puffers not getting better - flicking and losing fins

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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.
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User avatar
indie
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 227
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:57 am
My Puffers: 4 x 1.25" Green Spotted Puffers
1 x Suvatti Puffer
2 x Figure 8 Puffers
Location (country): UK
Location: surrey, uk

puffers not getting better - flicking and losing fins

Post by indie »

as u know, a couple of weeks ago i posted that my figure eight puffers were flicking against the ornaments.

ive so far treated with white spot, which hasnt helped.

ive treated with a parasite treatment which made no difference.

ive treated with melafix with no joy.

ive raised the temp to 30 degrees and been doing water changes etc.

water stats are as follows
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrite: 10
ph: 7.5
Salinity - 0.006 at the mo, going up to 0.008 tomorrow.
temp: 30 degrees.

this week i havent added any treatment at all, but they just seem to be deteriorating... black tummys and their back fins appear to be rotting. theres no whiteness on their fins, its just disappearing slowly.

i cant see any outward marks on them, just flicking against objects.

what else can i try?

they are eating well and seem ok in themselves otherwise.
User avatar
Boxermom
Former Staff Member
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Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:34 pm
Location: Wisconsin
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Post by Boxermom »

I find Melafix works best in conjunction with Pimafix. But at this point, if it was my fish, I'd probably try something like Maracyn.
Tina

Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
User avatar
indie
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 227
Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:57 am
My Puffers: 4 x 1.25" Green Spotted Puffers
1 x Suvatti Puffer
2 x Figure 8 Puffers
Location (country): UK
Location: surrey, uk

Post by indie »

never heard of maracyn :? will have to have a look around. thanks
User avatar
manutius
Former Staff Member
Posts: 1316
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:49 pm
My Puffers: RIP Clooney the Mbu :(
Location: Southend essex, UK
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Post by manutius »

Indie do you know whether there are any problems with your water supply? Have you tesetd the tap water and do you know if your water supplier uses Chloramine? Though if you are using a tap water conditioner then that shouldn't be an issue, have a look here maybe

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... mapper.php
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