help my puffer live

[jbetti]

i have a 55 gal tank with at puffer, black angel, large eye squirrell fish and recently i added a dragon fish. these fish have been in here for 2 years and always healthy. however the new fish i added must have had ick cause the other fish (the angel and the squirrel fish) start showing signs of having the disease. so i started a small copper treatment hopefully to stop the ick from getting worse. soon after i added the copper all fish started looking sluggish. the puffer especially. what should i do now.

 

[beth]

jbetti, immediately stop the copper treatment and begin hyposalinity. Copper is a potent and even toxic substance and with ich, it isn't necessary.
Please take a look at the FAQ Thread located at the top of this forum. The topics you want to look for and read up on are:
Hyposalinity
Refractometer
Ich.
If you have any questions once you read these topics, please post back.

 

[jbetti]

sorry i new to this site where is this FAQ?

 

[jbetti]

i found it. i will read tonight. the puffer who was most effected by the copper treatment has turned a darker color does that mean any thing. should i do a water change in the main tank to help reduce the copper levels?

 

[beth]

Where are you exactly with the copper treatment? Did you complete the treatment, or not? Stop using copper. If you begin with hyposalinity to treat ich, then you will be doing many water changes. That topic is in the material that that you will be reading.

 

[jbetti]

only 1 treatment. i tested the water and there is a very little trace of copper.

 

[jbetti]

i dont have a quarentine tank. can i do this with the fish in tank. it is a fish only tank

 

[beth]

Well, you already put copper in the tank, so I assumed that it was FO. No live rock, no corals/inverts, yes you are good to go with hyposalinity. Please follow the directions exactly.
I believe the fish will show positive signs once you begin. Remember to buffer the fresh water before it goes into the tank. Do you have a refractometer? Or a quality glass hydrometer?

 

[jbetti]

i need to get a refratometer(i think i did have one but it broke) is it the thermometer that floats in the water that wil measure the salinity as well as the temp

 

[beth]

No, that is a glass hydrometer. A refractometer is shown in this link.
Refractometer

 

[jbetti]

i did my first water change this morning (5 gal of a 55 gal tank) the puffer looks like he is breathing hard is this from the water change. the salintiy level is at 1.018 down from 1.021

 

[beth]

Are you buffering the water to make sure that the pH is where it should be? Do several small water chances, not large ones. Don't add 5 gals of fresh water all at once. Follow the directions exactly as detailed in the FAQ Thread.
You can remove say 7 gals of water, then over the course of the day, replace 1 gal back in of buffered fresh water every hour.

 

[jbetti]

i've been doing this process for a few days now. the puffer looked good and was very hungry this morning but he now lays at the bottom of the tank. is this cause the salt level is dropping

 

[beth]

Do the fish still have ich? What are you using to measure salinity? Are you going slow with the drop? Are you using aged buffered water?
Details about what is currently going on and what you are doing.

 

[jbetti]

they look better( the puffer still looks sluggish) its day 4 and the salinity is down to 1.10. I'm using the hydrometer (the guy at the lfs said they didnt have a refractometer and that the hydrometer would be fine. i dont buffer the water but i do check and adj the ph after i do 2 2gal water changes.

 

[beth]

It could be that the hydrometer you are using is off. It is essential not to lower the salinity below the target level, otherwise it could harm fish. How are the other fish acting?
Does the puffer's stomach look inflated? Did you remove this fish from water at any time? How is beathing? How do the gills look? More description of problem with puffer needed.
I'm blind here, so I need you to give details about the fish, and what you are seeing.

 

[jbetti]

the other fish are acting fine the angel fish has stoped scratching himself. the puffer's stomach was bloated but that was from eating alot of krill. his breathing looks back to normal. and gills look fine. but the water has been cloudy ever since the ick problem started

 

[beth]

Are you using aged water? How are you keeping the water buffered?

 

[jbetti]

i buffer the tank water after i but it in the water. what is aged water?

 

[beth]

That just means that before using the water in the tank with live animals that you have added salt, buffers and aerated for at least 48 hrs, or more. The mixing of water is better than raw new water just mixed up. It is safer. Making sure the salt is thoroghly mixed and the water is stable.