The Puffer Forum

Melafix/Pimafix will not hurt the bioload.

Yes they will not affect your bio-filter. Melafix is for tattered fins/bacterial. Use pimafix for fungal if you believe it to be fungal. Both are safe to use, just follow the instructions. They can't hurt, so if you think it's worth a try, give it a go.
Yes water changes can only help, at this point 50% daily is not outrageous, but it may be a bit of work.
White stuff? Is it ich? Not uncommon for a sick fish to fall victim to ich, fish often contract it when under stress. If it is fungal, pimafix will help, if it's not, it will do nothing. For ich, you would have to use a salt and heat method.

Ok Thank you for the replies!

I noticed after giving the f8ps treatment for the IPs, the healthy one is now on the bottom of the tank with rapid breathing and very lethargic. He's still got beautiful colours so I am hoping he just needs some time. I did about a 1/3 water change in hopes it would help but I haven't seen a difference.

I have an un-cycled tank I was hoping to be able to transfer one of them to but it's just not ready, and would not be helpful to them at all.

I am so at a loss as to what I am doing wrong.. (well aside from the ammonia issues) One was super healthy eating and what not and now looks on the verge of death. I am going to end up with two dead puffers and there is nothing I can do about it, it seems.

It's definitely not ich. It's just white on the fins and not spots. As it progresses it looks somewhat fluffy, hence why I am thinking fungal. Maybe I am totally off on this one.

is there anything else I can do for my fish?

Although burry, this picture is best for you to be able to see what is going on with it's fins.

The one in the picture is definitely going to pass soon.. He's just kind of aimlessly swimming around the aquarium and then stops and gets stuck to the filter and then will swim off of it and do this over and over. I imagine one time he wont have the energy to get away from it. I have put the net over the filter intake in hopes that getting stuck is not his ultimate demise. Though I am sad that I was not able to help him.

sigh...

I have been doing that minus the used filter media and the biospira, which I know would be most beneficial.
It's actually still with us today though looking like crap. It's got more white stuff hanging off him, though seems to be better as it's not getting stuck to the filter. Though today he's not eating at all. So I cant see it surviving much longer. The healthy puffer seems fine. I haven't had a chance to check the levels today yet, but have added some metro+ to the tank, which caused the puffer to liven up a bit. I am hoping the meds help but I don't know what difference they will make at this point.

Thanks for all your help.

What is the Metro for?

Poor little guy. This is sad.

Looks like the condition that one of my GSP's suffered thru a while back, I found him sitting in a corner of the tank one morning like that and QT'd him but sadly he died the same evening in QT. He had the same frayed fins, dull color, inflamed nostrils, and foggy eyes. However he was perfectly fine the night before and was dancing in front of me at the glass. It came and took him down quick. I still do not know what happened to cause a fish to do such a quick 180 in terms of health.

The metro I was given by the LFS because I suspected IPs. Now I am just adding it to the water as it states that it helps heal skin conditions quickly and is a slime coat replacer.

Some how this fish is still alive and swimming around but mostly it sits on the bottom. I am sure it's blind as it runs into stuff constantly and it's eyes are very foggy. It has white stuff on it's body that is coming off. It looks dead but is swimming around... Zombie fish?? It's not eating so I am sure he will die because of that sooner rather then later. I kind of wonder if I am just prolonging his suffering until he ultimately dies, which seems inevitable at this point.

I never expected to be going through this weeks into getting these fish...

See, this is what ya get for listening to your LFS. IPs, need to be treated internally.
Didn't I post this to you already? library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/

Have you tested the parameters lately? Acting blind is a sign of high nitrite.

Hows it going today?

I'm reallt curious too