The Puffer Forum

My new puffer has arrived, and it has fungus! It had fungus on arrival. And it's been years since I medicated a puffer, so all my knowledge is forgotten and gone. All my medication turns out to be out of date, several years ago! The local pet shop is tiny, and has very few medication to offer. I have no idea if they are puffer friendly. Some advice is needed! What to do to fight the fungus. What must I avoid when it comes to medication? What can I do?

I do hope you informed the seller of this?
https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... blue-baths

Yes, I've told him. But I can't complain, as I got the puffer for free. The problem with Methylene blue, is that very few pet shops sell it in Norway, and certainly none of the local ones. I've found one shop in the south of Norway, but it will take its time in the mail. So far I've medicated Ragnhild with salt, and at least she isn't getting worse. I even maybe see a slight improvement. But she certainly is stressed, because she has puffed a few times. The first time she puffed, she spooked herself, by bumping the heater into the glass (which made a sound), so I can understand that puff. But now I've seen her puff twice after that. Both times in the morning, right before the light comes on. I call it her morning stretch.

You can't order it from Amazon?
What kind of puffer?
I assumed it was mail-ordered.

Ragnhild is supposed to be a cutcutia. But I will post a pic here for identification, if I ever get a pic of her. She hides all day, and only comes out when it's dark. But she has been through a lot of stress lately. She first moved from Sweden, and a few days later, she moved to me. Unfortunately she will soon have another move, as I will move across half of Norway in a month. Yes, I know. Bad timing! Very bad timing. But hopefully Ragnhild will be well and strong by then. And maybe know me a little better.

I don't think ordering through Amazon will go any quicker. Besides it's not allowed to import medication for animals into Norway unless you are a shop or something like that. Well, to be honest, I've done it several times anyway. But then I have to ask the dealer to NOT write fish medication on the custom clearance tag, or it will be returned when it reaches the customs. Yes, silly rules, but that's how it is. Ragnhild has improved a little bit, just with adding salt. But she still has a long way to go. And she puffed again this morning. This seems to be a daily event right now. I have no idea why she does this. In all my years with puffers, I've only seen puffers puff twice before I got Ragnhild. Could it be the salt? Or the stress of being sick? It could be that she is seeing Harald (my baileyi) in the neighbour tank, but I am not convinced it is. She doesn't seem scared when she puffs. She is very calm, and doesn't seem to focus on anything spesific. On the other hand, I don't see the exact moment she puffs, only when she already is puffed up. And it's always in the dark.

How much salt are you using?

The amount that is written on the packet. This is salt for fish tanks, for this kind of use. It has its own measuring spoon.

There is nothing wrong with her appetite by the way. She just got her daily two earthworms. And even though the lights were on and she saw me, she attacked those earthworms at once. And they were gone in record time. Luckily she has had good appetite all the way.

Ragnhild is now well! I ended up not using Methylene Blue when I finally got it. I didn't want to give Ragnhild the stress of being caught twice a day, and put in a bath of Methylene Blue. Ragnhild doesn't handle changes very well. So the stress alone could have finished her off. But using salt worked. It took a long time, but in the end she was well!

That's great! This is always my concern using the bath treatments, too.