The Puffer Forum

1. Parameters are pretty fair with nitrate being around 10 ppt, phosphates reading at .25, ammonia reading at 0, nitrites reading at 0, salinity at 1.012, ph 8.0, kh 6.5
2. Tank size is 10 gallons and I DEFINITLEY will upgrade my green spotted puffer to a 30 gallon aquarium when he starts growing.
3. I usually feed my puffer hikari half shell clams which also contain vitamin c. I recently tried feeding my puffers rosy red minnows from petco which unfortunately I have not treated them for parasites. My theory is that led to the green spotted puffer to having a parasite. I have noticed symptoms such as him not eating after 2 days of eating the rosy red minnows. Also noticed stomach starting to darken a very little bit. He is active however he is swimming up and down constantly.
4. I have done a 50% water change and the puffer still showed symptoms.
5. Aquarium is cycled set up for a month now and quickly cycled it using stability. The cycle turned out perfect and ammonia levels read undetectable after less than one week.

Further information: I do not know what type of parasite the puffer has, however, I am sure it is an internal parasite. The puffer is 1.5-2 inches and before illness, he loved to eat his clams. Since the symptoms are slightly darkening stomach, and loss of appetite, what type of parasite do you guys think my puffer could have? What should I medicate him with? Oh yes, I also feed him once a day. I feed him krill as well just so he doesn't eat only one thing. My biggest problem is I am gone for one week because of spring break. Do you guys think he will be okay? Could the parasite quickly kill him?

Hi and welcome. What test kit are you using? Sounds to me like a potential water issue. Please do not feed your puffer fish, this is not part of his diet. Krill should be kept to an occasional treat as puffers can become addicted to it. If you think he has internal parasites his food needs to be soaked in an appropriate med such as jungle parasite fizzy tabs, you can add some garlic and a good vitamin into the mix too

I am using Api master saltwater test kit and I feed clams to him more than krill because he seems to enjoy clams more. The krill I got for him are sanfransisco bay from petco which was a close destination to my house therefore it isn't really a good brand. Also the problem with the puffer is that he won't eat and don't you think rosy red minnows could have caused a parasite in him? I realized that was a possibility after I fed it to him as I didn't know before.

What other symptoms is he showing?
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... treatment/

When I fed him clams his fecal waste was white but I think it is probably because I fed him half shell clams. The fecal waste was round. Technically the only symptoms he showed was darkening of belly by a slight bit, definitely darkening on the sides of his mouth, and most obvious is loss of appetite even when trying to feed him a variety of foods. Evidence from probable internal parasites are feeding him rosy red minnows coming from a crowded petco tank.

So technically he is showing symptoms such as mainly loss of appetite, darkening of belly by a slight bit, and darkening a lot on the sides of his mouth.