The Puffer Forum

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. I recently found out about this dedicated forum and I hope all the puffer experts here can give me some advice.

So I have 2 DPs in a 12 gallon Fluval Edge and I've had them for about 2 and a half years now. Recently, one of them started to look less round then normal. This past week the belly started to look even more sunken in. She's still eating as usual. At first I thought it might be old age but then I remembered that DPs are prone to IP. So today I today I got some Tetra Parasite Guard and I did the following:

I read in one of the threads here that I should dissolve a quarter of a tablet in 1 cup of tank water and soak the food. I did that. I soaked the thawed frozen bloodworms (although I'm not sure if this was intended for dried food).
I dissolved the rest of the tablet in a bit more tank water, and then returned medicated water to the tank.

Now I'm wondering if I need to keep soaking their food in the medicine. I just saw the skinny one pooping and it was dark poop, not white and pearl-like. Any advice on how I should proceed would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

pH: 7.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Tank inhabitants: Just the 2 DPs
Planted tank
Last water change: Yesterday (50%)
The 2 DPs were moved from another 12 gallon to this new tank about 2 months ago. The new tank was cycled with old filter media from their old tank before they were moved.

Just continue treatment for ard 7 days and monitor. There no real need to medicated the tank water as they do not drink water. Though there are some discussion if medicating the water does kills the free swimming parasite or in the IPed poop. This being a relatively smaller tank, a Not too sure if the concentration of med will affect the good bacterial as well though.

Thank you. Then I'll put the carbon back in the filter and also monitor the water quality.

It is unlikely to be ip's as you would likely have noticed it before. Ip's normally manifest themselves quickly, unlikely to lay dormant for 2 years unless I am mistaken

They can actually be infected with IPs for quite some time, before their health fails. Not 2 years though.

Pufferpunk wrote:They can actually be infected with IPs for quite some time, before their health fails. Not 2 years though.

As a curiosity; I don't suppose pond snails or ramhorns could pass it along to DPs?

I'm pretty sure they can, which is why they should be quarantined or home-raised.

Pufferpunk wrote:I'm pretty sure they can, which is why they should be quarantined or home-raised.

I just got new ramshorns that are in their own tank, should I get some anti IP medicine next time I am at the LFS just in case?

That will kill your snails for sure.

Pufferpunk wrote:That will kill your snails for sure.

What else can you do when the snails have them, how can you even tell?

You can't tell, that's why we suggest to QT them.

Pufferpunk wrote:You can't tell, that's why we QT them.

Is there a specific amount of time before you can then feed them safely or are the offspring safe to feed?



I apologize for the thread hijack

I believe QT is one month. Myself, have never had any issues.

Pufferpunk wrote:I believe QT is one month. Myself, have never had any issues.

Thanks .

Thanks everyone. So could IP have tagged along on new plants that I added to the tank? They will both eat a lot and then the next morning they would look starved. And recently they keep hanging around the front of the tank begging for food. One has an obviously pinched stomach. The other one is ok though. And the last snail they had were raised at home. Should I continue treating their bloodworms with tetra parasite guard?