stueyd's emergency

[stueyd]

posted this in the emergency section - not sure where to post - am in a bit of a panic

Tank size: 3 foot
ammonia: 0
no3: 12.5mg/l
tank temp: 82
Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): ich
Volume and Frequency of water changes: weekly
Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: tapsafe
Tank inhabitants: 1puffer, 1 cory
Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): none
Exposure to chemicals: none
Hope someone can help.
I set up the tank a month before adding two fish, a puffer and a cory. It's a figure 8 puffer, so research told me would tolerate freshwater.
He got whitespot 5 days ago. I treated with ContraSpot, then raised the temperature to 82 from 79 degrees.
He seemed to be getting better - but looks very ill today. Still has ich.
I last treated 5 days ago. The no3 gone up to 12.5mg/l - it's the second block on the testing kit. Is the treatment ok for puffers (pet shop said fine, nothing on the label to indicate otherwise??) - just read above it may not be - is the treatment killing bacteria in my filter system, hence no3 up?
Should I do a water change? I have some water ready that has been standing for a couple of days and has also been treated with tapsafe. Or could this be another shock to his system.
Really don't want to lose him. His name is Colin and he's in my office and he already recognises me.

I guess my main question is - do I do a water change and retreat? or could that be a shock...

Help!

 

[nmonks]

Figure-8 puffers need, regardless of what older aquarium books say, brackish water. Newer aquarium books (e.g., the Aqualog pufferfish book) reflect this, as do the more up-to-date web sites. A specific gravity of 1.005 is ideal. If you take it up to 1.010 for a week or two, that will do the puffer no harm and will kill the whitespot dead.

Obviously, your catfish cannot be kept in a brackish water tank. You will need to separate them.

Try posting in the Oddballs section, there are lots of puffer-knowledgable people there. Puffers can react badly to certain medications. I haven't kept your species, so cannot say from experience which medications to go for. My South American and red-tail puffers seem fine with the eSHa Exit and Interpet brands.

Cheers,

Neale