One dead, one split, and both different (GSP's)

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!

Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.

Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Post Reply
Novaz
Puffer Fry
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:07 pm

One dead, one split, and both different (GSP's)

Post by Novaz »

Hi all, it's been a while since my last post here, but I need some advice on what to do with my GSP.

I have had "him" for around 12 months, and he came into my care from a fish only store with around 8 GSP's in a teeny FW tank (nothing new there). He has been living in a 50G, which is high end brackish. He has stayed at just under 2 inches in length over that time - I'm fairly certain he's been stunted.

A few days ago I noticed some white spots, and moved him to the QT tank for ich treatment. The QT tank is an 8gal which I maintain using water from the main tank, and is kept cycled with (remarkably hardy) platties.
The water params are good, temperature has been slowly elevated to 86°F, and I have been treating for white spot for the past 3 days.

The first day was fine, the second day was looking very grim, but today things are much better. He is eating, and swimming normally - with interest in the new tank surroundings.
My concern is that it looks like he's got a huge gash down one side, which looks like it is being pushed out from inside.

Is this a result of extreme white spot (which has cleared up otherwise, and only looked to be a 'light' sprinkling? Or is there something more sinister here?

Image
Image


And while I'm in the hospital.......

I recently purchased another GSP (puffers are hard to find in NZ, so when one becomes available it's the quick and the dead).
It was also around 2" in length, and was quarantined prior to being introduced to the main tank about a week ago.
The two puffers got along fabulously, though I noticed that the new one was more "torpedo" shaped, and had huge eyes!
Tonight I noticed a funny red bump on it's belly, and literally within an hour it was thrashing about and finally became still. I tried holding it in front of the filter outlet, but to no avail.

Before - note how different these two look!

Image

And after..... :cry:

Image

It's been a tough week, but I think my original puff is going to make it. I will be adding Melafix tomorrow - anything else I should try?
Top
Poseidon
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:55 pm

Post by Poseidon »

I've been seeing blackish/brownish spots on the GSP around local fish store, what are those exactly? Sorry for your GSP. Yeah, the two really looks different, wonder why...
Top
Tommyman82
Puffer Fry
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Sep 10, 2006 1:02 am

Post by Tommyman82 »

Ive got a similar puffer with a similar problem, I doesn't have the white specs which i think are ick but it does have the bruseish look all over his belly and back, I've only had him for a few days and hes in a quarantine tank, any idea what it is?? or is it just from the stress?
Top
User avatar
Phaedrus
Former Staff Member
Posts: 1402
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 8:34 pm
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Contact:
Contact Phaedrus

Post by Phaedrus »

The white specs on the top pic look like spines rather than ich.
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Hospital”