Small salt like spots on my puffer and grouper

[razi burney]

I am new to this hobby but my puffer is having the same symptoms. It was ok till yesterday and now I see small salt like spots all over it. Its much bigger at the fins and fin ends are getting red. Is there anything I can do ? What is hypo ?
Here is my tank setup:
55 Gal, 1 lion, 1 grouper, 1 puffer, 1 eal, 2 starfish, 55 lb lr.
I realize that this is probably one of the worst setups you can have but I have no idea about this stuff. I just started 1 month ago.
One pet store gave me a small doze brown liquid that smells terrible. Told me that it cures bacteria and is very expensive. I did not use it yet as I don't know if I should. I have changed about 8-10% of water today to see if this makes it any better.
I am also seeing this salt like spots on the grouper that I have but it is not that bad like puffer.
Please help.
Razi_Burney@bankone.com
Razi.Burney@comcast.net

 

[razi burney]

Many thanks for your response. I forgot to mention that I do have live sand and live rock in there.
You mentioned that other way around to save the sand and lr is to have another spare tank. I can buy that if that's something that helps. Will I have to have same size tank ?
I will be dropping salinity by adding more water tomorrow and will bring it down to 1.009 level. How will the fish react to this change. what if they die because the salinity is loo. I do have a feather duster and a pulip (yellow small flower like plan. don't know the correct name) also.
Does moving all fish to a seperate tank help ? Will i only have to treat fish in the new tank if i do get another treatment tank ? or the main tank still needs to be treated ?
I have ordered maracyn, maracyn-two & Quick cure as this was a recommended medication on a website. Will this help at all ?
I apologize for so many questions but will try everything in my limits to save a life.

 

[razi burney]

Thanks for the advide guys. I will try to get a second tank. Should I remove the coral, live rock and my invertibrtates from the main tank and put that in a small tank instead. This should enable me to keep them isolated while hypo gets done in the main tank. I just want to make sure that moving the 2 stars, lr & corals is safe and the disease does not get back in the main tank when i transfer them back in the main tank.
I will let go some of my fish as soon as the tank gets back to normal after hypo. I was told on this bb that i have too much for a 55G tank. Here is what i have:
Puffer (1), Lion - small(1), Eal (1), Starfish (2), live rock (55lbs), grouper small (1), feather duster (1) & yellow polyps (1).
Salinity is now at 1.018 and I will drop it down to 1.009 within next 24 hrs. This will be done after you advise that moving only the rock, starfish & my 2 small plants to another other tank will be ok. I will use the water from the main tank to fill the new one up and hopefully that should not cause any harm to the moved life.
I do have a filter in the main tank but it probably is not the best on the market. I do have a air flow bubble machine that injects small air bubbles in the water. I feel bad that i don't even know the names of these accessaries and asking even very basic questions from you guys.
Your help is much appreciated.

 

[razi burney]

Thanks for letting me know before I dropped the salinity less than 1.018. I am moving them within an hour. Will post again when its done with details of my steps so that you can evalute and advise.
Can't thankyou enough.

 

[razi burney]

Unfortunately, i still lost my lion fish and puffer one after another. I am still attempting hypo on a grouper and hope that it will make it. he seems to be ok.
I do have an Eal also. Do you move the eal in the hospital tank during hypo process like infected fish or leave it in the display tank