Valentini Puffer - White spots = Ich? Please help ID.

[hefner413]

I've listed this posting in disease and treatment, but we're still not entirely sure that this is ich. Could the PUFFER experts give some insight as to whether or not this could be something other than ich??? THANKS!
I'll just copy the original question below:

I'm about 2 weeks into hypo on my DT. All my fish are doing great except my Valentini Puffer still seems to have a few random white spots on it's fins. I only see them on it's fins. He seems to have had these for a while now - although I'm really sure they weren't there when I initially got them. And by the way - the puffer has never shown any signs of stress or sickness. And the white spot on the caudal fin has been there since I got him a long time ago.
Do you think that it is probable ich? Do puffers sometimes get these spots on their fins naturally?
My parameters are sg: 1.009, pH 8.2, Amm/ates/ites all 0.

Also note: there were never any more spots than what you see now - and when I started hypo, I don't even remember it having more than just the spot on the caudal fin. So whatever is going on is very subtle.

Here's the pics:

 

[scsinet]

This does NOT look like Ich to me. Ich spots are more pronounced, and given your description of your hypo process and the length of time that has passed, I'd personally bet money on this not being a problem.
Oh and to answer your other question directly, yes, I've seen many puffers with small white "flecks" on their fins, my Valentini included.

 

[kanicky]

Mine doesn't have white specks, but I've seen them before, and like SCSInet said, that definitely doesn't look like Ich.
I'm sure your puffer is juuust fine

Great pics by the way! I wish I could zoom in on my fish and have it turn out that clear.
Oh, and as a side note, you should Google info about puffers. There's a forum out there dedicated only to puffers and they're a big help there, too.

 

[stanlalee]

mine had a simular spec on its fins and definately did not have ich. I would not assume its ich at least not yet.

 

[hefner413]

You guys are awesome. I'm so glad to have this good news!

And thanks for the compliments on the pics - Rebel XT full auto with flash left on.
I'm so glad to not have to extend my hypo or start researching "hypo resistent ich" treatment! Thanks again.
And if anyone else agrees or disagrees, I appreciate the input...

 

[scsinet]

Originally Posted by Hefner413
You guys are awesome. I'm so glad to have this good news!

And thanks for the compliments on the pics - Rebel XT full auto with flash left on.
I'm so glad to not have to extend my hypo or start researching "hypo resistent ich" treatment! Thanks again.
And if anyone else agrees or disagrees, I appreciate the input...
Which lens are you using for it? I can't take pictures like this with mine.
BTW... just leave him in QT for a few more days. Ich absolutely won't stay attached to the fish for more than 10 days. If the spots remain in those exact spots for longer than that, then you know for sure.

 

[hefner413]

Actually just the standard canon 18-55 lens. I did crop the pic afterward to just include the puffer, so I'm only zoomed in about double what you see in the photo. But the photo was actually even better prior to sizing it down to fit on photobucket. My puffer is nice to shoot though because he seems to like me a bit more than the rest and hangs out by the front of the dt when I come near.

 

[cmc3502]

i have a valentini that looks exactly like yours (white spots on top fin) what ever happened to this?

 

[hefner413]

ha - old thread of mine, eh? Glad to help if this is the same as your VP. My VP did absolutely fine. The spots never changed at all. I had him for months, but then I started adding coral, and he started picking at it. My LFS took him back for 75% purchase price and then resold him. But nope, never had any probs - definitely wasn't ich or anything. If it's the same - no worries!

 

[cmc3502]

thanks.... does this apply to triggers as well?

 

[hefner413]

sorry friend, not sure about triggers. I've only had the VP.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by SCSInet
This does NOT look like Ich to me. Ich spots are more pronounced, and given your description of your hypo process and the length of time that has passed, I'd personally bet money on this not being a problem.
Oh and to answer your other question directly, yes, I've seen many puffers with small white "flecks" on their fins, my Valentini included.
Do they come and go, I took pictures of my Dogface, and there were no white flecks, now there are a few?

 

[cmc3502]

ok so to continue... I have a valentini that has spots like the photo and some days theres more and some less..also the location changes...
But I will be adding a blue tang next and I want to make sure this is not ich as those guys are already ich magnets... As a "just in case", I have been adding garlic, vitimans and stop parasite to the food and tank... dont really believe in that stop parasite stuff, but I had a bottle lying around..
thoughts?

 

[hefner413]

I have had one case of ick. It was a purple pseudochromis. One day all of a sudden it had about 10-15 white spots - all over it, not just on it's fins like the case of the VP. I took out the pseudo and the next day it died in my QT.
With your VP, I doubt it sounds like ick. Again, mine had these spots on it for months before I got rid of it b/c of it picking on coral. And the LFS that I sold it to had no complaints either. So I don't think it was ick.
Is that "stop parasite" stuff the mixture that looks/smells like hot sauce? I wouldn't waste you time with that either way. If it truly was ick - it would need hypo.
If I were you, I would just wait a bit - see what the VP does before you add the blue tang. And if you still only have a 30gal reef and a 55 aggressive, you will want to wait until you have a 6ft long tank before even thinking about one anyway.

 

[scsinet]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
Do they come and go, I took pictures of my Dogface, and there were no white flecks, now there are a few?
I don't know if they come and go.
When I've seen spots on mine, I do like I was saying earlier... just count them up, note where they are, and wait. If they stay in one spot for more than 10 days, I know it's not ich.
Also, ich spots are 3 dimensional - you can see depth to them. The flecks I've seen on my puffer's fins seem to be 2D.
Are you sure it's not microbubbles? These sit on my lion and puffer's fins like crazy because they don't move their fins fast enough to knock them off.

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by SCSInet
Are you sure it's not microbubbles? These sit on my lion and puffer's fins like crazy because they don't move their fins fast enough to knock them off.
I can never tell, and it drives me nuts. I've been adding more fish to my dt and that always makes me nervous even after a QT.

 

[hefner413]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
I can never tell, and it drives me nuts. I've been adding more fish to my dt and that always makes me nervous even after a QT.
I hear ya.. I was super nervous about adding tankmates also. But I was sure they weren't bubbles... but mine didn't seem to change like yours are. The VP had the same ones. They just appeared and stayed. Not sure what we are dealing with...

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by Hefner413
I hear ya.. I was super nervous about adding tankmates also. But I was sure they weren't bubbles... but mine didn't seem to change like yours are. The VP had the same ones. They just appeared and stayed. Not sure what we are dealing with...

There is a disease called lypho, that looks like that. But my water quality isn't a problem, and that is usually the cause. And I guess I'm a hypocondriac when it comes to my fish.

 

[hefner413]

Originally Posted by stdreb27
There is a disease called lypho, that looks like that. But my water quality isn't a problem, and that is usually the cause. And I guess I'm a hypocondriac when it comes to my fish.
haha, aren't we all?
I'm sure mine wasn't lymphocytosis either. I've dealt with that before...

 

[cmc3502]

my VP is still doing well.. he sometimes has a few spots then other days nothing... maybe bubbles.. But like you guys I'm scared to add any other fish right now.. I only have a few smaller fish left on my stock list, but waiting is always good