Ick ?

[leopard_babe]

My puffer has ick. I have been treating him for 3 days. I am going on vacation for 5 days. Will he be ok for those days? My neighbor is going to feed him for me, but I don't really want my neighbor to treat him while I am gone. how do you get a puffer into QT? I didn't want to put him in the net incase he puffed up. How would you move a puffer???
thanks,
Leopard

 

[leopard_babe]

Ahh yes. I knew that you couldn't put a puffer in a net. A container makes sense. My QT is the water from the main tank. Yeah I was just using a medication, I forget what it is called. I will try the Hyposalinity, everyone has said that is the best. Thank you much!!!!
Leopard

 

[beth]

Copper and hyposalinity are the only treatments that will work [one or the other, not both]. However, unless your friend can handle these threatments while you are away, they won't do too much good because both require precision and accuracy.
Please post up the medication you used.
You could begin the hyposalinity [the procedure is detailed in the FAQ Thread] which will still give some relief for this fish and may even keep the parasite from overwhelming the fish while you are way; however, you will need to continue the treatment for the full-course begining whenever you [or someone] can give daily attention to the salinity levels. You will need a refractometer or a high grade glass hydrometer for the procedure.

 

[leopard_babe]

What do you mean by a high grade glass thermometer??? I have one that you stick in the water and it floats. I figured that is not the best. What would be most accurate? I noticed today when I got back my salt went form 1.024, which is what I keep it. To about 1.027-1.028. I did a 10% water change= 4 gallons. I will go dig out the box and tell you what I was using. My fish has gotten worse since I was gone. Now I am back, and I really what to help him. He still eats and swims, but I would like to make him better.
Thanks,
Leopard babe

 

[leopard_babe]

The box says..
Greenex
It says at the bottom of the box that it contains malachite green and Quinine hydochloride. So I am assuming that this might be a form of hyopslinity. It seemed to be working when i was using it. Should I go buy more???
Thanks,
Leopard

 

[joe carey]

Sorry to hear you have a sick fish. I went through the same thing a while back. I tried a few "reef safe" treatments with negative results. First was Marine Max, then Greenex. Although the Greenex seemed to be working, my fish developed fin rot and a bacterial infection while I was using it. That forced me to put all the fish in a QT tank anyway so I could treat them with an antibiotic. The Greenex successfully killed most of my snails, an Urchun and my Blood Red Fire Shrimp. That is the last time I will medicate my display tank! I took Beth and Terry's advice and am doing Hyposalinity now. The fish look great and parasites were gone in just a few days. The refractometer Beth talks about will give extremely accurate salinity measurements so your hyposalinity treatment will be effective.

 

[leopard_babe]

So if I go to the store and ask for a high grade glass thermometer they will know? What does it look like?? I don't have any snails, bacause my starfish ate them all. So I don't have to worry about that.
thanks for the info,
Leopard

 

[joe carey]

You are looking for a high grade glass HYDROMETER, not a thermometer. Or, you can purchase a refractometer.

 

[leopard_babe]

I have a glass hydrometer/thermometer that floats in water. Is that good enough? Also My LFS said that garlic can cure ich. I have some garlic for fish that i used to get my puffer to eat. Can I give hime some garlc on his krill? Or will that not work.
Thanks,
Leopard

 

[beth]

Leo, go to ---- and order/bid or whatever on a refractometer. They are going for around $40. Well worth it.
You can begin the hypo process with your existing glass hydrometer. Then when you get the refract you can test it against your readings that were established using the glass hydrometer. It should be 1.009 specfic gravity and .14ppm salinity. But go ahead and begin the process with the glass hydrometer. If your glass hydrometer did not make the exact target stated above, then you will need compensate.
Take a look at the FAQ Thread that details info on hyposalinity and the other post on refractometers.
Feed the fish fresh minced garlic, retaining the garlic juice in the same container that you mix up your food in, then mix the food with the juices of the fresh garlic. You may want to take a look at the fresh seafood receipe that is also in the FAQ Thread.

 

[leopard_babe]

Thanks guys,
I will look at the FAQ
Leopard