The Puffer Forum

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.

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.

Poor puffer. Get rid of the fungus asap so that he can see what he is doing lol

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.

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

Is their behavior normal, otherwise? Eating, crapping, etc.?

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.