The Puffer Forum

Details!

PH = 8.0-8.2
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 10
Salinity = 1.022

Tank size approx 650L with sump.
Tank Inhabitants Just the Porcupine puffer.
Feeding whole frozen mussels, 26-27C, Instant Ocean Salt

Aquarium has been running for approx 2 months, Cycled on Live rock and live substrate. Porcupine has been added in the last 2-3 weeks.

Hi i am worried my porcupine puffer has Saltwater ICH, i have had him for about 8-9 months no problems, and decided to get him out of the 70l aquarium he lived in for this time, to re home him in a larger 650l aquarium. However 2-3 weeks into his time here ive noticed the little white spots on his fins. i couldn't get any pictures, as he moved to fast and blurred all images, however if anyone could take the time to watch these two video's ive uploaded to youtube in order to help identify if this is the problem, then i'd be most greatful.

His move seemed rather stress free i scooped him up in a tub during what he thought was feeding time, he had a little speed swim in the container before i lowered him into the new tank letting a little water in and out of the tub just to briefly acclimitise him even though all params were pretty much spot on. All seemed fine, no puffing up or signs of stress. also he doesn't act any different he loves swimming a little circuit he repeats all the time in the new space of the 650l tank, letting the wave maker's push him across the tank before swimming back across the current for another go. Then into caves when his tired and sleeping perched ontop of a wavemaker at night. Also happilly accepting food and demolishing it as always. So as far as behaviour goes he seems great.

If this is ICH and to be honest if i saw it on anyone elses fish i'd be confident it was ich, im just hoping that it isnt and someone will tell me it will be fine. I need to know the best way to treat him and get rid of this so hopefully it has no way of coming back. To be honest i have absoloutely no idea how it got it in the first place when its been ICH free for soo many months then all of a sudden a new tank without any other fish, when previously he lived alone aswell?

Video 1 = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUIU0rJ72Ks

Video 2 = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptk6flnRRLM

Thankyou for anyone who takes the time and can help me with this problem.


EDIT: Sorry vids arent the best quality and there is a bad glare on the first one, however if u go from about 8 seconds on vid 1 you start to get a clearer picture of the fins.

It looks like maybe a fungus or something to that effect. It doesn't look like specks, looks more like small patches. Hope someone that actually knows what they are talking about comes along soon to help!

sevenyearnight wrote:It looks like maybe a fungus or something to that effect. It doesn't look like specks, looks more like small patches. Hope someone that actually knows what they are talking about comes along soon to help!

To be honest i thought this too, and the very small spec like spots on his tail fin could be even be a small patch of the same type of thing just where its so minimal it looks like the salt like specs. and i'm not entirely sure how long its been there as hes a little fish in a big tank! but ive been thinking alot about quarantine and stuff lately, as ive bought him some tank mates who are in the old tank, so took more time and care when looking at him.

That is not crypt. I've seen things like that come & go on my large FW fahaka. You could consider adding SW Melafix to his tank or just keep an eye on it.

Okay today he's looking alot worse his been fine the last few days but today he is literally covered in small spec's a few of his spikes under his chin look wobbly and like they could fall off, he is ALONE in a 650L tank, ive no idea how he has come down with this being fine for 8-9 months and alone, being in no contact with other fish, but i'll need to cure him.

The spots/specs on his body make him look flaky like his dry but they are all definate little specs is this ICH?

Whats the best way because at the moment his in this tank alone but it does have live rock and live sand whats the best way that I can i cure him? ive heard copper or Most ich products injures them as they have no scales, plus are dangerous to live rock etc. whats the best option i have.


It looks like the pigment in two very small circle patches of his skin has gone completely white in identicle places, one on each side of his body if this is related,

Sounds bacterial. I think you should post this problem to someone more expert on this species: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Forum10-1.aspx

Hiya little update, his absolutely coated in spots making his skin appear dry and flaky all over his body, his fins have hundreds of tiny specs on and his body is well covered, Ive decided to go with hypo salinity and over the last few days have brought the sg down to 1.009, He is still eating but its taking a while to get him to notice me and come to the front of tank to be fed, as apposed to him normally literally going insane at the glass for a bite to eat. He also takes a while to chew it and take it down spilling a lot more of the chunks and occasionally losing grip of it entirely and having to re-chase the food and start again. He seems lethargic and has begun sleeping on the sand bed as of last night. Does it sound too late? he mainly just stays in a cave now floating there peeking out at everything. Hate seeing him like this.

Did you follow my link? There really is nobody up on SW diseases here.

Is the skin actually flaking off or is it just turning white? Is there raw skin underneath? Also is he in with your LR or in a hospital tank? We may end up going the antibiotic route on this guy so if you can get real descriptive or post me some good pictures I'd appreciate it so I have a better idea what it's actually doing to him. You are correct though, hypo is the first line of defense right now

Hi bud, his skin isnt white i think in paranoir i just started to noticed new stuff it seems his skin just has this as a pattern its two spots on each side of his body and another two by where his cheeks would be if he wernt a fish haha! Plus where he was pale it may have showed the white off a little more. I believe the problem is Ich as my other fish regal tang has been covered in spots, aswell as the other fish light spots on fins, however it could have a secondary infection as a result.

Basically with the puffer, the skin looks flaky and dry, many ich spots on the fins but definately more like dry skin on the actual body if this is any help, the only camera i have handy is on my iphone and it just isnt showing well enough at all on there, which is why i used video's on the first parts but even now i cant get a decent enough video with enough quality to show the dryness of the body so im really sorry about that i'll try hard to borrow one and get it up soon as. Do puffer's seem more dry than spotty when suffering from ICH? or does this sound like a different bug altogether?

He has been lethargic and struggling with eating aswell as spending the last 2-3 days in a cave little movement (missing food, not really being that bothered), however today was abit of a breakthrough as he raced to front of tank at the site of me so i thought feed him now whilst he seems energetic and is out of the cave, and he ate well so seems an improvement however still isnt swimming as much but overall is a big improvement on behaviour. Appearance hasnt changed over much he has regained more of a brown/yellowy colour as apposed to being really pale white n yellow, but still fins are coated in ich spots and skin is still flaky looking, the only thing i can liken it too is having a sunburn and the skin starting to lightly flake and shed if that helps.

Live rock has remained in the tank as well as substrate, this really was my only option at this time as quarantine had crabs and shrimp in and i wanted to group all the fish together and hit in one go without moving and adding stress to the already ill looking puffer, and placing in a new tank of only 70l with 3 fish when he hadn't been with fish for 8-9 months.

i have been checking params daily and all seems as it was before dropping sg, ph is still 8.2, nitrates -10, nitrite - 0, amm - 0.

I just found this picture on an old thread. And this is exactly what he looked like two days ago so now comparing that to him now i guess i can see a big improvement on his body spots.

are you treating with copper?

No not treating with copper, just Hyposalinty at 1.009.

we're all rooting for you and your little guy!

Sno wrote:I just found this picture on an old thread. And this is exactly what he looked like two days ago so now comparing that to him now i guess i can see a big improvement on his body spots.

That is whitespot