The Puffer Forum

I am almost certain my gps has come down with a case of Ick. I am a little unfamilur on how to treat without aquarium salt or super Ick cure at 50% dosage, options? Last time I treated my tank with 50% super Ick cure every 48 hours, water changes every other day with tank temp at 86, would this option work for the puffer as well?

Yes, puffers can get ich. Raising the temperature and water changes are good to do during an ich outbreak. Someone else more familiar with treating ich should chime in here any second now...

i used stuff called ick guard II for scaleless fish as per directions and it worked well for my fig 8's but thats just me.

Heat and salt is all you need search for rtrs salt and heat method

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28113
This is how to treat ich safely, no need to use harsh chemicals.
Could you give a bit more details?
I've moved this to the hospital, if you could answer the questions

I slowly raised the temperature to 84-86 flashlight, added a small dose of super ick cure until I could figure out what to do.
ammonia is 0, nitrate nitrites are both 0, PH 7

I had a bad ick outbreak a few weeks back in my large tank, same symptoms.

the table salt is safe?

Add carbon and do a large waterchange to get rid of those meds. I have heard table salt is fine but would not put it in my tank, i used marine salt

+1. Those medications can kill your puffer, get it out of the water.
Please follow the link I posted above.

I read the link and added my carbon back in, just wanted to confirm with the table salt before I proceed.

Yes, table salt.

alright, salt added and temperature is bouncing between 85 and 84, I would go to 86 but I lost the tubing to my air stone and don't feel comfortable going that high without the added oxygen. Amazing how quickly this illness appears and disappears from one day to the next.

If you're following that link, you're temperature should be 80 - 84. Especially without extra aeration, 85 is too high. This affects the gills, you don't want to suffocate him.

I'm trying to keep it at 84, I might just disconnect my snail tank for a few days and use the tubing for the air stone connected to the coral display in the tank. The heater came with the tank and isnt the easiest to keep at a steady temperature, I'll replace with a better one tomorrow.

Yeah, best to get the meds out of there. The issue with puffers is that they have no gill plates, along with lack of scales. They have a quicker uptake of meds vs other fish. Most meds that claim to be safe for inverts and sensitive fish are hogwash in general, they only treat part of the ich cycle and weakly at that. It will kill the ich on the fish and gills but does not kill what is on the substrate or in the water column (depending on what part of the cycle). Seven to ten days (like most meds claim) is not enough time eliminate ich, you need a full 30 day treatment per RTR's ich article.

Checked on the little bugger this morning, WOW was it super active and super bright green, have not seen this color on it yet and the ick was already less than yesterday, so this is a good sign.
I am still going to stop at my LFS to pick up another tube to connect to the airstone for a few days, this setup I have going for it is temporary, not the tank, just the location and filtration. I'd rather have it sitting on a stand with a canister filer than shoved in the middle of my clothes dresser with a power filter, canisters IMO do better with salt water.

Hoping this little bugger gets better soon!