Mkay. Yeah I would feel even worse if I did end up killing the guybertie 83 wrote:Removing the worm would not be something I would consider, I personally would just give the best possible life for the fish until nature does its work.
Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
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.
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Liliana
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:07 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Two GSP in an 80 gallon tank
- Location (country): United States
- Location: Colorado
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
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defool89
- Fahaka Puffer
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- Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 12:40 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 Fahaka
- Location (country): United states, Garland Texas
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
Has anyone ever thought about a cold dip, or direct application of cold by ice on such a parasite?...im thinking a cold dip may work. If you drop the temperature down enough on the skin, maybe the parasite would try leaving its host to find .a warmer one.
Or an increased salinity qt tank for a week to kill the parasite. Does this parasite live in both fw or sw hosts or just fw to mid brack maybe.
Gotta be a cure out there.
Or an increased salinity qt tank for a week to kill the parasite. Does this parasite live in both fw or sw hosts or just fw to mid brack maybe.
Gotta be a cure out there.
You have the right to bear Puffers.
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defool89
- Fahaka Puffer
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- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 Fahaka
- Location (country): United states, Garland Texas
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
If a worm was crawling in my skin I sure as hell would guide him out....smash proceeding.
You have the right to bear Puffers.
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I.Puff.Too
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 310
- Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 12:52 am
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Charleston, SC
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
I'd try IP meds at the very least. You'd have to treat him and the water though. The water as you said earlier, is almost surely contaminated along with the substrate.
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Liliana
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:07 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Two GSP in an 80 gallon tank
- Location (country): United States
- Location: Colorado
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
I haven't thought of that...but that is an idea (both I mean) Im not sure if either would work, all I really read about them was that if theyre under the skin you gotta surgically remove them, like PufferPunk said. But also, I deff want to get it out if there is any way at all..it keeps moving around under him and its really bothering me, no telling how much its buggin him. :/defool89 wrote:Has anyone ever thought about a cold dip, or direct application of cold by ice on such a parasite?...im thinking a cold dip may work. If you drop the temperature down enough on the skin, maybe the parasite would try leaving its host to find .a warmer one.
Or an increased salinity qt tank for a week to kill the parasite. Does this parasite live in both fw or sw hosts or just fw to mid brack maybe.
Gotta be a cure out there.
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Liliana
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:07 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Two GSP in an 80 gallon tank
- Location (country): United States
- Location: Colorado
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
Are you saying injections or feeding him medicated food? I heard the food wouldnt work because its not in his organs, just under his skin. But if there is some kind of injection or something...idk, that also kinda goes along with me putting him to sleep and pullin the thing out-I've never done either and am kind of scared to hurt him even more.I.Puff.Too wrote:I'd try IP meds at the very least. You'd have to treat him and the water though. The water as you said earlier, is almost surely contaminated along with the substrate.
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Liliana
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:07 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Two GSP in an 80 gallon tank
- Location (country): United States
- Location: Colorado
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
Okay..so I have another little side question and I hope that's okay to put in here...
It's about my 40 gallon tank with the two green spotted puffers.
So every few days or so I'll have to clean my tank AGAIN. Algae keeps growing back. I literally just did an almost complete tank clean the other day-scrubed, rinsed off the decore that was really bothered, etc... and the algae has returned this morning! Is there something I can do? Are the nitrate/nitrate levels just screwed up or something? Should I put some safestart in there..? Here's a pic-
Sorry for the off the topic question there...but theres gotta be something wrong. It shouldn't be growing back this quickly. The puffers in there are happy though, and my smaller tank with the infected fish that were trying to figure out what to do with...his tank takes forever for the algae to come back!
It's about my 40 gallon tank with the two green spotted puffers.
So every few days or so I'll have to clean my tank AGAIN. Algae keeps growing back. I literally just did an almost complete tank clean the other day-scrubed, rinsed off the decore that was really bothered, etc... and the algae has returned this morning! Is there something I can do? Are the nitrate/nitrate levels just screwed up or something? Should I put some safestart in there..? Here's a pic-
Sorry for the off the topic question there...but theres gotta be something wrong. It shouldn't be growing back this quickly. The puffers in there are happy though, and my smaller tank with the infected fish that were trying to figure out what to do with...his tank takes forever for the algae to come back!
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bertie 83
- Moderator
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- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
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- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
Algae could have any number of causes it will likely be a process of ilimination. What are the current water parameters? How much light does the tank get?
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
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C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
Meds will not eradicate a nematode under the skin. It MUST be surgically removed.
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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sgtmyers88
- Moderator
- Posts: 1296
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:37 am
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Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
Would it be possible to do the surgery and use this product along with peroxide and melafix as a disinfectant? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006 ... g=au026-20
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
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sgtmyers88
- Moderator
- Posts: 1296
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:37 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffers
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- Contact:
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
Also found this that may be of interest:
Of course these are different fish under different circumstances but surgery can be done.
Of course these are different fish under different circumstances but surgery can be done.
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
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G S P Freak
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 421
- Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:58 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: Figure Eight Puffers, Binks (29G)
Dwarf puffers, named "He-Puffer" (male) and She-puffer (female) (10g)
Non-puffer:
1 Red-eared slider, Tortuga (female)(100g)
1 rubber lip pleco - Location (country): USA, Indiana
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
I personally wouldn't try it unless the worm is an immediate health risk. As long as its nothing more then a minor discomfort, I don't feel it's worth the high risk of surgery. That's my opinion tho, decision is up to you.
No human being, however great, or powerful, was ever so free as a fish.
-John Ruskin-
"I have to laugh when people call fish-keeping a hobby, if anything, it's a science... and for some, an obsession." - Me
-John Ruskin-
"I have to laugh when people call fish-keeping a hobby, if anything, it's a science... and for some, an obsession." - Me
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bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
+1
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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I.Puff.Too
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 310
- Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2011 12:52 am
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Charleston, SC
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
Here is a list of some other general symptoms of nematode infections (besides the above already mentioned symptoms):
• Body Hemorrhaging
• Lumps or nodules on outer body (epidermis)
• Bloated abdomen (the fish may continue to eat or show otherwise normal behavior)
• Cysts, Inflammation, or Granulomas
Just because it appears to be under the skin doesn't mean it is. Lumps on the outer body are symptoms of internal nematodes.
I'd try the IP meds. Soak the food, and treat the tank as well. What do you have to lose if you do? I think you already know what you may lose if you don't at least try...
Source: http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/20 ... -fish.html
• Body Hemorrhaging
• Lumps or nodules on outer body (epidermis)
• Bloated abdomen (the fish may continue to eat or show otherwise normal behavior)
• Cysts, Inflammation, or Granulomas
Just because it appears to be under the skin doesn't mean it is. Lumps on the outer body are symptoms of internal nematodes.
I'd try the IP meds. Soak the food, and treat the tank as well. What do you have to lose if you do? I think you already know what you may lose if you don't at least try...
Source: http://www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/20 ... -fish.html
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Liliana
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 12:07 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Two GSP in an 80 gallon tank
- Location (country): United States
- Location: Colorado
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Help! Parasite?
The Light is a full spectrum one by Aqueon. I turn it off at night, but it's on for most of the day.bertie 83 wrote:Algae could have any number of causes it will likely be a process of ilimination. What are the current water parameters? How much light does the tank get?
Water Parameters:
Nitrate:20ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Alkalinity:120ppm
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0
This tank is pretty fine and the puffers seem happy most of the time..but the algae grows extremely quickly.