Pet Store Puffer's not looking so good

[Rocketman]

I'm sure most of you know I work at a pet store. Anyway, we have some Spotted Puffers in there, however after awhile they begin to look shriveled up, and brown under the belly. They are in 150 Gallon systems, so it's hard to keep the whole thing brackish, (there are 24 tanks in the system.) They also look like their spines have been broken, but they swim around crippled for a while, (months) before they die. Ideas?

[Pufferpunk]

Been seeing a lot of that lately. Try treating them with Discomed, but Aquatronics (it's in a pink box), for internal parasites. That's what gives them that shriveled, broken spine look. :( You need to soak their food in it. Try live blackworms, mine liked them. If they'll eat, they should respond quite well to this treatment.

[Rocketman]

Alright, we carry that. Not that blackworms though. They do usually have some guppies in there which they eat.
We have a UV Sterilizer...I realize there are ways for Parasites to get around that, but isn't it odd that 2 of the 2 puffers we have both have parasites, then?

[cdawson]

don't feed them guppies, that's probably what got them sick in the first place if not internal parasites from the wild. just use any frozen food, frozen blood worms will work. It just has to soak overnight in the fridge.
feeder fish are fatty and un-nutritional and shouldn't be used as a staple for anything. If you have to feed them fish, feed them frozen silversides at least.

[Pufferpunk]

isn't it odd that 2 of the 2 puffers we have both have parasites, then?

Why would you think that? They are probably from the same stock, caught in the same parasite-infested river. I come across tankfulls of them in that condition. :(

[Rocketman]

Yes, but the puffers received the infections at our store. We keep our water quality relativly good, but this puffer has been with us about 2 months with no problems at all - he litterally looked like a perfect puffer, no problems. As for as the Aquatronics meds...I put in some Kyonocen, (something along those lines, in a silver box.) I did see the stuff in the pink box, although I thought the silver would be a better choice as far as preventative meds for the rest of the fish in that system, (not related to the puffer's problems...we have some large oscars, things like that.)
We feed the puffers frozen bloomworms and white mosquito larvae...we really try to work a lot of variety into our fish's diet here at Pet Supplies Plus.

[Pufferpunk]

Hmmm... Kanacyn is for external bacterial infections. How is that going to help with internal parasites, may I ask? Internal parasites take a while to waste away a fish. Please listen, I know what I'm talking about. If you don't believe me, just Google my name & check out my puffersite.