The Puffer Forum

I should be picking up my Figure 8 in the next week or so. What if anything should I be treating it for, I'm thinking for parasites etc.

Also if you could recommend puffer safe brands etc and how treatment is performed etc, I'm a total newbie to fish keeping.

Yet another thing...

I just read if you add a substrate to a tank it can actually cause a cycle? Is this right, if so I'll have to delay getting the Puffer until things calm down. I'm going for Aragonite sand if that makes a difference.

How have you cycled the tank? It's always good practice to treat puffers for internal parasites, find a med you can soak their food in and add some crushed garlic to mask the taste. Pick a big healthy one with a rounded tummy, although likely dominant you stand a much better chance of getting them acclimatised to your tank. Even if they hunger strike for a week or so they have the weight to withstand it

I was going to use the Ammonia method and do it completely fish free but the guy at the aquatic store said that was ridiculously slow.

So instead I used Stability with fish food at the beginning before then adding a couple of Guppies and snails. They have been in a week or so now and water tests are coming out good. I'm gonna run some more soon as I just got the test kit today so I don't have to run to the fish shop. I'll be moving the guppies to a spare tank but I might as well leave the snails in when I get the Puff.

The Puffer I picked is the sw one biggest in the tank but he's very bright and lively plus has several 8s all over his body and looks awesome.

Sorry forgot to mention I have some Seachem Prime just in case I get an ammonia spike.

Bertie what UK wormer should I use?

I retested the water today and I detected the tiniest amount of ammonia and nitrite so I'm going to delay picking up the Puffer for another week at least. I think it's because I added a couple more snails in a few more days ago.

Should I be doing any water changes at all?

The fishless cycle often takes no longer to complete, often less as you can control the ammonia going in to a high concentrate allowing the bacteria to colonise not only quickly but effectively. Plus no fish have to go through the drama. You can order most meds on line, jungle fizz tabs are the most recommended on here but anything you can treat there food with should suffice. Don't waste your time and money treating the water, it has been proven ineffective as the fish doesn't drink the water. If in any doubt speak to a good vet who will get the medication for you and will unlikely charge for their time. If you are just getting an ammonia spike now I would hold off for at least 2-3 weeks using a fish in cycle before you pick up your puffer. Just to add the fish you are using should equate to your bio load added by the puffer or you could end up in trouble. Basically your fish shop has given you horrendous advice. I personally won't shop at places like that

Actually one fish shop told me to just use Prime and Stability and then just put the fish straight in. Fortunately they aren't all that bad, I went out to one place today who told me no way should I even attempted to add the Puffer.

I was thinking, although it might take me a little longer would it be helpful to increase the amount of beneficial bacteria by adding a few more snails to give them more food. Kinda like how using the ammonia method saturates the filter with bacteria, except obviously not anything like that much!

I just figured the filter might be better equipped to deal with the waste load of a puffer when I switch out the snails and guppies.

Looking up that wormer now, it's bizzare it says to put it in water when there's so much evidence it doesn't work!

I was asking about med brands because one shop said you have to be careful with puffers due to having no scales some meds are toxic. However they couldn't recommend me which one to get either lol

When treating for internal parasites you treat their food, so them being scaleless is neither here nor there. Good you have looked into it for future reference though. See what meds are available to you and post them here we can advise the most suitable from there

Was looking at this one http://plymouthdiscus.com/ocretail/pd/i ... uct_id=139

Flubendazol, spelling likely incorrect. I'm pretty sure from memory that is ok. Please wait for confirmation though. I think it's what the vets would suggest. I'm sure someone will chime in to help as it's been a long time and I can't find the packets I had that I used

Ok well I got the treatment it comes in a sachet and says to add to the tank. Any idea how much I use if soaking a few snails or bloodworm in it, I'm a bit wary as there's a warning saying that an overdose will kill my fish!

You won't need much, how much is in each sachet?

It's a 5g sachet of powder. It says to use 0.3g per 30 UK gallons. It's made from Flubendazole, I think it's OK because one of the reviews said they used it on their puffer ok.

Anyone know how to orally dose this and what amount to use?