Experienced in Puffers and ich? Nothing's working and I need help.
- Thread starter davina
- Start date
Kelly knows more about treating sick SW puffs than any person I know. She wrote that SW ich article at my forum.
Kelly isn't online right now and I may not hear from her until tomorrow. If I go ahead and try to do a 1/2 hour f.w. dip, what signs do I need to look for to make sure he can handle it? I mean, other than the obviouse of him floating over on his side or something?
Right now, he's just at the bottom with labored breathing like he has been for 3 days.
And there are still those white spots!
Right now, he's just at the bottom with labored breathing like he has been for 3 days.
And there are still those white spots!
Thank you so much Pufferpunk! I'm very grateful to people like you who are dedicated to helping us. I don't consider myself a beginner...BUT I am definitely not a pro by any means, and that's why I'm here asking question after question. Thank you for being so responsive when time is of the essence. :worthy:
Ok, it's 1:40 a.m. in CA and I did the 1/2 hour f.w. dip as you said. I watched him...well we named him Rocky for being such a fighter, but I watched him the whole time. I can't believe that after how weak he had gotten, he did pretty darn good with the dip. I really wish I had have known you had to do it for 1/2 an hour before, because I may have nipped this a lot sooner and he may have not become so weak.
So now, his gill is open and staying open. The swelling seems a little lower. He still won't eat, but he does act like he's scouting for food now. He still lays at the bottom, but at least he comes up and looks around when he sees me introducing activity or watching him. It's almost as if he's coming to say "thank you" as strange as that sounds. But like most puffers, he has gotten to know me as his caretaker.
The new distilled water is super clear and clean, so I'm hoping that will aid in his recovery. I know I have to watch the ammonia because the cycle will start over, but honestly with the old water I was having ammonia problems anyway.
Well, goodnight all. I will post again tomorrow to let you know Rocky's status.:nilly:
Ok, it's 1:40 a.m. in CA and I did the 1/2 hour f.w. dip as you said. I watched him...well we named him Rocky for being such a fighter, but I watched him the whole time. I can't believe that after how weak he had gotten, he did pretty darn good with the dip. I really wish I had have known you had to do it for 1/2 an hour before, because I may have nipped this a lot sooner and he may have not become so weak.
So now, his gill is open and staying open. The swelling seems a little lower. He still won't eat, but he does act like he's scouting for food now. He still lays at the bottom, but at least he comes up and looks around when he sees me introducing activity or watching him. It's almost as if he's coming to say "thank you" as strange as that sounds. But like most puffers, he has gotten to know me as his caretaker.
The new distilled water is super clear and clean, so I'm hoping that will aid in his recovery. I know I have to watch the ammonia because the cycle will start over, but honestly with the old water I was having ammonia problems anyway.
Well, goodnight all. I will post again tomorrow to let you know Rocky's status.:nilly:
Yeah, I just got the message from her to do that. That's awesome and I'm doing a copy and paste now.
He's doing better and looking better, but still the gill closing switch to his right side after a little while. I need to know the best chemical to use to zap this ich. I believe she said, or someone else on your forum said to use copper...which I read everywhere else was deadly to puffers. So it's tough to make decisions, and I'm sure she knows best.
I'll come back and paste the link after I get it rolling so people can check there for the advise. Thanks again!
He's doing better and looking better, but still the gill closing switch to his right side after a little while. I need to know the best chemical to use to zap this ich. I believe she said, or someone else on your forum said to use copper...which I read everywhere else was deadly to puffers. So it's tough to make decisions, and I'm sure she knows best.
I'll come back and paste the link after I get it rolling so people can check there for the advise. Thanks again!
Ok folks. Rocky is still alive!! Man is he a fighter?!?! I dumped most of my old cycled tap water (40 gal, and left 20 gal to cycle the tank) because I figured the poisons such as fluoride and other harsh metals our government is now putting in our water systems, was doing harm to all the fish I have lost. I mean, if fluoride is rat poison it can certainly kill a fish. It causes brain cell loss and cancer in people and animals, and all kinds of other things. We can't swallow toothpaste because it's in there, then why on earth would we drink it in our water and use it for our pets? No more for me or my pets.
So, after doing some research, I found that distilled water is the only safe water (other than buying ocean water from a store or buying expensive filters that filter out fluoride). The water companies get subsidies for putting the powder form fluoride in most of the bottled water, so that's not even guaranteed safe. (It actually costs the government $7,000 a barrel to dispose of it). Once I put Rocky in the decontaminated water, he came alive. He now hovers and swims around slowly. He's still sick with ich no doubt, but he's not at the bottom of the tank with heavy breathing and dieing on me!
I took Pufferpunk's advise on doing 1/2 hour f.w. dips, and also contacted Puffer Queen. Her posts on ich are very good. Here is our post on my situation. She put a link on there to the ich page that you guys should read.
http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic88634-10-1.aspx?Update=1
I am waiting on a response right now from her. The best way to treat the fish is what everyone is saying...take the fish out for 6 weeks. My problem is that I'm running quickly out of $$$$. The q.t. I had to buy was only a 10 gal. and Rocky, being 4" long just can't make it in there because the ammonia spikes within 6-8 hours. I can't keep buying salt and distilled water to do 6 weeks of daily water changes.
So, I figure that if I can't take the fish out of the environment, then maybe I can take the environment away from the fish?? I want to know how long the ich can remain in the water alone with the fish. If I take the live rock and crushed coral out which harvests the ich, and just treat Rocky in the water in the 60 gal, will that be feasible? Will the live rock live with just an air bubbler and no heater or filter? I can put it outside, but it gets up in the 80's here in So Cal right now. I keep my AC set to about 74 in the house. Let me know any suggestions!!
P.S., I'm using the Melafix on him daily (for the 7 day treatment), but now both eyes are clouded over. Will that go away, and can he still see to eat? If it's the ich attacking his eye it probably won't leave until I kill that off.
So, after doing some research, I found that distilled water is the only safe water (other than buying ocean water from a store or buying expensive filters that filter out fluoride). The water companies get subsidies for putting the powder form fluoride in most of the bottled water, so that's not even guaranteed safe. (It actually costs the government $7,000 a barrel to dispose of it). Once I put Rocky in the decontaminated water, he came alive. He now hovers and swims around slowly. He's still sick with ich no doubt, but he's not at the bottom of the tank with heavy breathing and dieing on me!
I took Pufferpunk's advise on doing 1/2 hour f.w. dips, and also contacted Puffer Queen. Her posts on ich are very good. Here is our post on my situation. She put a link on there to the ich page that you guys should read.
http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic88634-10-1.aspx?Update=1
I am waiting on a response right now from her. The best way to treat the fish is what everyone is saying...take the fish out for 6 weeks. My problem is that I'm running quickly out of $$$$. The q.t. I had to buy was only a 10 gal. and Rocky, being 4" long just can't make it in there because the ammonia spikes within 6-8 hours. I can't keep buying salt and distilled water to do 6 weeks of daily water changes.
So, I figure that if I can't take the fish out of the environment, then maybe I can take the environment away from the fish?? I want to know how long the ich can remain in the water alone with the fish. If I take the live rock and crushed coral out which harvests the ich, and just treat Rocky in the water in the 60 gal, will that be feasible? Will the live rock live with just an air bubbler and no heater or filter? I can put it outside, but it gets up in the 80's here in So Cal right now. I keep my AC set to about 74 in the house. Let me know any suggestions!!
P.S., I'm using the Melafix on him daily (for the 7 day treatment), but now both eyes are clouded over. Will that go away, and can he still see to eat? If it's the ich attacking his eye it probably won't leave until I kill that off.
