GSP

[subopposite]

Was wondering if someone could help me to decide what kind of ailment my puffer has and the best way to treat it.

First off, it is in brakish water in a 46 gallon tank. I have 2 of them in there and plenty of filtration. At any rate, by looks only, they appear to be sick. I did not know about the white and gray belly issue when I first got them. One was relatively white bellied, the other was gray bellied most of the time and even when it does have a white stomach, it has a dot here and there of gray.
Anyhow, both of them do have some white flecks on their fins and they do occasionally scrape up against a decoration, so my thought is ich immediately.
One dumb question, but I do not know, is can brakish fish get the white colored ich. I guess full marine get black ich. Wouldn't know which one a brakish fish would get, but they do have white specs on it and do scrape.
Upon reading this book it mentioned two other ailments that are similar to ich by the sounds and one is marine velvet. That says white or rust colored dust on body and fin and fish scrapes body, which I don't think it is if I had to guess and the other ailment is Marine White Spot, which it only says has white spots, like small grains of salt.

The puffer does have small white spots that looks like salt and do have a scrape here and there on their body from scraping on decorations, so I should get going on this treatment. Anyone know what is more typical or which one it sounds like my puffer has. One suggests a freshwater bath (marine white spot, if they can even get that as they are in brakish water) or Ich.

Would like to treat soon, and I would appreciate advice only from people who know their stuff about puffers and have had live experience treating their puffers, so they might tell me if they can even take or not take certain medications. Thanks.

 

[Fish-Noobie]

more info please whats the sg, ammonia, nitrites ect it just might be dirty maybe do some water changes


Edit : GSP's need about 60g's when adult and i would remove thoese mollies unless their feeders

 

[GP]

Alright Fish-Noobie, although that 60 gallon comment was true, this thread was not about that. It honestly sounds like velvet to me, but pictures would help... I'm not sure of the exact medication to use, but I would immediatly do some water changes.. about 30% daily or every 2 days..

 

[Opcn]

Velvet looks like velvet it forms sort of a carpet across your fish chances are its marine white spot IMO turn up the Temp a bit and give your puff a salt water and a fresh water bath and medicate that tank!

 

[subopposite]

SG is 1.008, which is fine. Ammonia is not there. Nitrite zero. Nitrate is fine. Water is fine. As I mentioned I have plenty of filtration. One Eheim 2236 canister filter, which is good for 80 gallon tanks and 2 penguin minis on there as well for now. Plus, I do proper water changes with my python.
They basically came this way from the LFS. There are hardly any white spots, just a few on the fins. OPCN, I am pretty sure it is marine white spot or ich, but wasn't sure if brakish fish got ich.
Thanks for the info on the 60, I have done my research on that issue though. The mollies will not be fish food anytime soon as they are the same length as the puffers and the puffers could care less about them. In fact, my puffers could care less about the feeder guppies in there too. Right now, 46 gallons is plenty for all of them.

Anyone that has knowledge of ailments is what I am really posting about. I don't think water changes is going to be my answer as I do those. I'm not really going to do a ton of water changes for the heck of it and hope for the best. Does someone know if GSP can get ich and/or marine white spot? If they can get one, not the other, I would obviously know how to proceed. If they get both, then I would prob. try the freshwater bath first instead of treating with Ich away (or whatever it is called) from Jungle. CFC...Pufferpack, any ideas.

 

[TorPeteO]

I'd say you should try opcn's advice and turn up the heat a few degrees, that way the ich will become free-swimming and you'd have a better chance at getting rid of it.

 

[Pufferpack]

From all I've read YES, BW fish can get Ich. I'm not too familure with treating Ich in BW fish, for FW I raise the temp about 5-8 degrees and add a touch of salt. Whatever course you take for a treatment, remember Puffers do not react well to Copper meds and for other types 1/2 doses are usually recomended.
Hopefully CFC can help point you to a good treatment.

 

[subopposite]

Thanks for the advice so far. I had already turned up the heat before I posted, but good ideas guys. So, if I understand right, turning up the heat some will cause the eggs to hatch so they are all free swimming, then I would use the ich treatment? How long should the heat be turned up before I would add the med? Will prob. do a water change today, since I am due for one anyhow.
I guess it seems kind of weird whether or not you give a brakish fish a freshwater bath or a saltwater bath. I could try whichever is most appropriate if anyone knows which is actually most appropriate. Also, if it is ich, I guess no bath will do as the ich would be in the whole tank anyhow and would just come back.
I do have Ich Guard by Jungle, but I would like to use that as last resort. It colors the water and can stain things. I know the active ingredients in this Ich med is victoria green, nitromersol, acriflavine. Don't know about copper or not. Will send an e-mail to the company to find out.

 

[Pufferpack]

I spoke with Pufferpunk on the puffer forum, she has kept BW puffers for 15 or so years for ich in BW tanks her response was:

I would raise the temp to 86-87 & do large (80%) daily, or every other day, water changes.

HTH.