The Puffer Forum

First of all here is the necessary background info:

pH 6.8
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrate 25
Salinity: freshwater
Tank: 200L
Inhabitants: 3 clown loach
2 golden rams
2 German blue rams
1 nanacara anomala
3 L340 mega clown pleco (only grow to 3" each, currently 2")
10 rummy nose tetra
2 colomesus asellus
Last water change: Sunday (25%) on a weekly basis. Strictly
New inhabitants: 2x colomesus asellus

My tank has been set up for about 6 months and prior to this was in use for about 5 years (bought from
A friend) and as such had mature filter media. I took things slowly anyway and used fish-in cycling with 3 guppies to begin with.

I use tap water treated with API stress coat. Water temp: 27C

So, the problem is, I bought 2 SAPs from my lfs and they were owned by one of the employees previously for a couple of years. Unfortunately, she had to o to university so gave them to the shop to sell on. These individuals came from a community tank and so I thought would be fine in this tank. They have lived within 2 miles of my current location for the past 2 years so the water should be very similar. Anyway, they were at the shop for 3 days before I picked them up and within 18 hours one was showing signs of cotton wool disease and so I immediately started treatment with half doses of protozin (so as to Not damage the clown loach). I am now on day 5 (treatments were added to the tank on days 1,2 and 3) and unfortunately it looks as though the skin is peeling in the infected puffer. I am
Now very worried because the puffer is less active and less hungry. I am sort of making the assumption that the treatment is to blame for this but I am not sure. I was thinking of doing a large water change and treating the tank with a wound healing reagent. Please let me know what you think.

I will try and post photos later but currently am at work on iPhone

Kind regards

Will

First off welcome to the forum. Half doses of meds don't tend to work, you need to get those meds out of your tank to start and use the salt and heat method to treat it. I will try to find the thread for you and will bump it up for you to see. Melafix will help the skin heal.

bertie 83 wrote:First off welcome to the forum. Half doses of meds don't tend to work, you need to get those meds out of your tank to start and use the salt and heat method to treat it. I will try to find the thread for you and will bump it up for you to see. Melafix will help the skin heal.

Many thanks for the welcome and prompt reply Bertie, I will bump the temperature up and gradually throw in some aquarium salt as well. I need to buy melafix though. I will be glad to stop the treatment, even half doses tend to make my clown loaches shy and lethargic.

I will search around for the heating and adding salt method of fungal treatment as well

All the best,
Will

Also, you're just up the road from me, I am in Horsham

Ah someone close by at last, do not use aquarium salt. Use marine mix or table salt.

Bumped the topic for you, hope it's useful. If you believe it is fungal add pimafix alongside melafix to combat it. Keep an eye on his breathing as there will be less oxygen in the warmer water, you may be wise to add an airstone or create some additional surface agitation.