The Puffer Forum

Here's the setup:

20 Gallon low brackish - has been setup for 3 months. Fully cycled before added anything.
1 Green spotted puffer - 2"
1 Figure 8 puffer - 2"
SG - 1.004 (slowly raising .001 per week)
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 10
PH - 7.4

Feeding:
Frozen bloodworms, Frozen brine shrimp, Frozen clams on a half shell, Ramshorn snails.
I feed once every other day.

Water Changes:
I do roughly a 30% water change once a week.
I use Instant Ocean Sea salt and some water conditioner.

First of all, I am aware that the tank is overstocked. Please keep in mind that this is a temporary setup. I'm not posting just to hear that I'm over stocked. I know that a GSP needs 30G and a Fig8 needs 15G.

My problem:
I believe that the Fig8 may have an internal parasite. He is a happy little guy, always swimming around, but he always looks very skinny even after feeding. His stomach is slightly grey almost all of the time and has a grey ring around his mouth. The few times he did fatten up after eating, his stomach was lumpy. Also, last night I fed them a clam of a half shell. He gobbled it up and get nice and fat but 10 minutes later he threw it all up. His stomach then looked concave (sucked in) almost. I then fed him some frozen brine shrimp and he gobbled that up and never threw it up. I would like to treat for the parasites just to be sure. My concern with the treatment is the GSP in the tank with him. He is perfectly happy and healthy. Nice colors and nice and plump like be should be.

Will the meds effect the GSP at all? Will the meds effect the bacteria buildup in my filter? What are the best kind of meds to use? Unfortunately, a QT tank isn't really an option as I live in an apartment and don't have the space for another tank. Please let me know your suggestions, comments, or concerns.

You need to treat everyone for IPs, they're transferred between fish. The 20g would be perfect for your F8. I wouldn't raise the SG until the GSP is moved & then just raise it for him.

First off welcome to the forum. I assume you will be separating these two? 1.004 is perfect for the f8 but the gsp will need much higher brackish/ marine conditions. Both fish will need to be treated, you treat the food not the water. Jungle fizz tabs will do the trick.just spotted you don't have room for another tank, these fish are totally incompatible. Not only do they require different water chemistry eventually the bigger more aggressive gsp will kill the f8.

But also stated that they live in an apartment so another tank is a no go. This leads me to believe a 45g will be purchased to house them together?

Best option then, is to find another home for the GSP.

The puffers will be separated in the near future. For now, being as they are young, they are fine. Back to my question...I need treatment options please. What are the best? Someone posted Jungle tabs or something? Opinions? I also want to make sure that the treatment will not harm the bacteria in my filter (I read somewhere that it will).

They tend to "throw up" when they eat too much..too fast.

It is also normally for his belly to look lumpy after feeding. They don't have "ribs" so their belly takes the shape if what they eat. If their belly is always lumpy (looks like bumps everywhere) then that is a symptom of ips.

You do treat the food, not the tank.

Here is an article
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/

I can't seem to find the jungle fizz tabs anywhere. Anyone know where I can get them?

Found it here:

http://www.clickshopsave.com/results.ph ... 4e42ef1205

This what I'm looking for?

I am not certain, try jungle parasite clear, they are fizz tabs you soak their food in, when you get it add some crushed garlic to mask the meds.

Not the medicated fish food, I believe that these are what you are looking for: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Jungle-Parasi ... g/10313048.

Put their food in a bowl with some tank water and one of these tabs? It looks like these are meant to go in the tank. Sorry for the dumb questions. I've never had to do this before and of like it to work.

Petsmart used to carry Jungle tabs but now they carry Tetra. I compared the packaging and they were identicle and I think they were probably made by the same company. Either way they have the exact same ingredients.

I don't care what the directions say--IPs need to be treated INTERNALLY. FW fish don't drink water. That med will never touch it's innards if you just treat the water.