - 100% water change.

Even if the other med is a different form of copper? I'm so glad PQ is here to give better advice than myself, when it comess to marine puffer diseases & cures!

Spike is now medicated with Cupramine. I have not seen any change in him yet. He does not eat now. I think the next few days will be critical. He just need to hang in there I guess.

I find it hard to see him like this.

Be sure to keep a very close eye on the parameters in that tank, especially ammonia & nitrites. You will be doing lots of large WC to keep them at 0 in a QT.

I am sad to tell you that Spike died last night, I feel so responsible for his death. I am angry at the LFS who gave me a lot of misinformation. I wish I could have use the right medicine at the start of the disease (I couldn't find cupramine in my small town). I have learned a lot while reading everything I could to help Spike; unfortunately it was too late to save him. I am not giving up on fish keeping, but my attitude towards the way I will go about it has changes.

Thank to all who help, I appreciate it a lot.

I don’t know if I am silly or what but I have buried my little friend this morning.
I taught he deserve a final resting place.

Next is to clean up the QT and the accessories.

For my main display tank, I don’t know what to do.
Should I break it down to clean everything?
Should I let it run for a few weeks? If so, how long?
What will happen to my biological filtration during this time, can it be sustained?

I fell the blues today.

Sorry for your loss, I felt the same way when my porc died (I also burried him).

I would leave the main display fishless for at least 6 weeks. You really don't need to tear everything down, just a long period with no fish. If you want to sustain the biological filtration just add a piece of shrimp or something every week or two. It will rot and keep the biological filtraiton healthy.

IMO stay away from the large marine puffers unless you get a bigger tank. If you want a puffer, you could probably keep a small toby puffer in the 55g. It would also be a great tank for a big GSP or Celyon puffer.

Yes I will get another porcupine puffer, but not before I have a nice home for him. I will be looking at this in the following months.

I am wondering with a puffer if a wider tank is better then a higher tank.

Any thought on this.

Definately the larger the footprint, the better.

im sorry that u lost your little buddy...[*]

I'm thinking of this for a tank.

L=72" W=30" H=24 = 224 U.S.gallons

Sand at the bottom with 100 pounds of live rock.

And a big protein skimmer in a sump where I could supplement filtration with a big canister or even a wet/dry trickle filter if necessary.

And I would like to setup something with mangrove to remove nitrate.

What do you think?