The Puffer Forum

HEY All,
I recently bought back a congo puffer form LFS cause its in terrible condition. The tank, more like a small container, is about 70ml, no filtration, just an air hose. The puffer lost its tail when i first got him and is extremely skinny. GOSH

Always wanted a congo puffer, so I decided to bring him home, saving him from the LFS. He settle in pretty quickly, and seems to enjoy its tank. Its currently a 8G tank (he's only abt 2.5cm small), fully cycled with ammonia=0, nitrite=0. I'm planning to introduce him and ,hopefully a her, (another healthy little congo i have) into a 50G tank when both of them reaches about 3.5cm long. All the water have been conditioned and left to stand for a day before water changes. he's been fed with live small shrimp(gut-loaded with nutritional powder fish food) twice a day. This guy have been with me for abt 9 days now. He have put on a GREAT deal of weight and the tail is healing very quickly. But, some irritating symptoms starts to become more prominent.

ICH starts to appear in great numbers, and this digusting mould/fungus like spot appear behind his eye. I start to use a little medication(methlyene blue for ich), do 50% WC every alternate days. No tankmates in his tanks and water parameter is good. Ammonia=0, nitrite=0, nitrate=near 0. Its been 3 days since the first white spot appear, and you know how it feels that no matter what you did, THEY JUST DONT GO AWAY. I think its getting worst. Below are the attached photos, just look at the mould spot behind the eye.

But look at the tummy it gain, sweeeeet. Anyway, PLEASE HELP!!

Are you using the regular heat/salt technique for the ich? I'd try Melafix/Pimafix for the spot behind the eye. He's a real cutie!

OH GOD, I been following up with treatment using the aquarium salt and loads of WC,temp is now at 28 degree celsius, but the poor little fella seems to be slipping into worst condition. It start to have heavy breathing all the time, appeitite decreases dramatically (usually he eats up to two shrimp, but now only take a chunk out of one tiny shrimp), lie in one corner all day long without even burrowing. The amount of white spot seems to have increased and the thing behind its head got bigger, yikes. Do you have any idea what's goin' on with him?? and what's the thing behind his eye?

Many many thanks.

yep i'm trying Melafix currently. How's the chance of his survival?? =(

You should try to add a bubbler to the tank, as increasing temperature decreases the amount of oxygen in the water.

hmmm yeah, I got a venturi internal filter on and air pump. hopefully air is sufficient. anyway I just saw him went for a shrimp,evrything's gone in one gulp. =)

It sounds like things are gonna be ok for your puff. Its worth remeberin though that they have a 40% higher oxygen dmend when they are feeding and when this is doubled with high temp which reduces available O2 as Spoot says. This is why you saw the gasping. Try not to overfeed while the treatment is running

Hmmm, I guess you're right. HAha, I forgo his dinner yesterdady and the panting stopped. Thanks man!!!

Guys,, UMMM could it be velvet??? I ask a friend of mine, and he suggested it. UH OH...

Guys, he's dead. Found him dead on the bed on christmas day. He turn real bad in color. At least the suffering for him ended

Awww... so sorry for your loss...

That was such a sad story. Had you troubled then full of hope. poor guy

I am sorry about your puffer.

I am soos orry to hear that, often their are factors that we just can't help. It seems that the damage had been done to your puff before you got him home

Thanks guys, we did your best =) I'll focus on my another healthy small congo for now.