That pretty much says it.
I'm a new fish owner, so I'm sure plenty of this is going to make you cringe.
My girlfriend and I picked up three GSP's at a local pet store four days ago. The store sold them as fresh water which we're coming to find out is a pretty common problem. We've recently transferred them to a brackish tank. SG is 1.004, the salinity reading is at 6.
When they were still in the fresh water tank, white growths which look a lot like your common green kitchen mold started appearing on one of the fish. They do not appear slimy, definitely more like a furry mold. I think it's fungal, but obviously I'm not well versed with fish. Now that I think about it, the store we got them from had two expired fish with the same growths. I didn't think about it then, which seems stupid, I know.
Based on what I've read, we've started treatment with Pimafix and Melafix. The salt used is Instant Ocean.
Unfortunately, pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, and Salinity values are not available from the original tank. Current tank is 50 gallon (yes, 30 gallons per puffer which will be happening as soon as possible), no other inhabitants.
Took the best picture I was able to.
GSP With White Mold-Like Growths
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
GSP With White Mold-Like Growths
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J-P
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 5626
- Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:21 am
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): Japan
- Location: Sasebo, Nagasaki, Japan
Re: GSP With White Mold-Like Growths
that my friend looks like a fungus or bacteria. It is difficult to tell between the two.
If it is a fungus, treatment isn't so bad...
If it is a bacteria (looking like a fungus) than a QT with meds is in order. Given that it is a GSP please describe the tank, filtration etc...
FW and SW bacteria and parasites are different. If you can sacrifice the biofilter and move straight to SW that might solve the problem.
If it is a fungus, treatment isn't so bad...
If it is a bacteria (looking like a fungus) than a QT with meds is in order. Given that it is a GSP please describe the tank, filtration etc...
FW and SW bacteria and parasites are different. If you can sacrifice the biofilter and move straight to SW that might solve the problem.
if you follow me, you avoid stepping in the crap that I just did...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZR55G ... pqlgec1A2Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZR55G ... pqlgec1A2Q
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Terrance
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 578
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2011 1:10 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: Retired Puffer Addict
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Seattle
Re: GSP With White Mold-Like Growths
Poor puffer. Get rid of the fungus asap so that he can see what he is doing lol
Kind regards,
Terrance
Terrance
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LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 5301
- Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:26 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Dwarf puffer - Thumbelina (only mine in my heart now; she lives in CT with my friend)
RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: GSP With White Mold-Like Growths
Salt is definitely helpful - but it won't be sufficient for more aggressive infections.
If he had a preexisting wound or external infection, then this is probably fungus. Otherwise, it's bacterial. Treat with Melafix. If that doesn't do the trick, you will probably need to move on to more aggressive antibiotics, like Tri-Sulfa or Maracyn.
It's really crucial that you get the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings ASAP. Do you have test kits? If not, get a good liquid kit. API makes a good one. For low brackish like this, you should get freshwater tests. Since you don't know your stats, you should probably go ahead and do a big water change - maybe 75% - in case there's ammonia/nitrite contributing to this infection.
Please try to answer every single question in red; if you don't know, just say, but try to give us as much info as possible, especially about cycling.
If he had a preexisting wound or external infection, then this is probably fungus. Otherwise, it's bacterial. Treat with Melafix. If that doesn't do the trick, you will probably need to move on to more aggressive antibiotics, like Tri-Sulfa or Maracyn.
It's really crucial that you get the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings ASAP. Do you have test kits? If not, get a good liquid kit. API makes a good one. For low brackish like this, you should get freshwater tests. Since you don't know your stats, you should probably go ahead and do a big water change - maybe 75% - in case there's ammonia/nitrite contributing to this infection.
Please try to answer every single question in red; if you don't know, just say, but try to give us as much info as possible, especially about cycling.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
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jus85411
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1116
- Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 5:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: none currently :(
- Location (country): USA
- Location: Philadelphia Area
Re: GSP With White Mold-Like Growths
you found the right place! welcome! at least your admitting to previous issues and are willing to take information to correct it for the future. i hope everything goes well. these are awesome fish to own. i cant comment much on the treatment, but it seems your getting plenty of help already, just here for support 
i kept two for a while but when my puffs didnt think i was looking i saw one chasing the other, the one being chased was the first i got and was smaller at the time but grew bigger, faster. the one was that was doing the chasing i gave to a friend who was starting up a 90 gallon saltwater tank and i just helped him through a cycle. basically just keep an eye on them over time, they do become more aggressive as they mature. when your around the fish they are distracted, the first time i saw the chasing was when we rearranged the living room and i could see the tank from where we were sitting and the puffs wouldnt pay us any mind
i kept two for a while but when my puffs didnt think i was looking i saw one chasing the other, the one being chased was the first i got and was smaller at the time but grew bigger, faster. the one was that was doing the chasing i gave to a friend who was starting up a 90 gallon saltwater tank and i just helped him through a cycle. basically just keep an eye on them over time, they do become more aggressive as they mature. when your around the fish they are distracted, the first time i saw the chasing was when we rearranged the living room and i could see the tank from where we were sitting and the puffs wouldnt pay us any mind
Re: GSP With White Mold-Like Growths
Is their behavior normal, otherwise? Eating, crapping, etc.?
Re: GSP With White Mold-Like Growths
Unfortunately he didn't make it through the evening. We're working with the other two. Neither seem to have the same ailment. One of them seems stressed and lethargic with a dark belly. All levels in the tank seem ok and the other puffer is exhibiting healthy behavior.
I thought I'd configured my preferences to send e-mail on post replies, but I was evidently mistaken.
Thanks for your help. It's much appreciated.
I thought I'd configured my preferences to send e-mail on post replies, but I was evidently mistaken.
Thanks for your help. It's much appreciated.