The Puffer Forum

I got my GSP a week ago and a Figure 8. The Figure eight looks perfectly find and plump however the GSP doesn't resemble the typical "puffer" look. His stomach looks a little pinched. I bought Anti-Parasitic pellets by jungle I soaked them in water he won't touch them. I ended up giving them to his snails. I bought Parasite Clear by Jungle, they're tabs that dissolve in water. I soaked some freeze-dried krill he will not touch it neither will my F8. After that I soaked a live mealworm and a few snails in the meds, he loved it. He really only eats live food so I don't think he's going to be able to get a healthy dose of meds. I would drop the tab in his tank but I am very hesitant to do so because he is scaleless and is more sensitive to water changes, I'm not sure how many tabs. Is the rule to cut the treatment in half for a puffer? Also, the box says to take the carbon out of the filter, I'd prefer not to because he hasn't been in the tank that long and needs water filterization. He's in FW now since the pet store kept him in FW. PH is 8. There are no other tank inhabitants. I cycled the tank with Dr. Tom's Aquatics, all my water levels are appropriate, there is zero Ammonia and Nitrite. His tank is 29 gallons. Thanks for any insight.
I'm attaching a photo to show his condition.

I have used these fizz tabs on GSP, F8, and DPs with no health problems. You must eventually dose the water anyway, or free parasites will just keep reinfecting him even if the food does work. DO NOT EVER(all caps for special emphasis) cut down the dose an an internal parasite treatment. This will make the worms immune to the med. Carbon removal is also not dangerous, it mostly removes stains and such from older water, so a new tank setup is generally not particularly in need. If the carbon is embedded in the filter pad, don't remove the whole pad, but if it's a separate component, take it out.

Thanks for the reply , I guess I should treat both of my puffers since they both came from the same store and the tanks were next to each other. I have a whisper filter so I can just open it and throw out the carbon, not the filter itself.

My carbon is inside the pad, and I've just taken the whole bit out. It hasn't caused any problems that I am aware of?

I was thinking in a tank recently instantly cycled, removing the whole pad might remove too much bacteria.

A little slice in the pad should be enough to get the carbon out.

My GSP is doing great, he doesn't look as pinched and his stomach is completely white. He's very active. He's has a normal appetite.

I put in the Parasite Clear last night in the water. I saw this white worm in one of the tanks, yuck! This morning Punk (Figure Eight) was active and Monk (GSP) wasn't in sight. I turned on the light and still didn't see him. He was all grey, sometimes he curls up and looks like he's dead. He woke up and then greeted me at the front of the tank. His tank levels are great, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 5ppm Nitrate, KH of 8, PH of 8. I tested his water on 8/2 and for some reason the GH test would not work for me it turned green after 40 drops, it's designed for FW and some ppl use their FW kits for light brackish water. The water wouldn't turn green. I have been measuring my salinity every day and even though I add salt it still says 1.000 so I ordered a refractometer. I just hope my tank doesn't crash b/c the SG is higher than the hydrometer is telling me and the bacteria doesn't have time to adjust. I use the glass hydrometer.

My GSP is still grey on his sides and his face. I checked and there is no Ammonia or Nitrite and the PH is 8. KH is 8. I don't know what's wrong with him but he's still eating and begging for food. It could be that he is 2' and is still in low brackish.

I"m not sure, maybe. One of my GSP's tends have a gray area between his back and belly all the time, but behaves normally, so I tend to think she just likes it like that.

Thanks Nick.
I think I figured it out. I cut back his feeding b/c I found the white worms (planaria I think they're called) from over feeding, yesterday he had a big meal and today he is white again.

Nick, when you treated your Puffers did you treat them with Jungle Clear internally as well? I've tried every method of soaking food in garlic or meds, he won't accept it, I also tried soaking the anti parasite pellets in garlic. I did one water treatment. If I do the Ultra 10 day cure will that work without any internal medicine?

I used the fizz tabs, some of my puffers have eaten food soaked in it as well, but some haven't. I'm not sure what the Ultra Ten Day Cure is, but I treated with the fizz tabs, waited 48 hours, changed between half and 75% of the water, treated with the fizz tabs again, and repeated the whole thing a week after the first day of treatment.

Whenever I have to treat for worms I just soak blackworms in the meds. I have a secret stash of Discomed which I use, but I'm sure there's some other decent stuff on the market.

You usually have to soak the *live* blackworms for 45-60 minutes. You can tell they've thoroughly absorbed it because the worms start to die. Never had a problem getting my fish to eat them, even though they're medicated, cuz blackworms are still tasty!

Nick wrote:I used the fizz tabs, some of my puffers have eaten food soaked in it as well, but some haven't. I'm not sure what the Ultra Ten Day Cure is, but I treated with the fizz tabs, waited 48 hours, changed between half and 75% of the water, treated with the fizz tabs again, and repeated the whole thing a week after the first day of treatment.

Awesome! I'm going to do another round of treatment. Thanks Nick.

OkieMavis wrote:Whenever I have to treat for worms I just soak blackworms in the meds. I have a secret stash of Discomed which I use, but I'm sure there's some other decent stuff on the market.

You usually have to soak the *live* blackworms for 45-60 minutes. You can tell they've thoroughly absorbed it because the worms start to die. Never had a problem getting my fish to eat them, even though they're medicated, cuz blackworms are still tasty!

Thanks, I'm going to PU some blackworms tomorrow.