audithom

I am concerned, On monday I did my weekly water change. On tuesday I had a hard time finding my puffer. He normally runs up to get food. Since then it has been a challenge to get the puffer to swim about. He just sits down at the bottom and the tail is curled from time to time. I am worried.

edit: the water paramaters are:
SG: 1.003
pH 7.6
ammonia:between 0 - .25 PPM
nitrite:0ppm
nitrate between 0-5.0ppm closer to 0ppm

pinkfloydpuffer

Oh dear. First order of business is to make absolute certain that that ammonia is right at zero. How does his tummy look? Is it pure white or grey? Is it rounded or sunken in?

jgon_

My puff acted like that after some deworming. Took him about 5 days before he would eat, I was really worried about him. But, he did eventually eat and he's been himself since.

My only suggestion I can give is give him another water change or two, and keep offering some food. Maybe toss a few snails in the tank so he can eat when he's ready. Might not be a bad idea to add some vita-chem into the water too.

audithom

the tummy is white and full. He has eaten some dried shrimp, and some blood worms. I am sure the ammonia is at 0. if it is not if is not far from 0. Is it possible that another fish is causing him stress? The tank is housing him, 2 otos, atleast 5 ghost shrimp, and as of this morning 15 feeder guppies. One of them had babies. and alot of them... there are only 2 older guppies in the tank as of right now.

audithom

Ok I have very bad news, My figure 8 has gotten ICH... I have boosted the temps and are climbing up to around 84.. I have air going in the tank, I just need to get to the store and get meds. Is there anything else I will need to do other then water changes?

agabr123

nope, just make sure you do very thorough gravel vacuums to get up all the pores. i'd hold off on adding the medications, just the higher temperatures should take care of it for you.

audithom

ok thanks, last question is that I read that you should pull the sick fish out. But since I dont really have anything else except feeder fish do I really have to worry about putting him in a hospital tank?

shih-tzu mom

Feeder-fish caarry disease as they are not raised in the best of conditions lol-i would put him a q/t and treat him. bella

audithom

ok not a problem as i have a 10 gallon sitting here. I know about feeder carrying ddiseases but there is only one feeder in there that I bought from the store the rest I have raised. They are going on there 3rd generation now. Thanks again for all the help here, everyone has helped me through a lot. thanks again.

pinkfloydpuffer

If you could bring him to low brackish that will take care of your ich problem for you.... but the otos obviously can't go in there.

audithom

I am still making it low brackish, it is at 1.003 but i was not sure if changing it much now that he is sick, but as of right now just bring the temp up to 83 he is swimming around much more. I am still going to put him in a QT tank, this will allow me to really clean the gravel and rearrange the tank.

audithom

It has been over 7 days. My figure 8 was looking a lot better so the other day I dropped the temp back down to 82 from 85 and the Ich came back real bad this time. I raised the water temp back up but I dont know if thats all I need to do. I am afraid that it might be to far along.. I need help please.

pinkfloydpuffer

Keep the temp raised for at least 2 weeks. It takes time to kill off all the spores.

audithom

i am sad to say that my puffer has passed at some point when I was at work today. I am sad that I did not catch the ich soon enough.

pinkfloydpuffer

Oh no, I'm so sorry
Puffers are very sensitive, and once they start going down, it's very hard to bring them back to health. RIP little puffy.