The Puffer Forum

Dear all,
I think my Nigro is sick...before starting I describe you my task and all the parametres.
Nitrite and Nitrates are 0. Ph 7.5. At the moment my Nigro lives in freshwater because when I have bought it (One month ago) he was in a freshwater and speaking about on an Italian forum (Acquaportal.it) the other users told me to leave it in a freshwater for one/two month to acclimatize itself. So my task is 150 lt. He eats artemia and kryll..one time to week a snails. I have changed a 10% of water on sunday (bioconditioned and 26° of temperature). This is the problem: I have seen that the puffer has a white speck into the eyes (centred speck). I don't know if it's normal but i don't think....It seems a cateratta. The puffer it's very little so I cannot see well the speck but I have observed He is not active like before...He eats but not with a great appetite and He swims with less energy. He is more dark...not a lot on the tummy but I have the impression he is sick. Could you help me..or suggest something? Thank you so much. I would like to start to change water from fresh to brackish on sunday...what do you think? Thank you and sorry for my english!! Elisa

Hi Elisa,

Do you have a product called Melafix there?

Can you show us any pictures of your puffer with the problem?

Im sure the more experienced puffer owners will be here to help you shortly.

They will guide you how to slowly get your tank into a brackish, whilst your waiting why not take a look at the articles in the library and some other threads..you will learn alot from there too

Thank you!!!!! I have not a photo because it's really hard to make a pic...he is very little. This speck reflects with the light. I don't know...I'm afraid It could be a parasitic. I have readen the articles..very interesting and helpful...I have already bought the salt and Hydrometer to start changing (very slowly).



P.s: I love doraemon...eh eh!!Very popular in Italy too!!

doraemon wrote:Hi Elisa,

Do you have a product called Melafix there?

Can you show us any pictures of your puffer with the problem?

Im sure the more experienced puffer owners will be here to help you shortly.

They will guide you how to slowly get your tank into a brackish, whilst your waiting why not take a look at the articles in the library and some other threads..you will learn alot from there too

No:( I have not melafix...what is this!?Antibacterial....??

Its a mild anti biotic

Melafix-Rapidly repairs open wounds, damaged fins, red ulcers and cloudy eyes. Safe for freshwater and saltwater tanks. Melafix® contains all natural ingredients and is beneficial when introducing new fish.

Have you read this thread viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19229 ?

Does your puffers eye look anything like that?

I grew up watching doraemon hehe love him

Yeah..it's similar but on my puffer I think is at the beginning...it's a speck very little at the moment. I hope to find it in Italy..it's great that it's natural!! Do you think it's depend from my water...or it's possible my puffer was already sick when I have bought it!?

Im not quite sure but read the thread as there is good advice on there, you can buy Melafix on ebay and they will ship to Italy im sure.

If not let me know and ill try to get you some.

Im sure if you do another water change before sunday will only help the puffers though.

Do you condition the water you use for water changes?

With out pictures it is difficult to tell if he has white spot. So going on the assumption that he does have it and the timing, I would definitely start to raise the SG of the tank. Make sure you do it slowly, only raise by .002 per week so you don't kill the bio filter. Raising the SG will kill the ich and also help his immune system. When you are doing water changes make sure you really vacuum the gravel very well to get rid of cysts.

One thing from the original post that is troubling me, are you sure your nitrates are zero? If you have zero nitrates it means one of two things, either your tank isn't cycled or the test was done wrong. Nitrate is the end result of ammonia breakdown so there should be some showing when you do your test. I am going to ask you to retest the water and do ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. When you do the nitrite and nitrate test, shake the bottles that you add to the test water extremely well. If they are not well shaken the tests will not work correctly.

If your tank isn't fully cycled that could be causing some of the problems you are observing.

Dadof4 wrote:With out pictures it is difficult to tell if he has white spot. So going on the assumption that he does have it and the timing, I would definitely start to raise the SG of the tank. Make sure you do it slowly, only raise by .002 per week so you don't kill the bio filter. Raising the SG will kill the ich and also help his immune system. When you are doing water changes make sure you really vacuum the gravel very well to get rid of cysts.

One thing from the original post that is troubling me, are you sure your nitrates are zero? If you have zero nitrates it means one of two things, either your tank isn't cycled or the test was done wrong. Nitrate is the end result of ammonia breakdown so there should be some showing when you do your test. I am going to ask you to retest the water and do ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. When you do the nitrite and nitrate test, shake the bottles that you add to the test water extremely well. If they are not well shaken the tests will not work correctly.

If your tank isn't fully cycled that could be causing some of the problems you are observing.

Dado Thank you so much for your answer. I have done anothet time the test of Nitrates and they are 10!!!
The other parametres are the same. My puffer eats but not so much...He is just a little bit grey...I'm preoccuped!

Wonderful to hear!

Dadof4 wrote:Wonderful to hear!

I have taken a pic...as you can see...he is dark...I think it's sick...Today I cannot see the little speck into the eyes...I don't know if it's a normal reflect! I hope you can help me...thank you!!! Thank you all....

He stays a lot of time on the floor...and He doesn't search food like before...He eats but not a lot. Do you think it's due to freshwater?

Very possibly--he is definately ready for brackish water. The speck may be the normal reflection many puffers have in their eyes. If I were you, I'd do larger weekly water changes raising the SG every week by .002, although a nitrate of 10 is good.

Pufferpunk wrote:Very possibly--he is definately ready for brackish water. The speck may be the normal reflection many puffers have in their eyes. If I were you, I'd do larger weekly water changes raising the SG every week by .002, although a nitrate of 10 is good.

Thank you so much...I'll do it...I have two corydoras inside the task...I must keep them off. I love them and I'm searching somebody could take care of them. I think tomorrow I'll give them to a friend of mine.

If it is the ich parasite, the salt will take care of that, but yes, you need to find a new home for the corydoras. The problem is if this is ich, the corydoras have been exposed to it and you could give it to whoever you give the corydoras to, so it might be best to put them in a temporary home for a while by themselves to see if they break out in it.

He looks healthy but not quite healthy, as you said.. his color is off and his eyes look a little too big for his body, but he's nice and fat. I think the salt will help, these guys don't like freshwater, they are happier with salt.

Let us know how he does, and welcome to the forum! Your english is very good too