F-8 help - with pic

[Bioworldmaker]

Figure eight not eating - stress? disease?

I started a tank about 10 days ago. 10gal.
Let it sit for 2 days for the chlorine to evaporate, then on day 3 added 4 ghost shrimp. Day 4, down to 2 ghost shrimps. Day 7 added a figure eight puffer fish and biospira. Fish was swimming up and down the glass. Day 8 introduced salt enough to bring the SG to 0.002. Moved things around the tank, fish stopped swimming against the glass. I noticed a small pinkish/whittish spot on the side of the fish, by the fin. Day 10 increased SG to 0.004. The pinkish/whittish spot seems bigger. As of today, ammonia is 0.25ml/L, no readings of nitrates or nitrites.

I haven't seen this puffer eating at all. Since I got it in the tank, I threw in some tiny-tinny snails, but that didn't seem to get the fish interested. So I threw in some more snails (this time with their shells partially crushed) and still nothing. The ghost shrimp came rushing out from behind the plants and started sucking on the snails, though. The shrimp seemed happy besides the salty water, and seemed to have enjoyed the free scargot meal.

The figure eight had no interest on the ghost shrimp either. Later on, I bought some frozen krill, defrosted and put it into the tank. The f-8 came by to check it out, took a very few bites - spit it out. Then it went back to swimming around ignoring the rest of the krill.

I don't know if there is something wrong with this fish or if it is just taking its time to adapt. I think the pink/whittish spot may be some kind of fungus, or an ulcer, but I didn't want to add medication to the tank just yet (may kill the nitrifying bacteria?).

So, I need some aquarium advice.
Should I medicate for fungus or should I wait a couple more days and see if it resolves itself? Any one has any idea of what the pinkish/whittish spot may be?

--- edit

Sorry about the quality of the pic, that was the best I could get, the little bugger wouldn't stop swimming up and down once it saw me...

Ok, so here's a pic of the damage. I hope someone can help me!
The pink round spot is right there at the gill/pectoral fin, it is about 4mm I would guess. It kind of look like fungus, but it also kind of look like it could be a parasite that made a hole in the skin and got it infected... I have no idea. I looked everywhere and didn't find an answer.

 

[cappieBridget]

IMO, It looks like an open sore and I can imagine the salt is hurting it. Maybe do a water change and don't add anymore salt. I think puffers don't have scales and salt can be worse on scaleless fish. Can someone correct me if I'm wrong? Thanks!

 

[jcarlilesiu]

This puffer is a brackish water fish. The salt won't hurt it. What kind of salt are you adding however... I have no expereience with brackish water fish, but Im pretty sure you need to be adding marine salt. Here is a link about this fish.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=1601&N=0

I also don't have much expereience in treating sick fish other than ich, you may want to post this in the sick fish forum

 

[dskidmore]

Salt: I don't know if puffers are scaleless. It is true that most scaleless fish can't tolerate salt. From what I've read, the figure eight puffer is truely freshwater, unlike many other puffers that are brackish fish. Don't use the salt in future water changes.

Cycling: You need to do lots of water changes. 50% daily as long as your ammonia or nitrite is above 0. You are cycling with fish, there is going to be major stress on the fish. You are at the beginning of the cycle, the most stressful part may be yet to come. The biospira might help, but most aquarist-run experiments show it does not significantly change the length of the cycle. A dirty filter cartridge from a cycled tank is more effective than bottled bacteria products. The fact that the fish is already sick says that you need to reduce this stress below current levels. Use an ammonia locking product, such as Prime, in-between water changes. Prime will not slow your cycle, and will reduce stress on the fish.

Disease: Many fish remedies are unhealthy for shrimp and snails, so be careful in what you pick up and use in that aquarium. If we can't identify a particular pathogen, a mild antibiotic like malafix may be useful. What is the texture of the spot? Does it stick out or cave in from the rest of the fish?

Feeding: Call the pet store where you bought the puffer, and find out what it was eating at the store. You might try blackworms. Try not to feed any dead foods (unless you find that's what the puffer is accustomed to eating) until your cycle is over. The rotting uneaten food will cause your water to foul even further.

 

[tbonem91]

fig8s ARE brackish, not freshwater - as for the open sore, post that pic in the Sick fish thread and see what people think - there are also some real good links posted in a sticky on the top of the forum.

it is obvious that the Bio-Spira was dead so you will need to be doing constant water changes and your cycle will take quite a while. If possible, can you take the puffer back, cycle the tank, then get a new one when your tank is ready?

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

Im pretty sure you need to be adding marine salt. Here is a link about this fish.

The salt is marine, it is the Oceanic brand.

Use an ammonia locking product, such as Prime

No need for that, ammonia is 0ppm today. Weee!

Many fish remedies are unhealthy for shrimp and snails, so be careful in what you pick up and use in that aquarium.

I know, that is why I kind of wanted to wait and see if it went away...
As for the texture, it "sticks out" of the fish.

it is obvious that the Bio-Spira was dead.

It was properly refrigerated. It might have been dead, it might have been alive, I don't know how you can be sooo sure, but it is not obvious to me. Ammonia went down to zero today, without water change or anything.

BW vs. FW debate...
All I have to say is that there are mixed statements about that. It seems most people at the pufferforum think they are BW, so I am going with that. Too bad their domain expired :? Bad timming.

 

[tbonem91]

Thanks for the replies everyone!
...

It was properly refrigerated. It might have been dead, it might have been alive, I don't know how you can be sooo sure, but it is not obvious to me. Ammonia went down to zero today, without water change or anything.

BW vs. FW debate...
All I have to say is that there are mixed statements about that. It seems most people at the pufferforum think they are BW, so I am going with that. Too bad their domain expired :? Bad timming.

oh, okay - only reason I thought that was because you immediately started with Amonia and nothing else - but if its already gone after 1 day, then you should be good - just keep testing although I'm sure you dont have to be told that.

one thing to try is to use a turkey baster and attempt to "blow" some food by him to get him to eat - not too sure what to do about the sore tho...

 

[Bioworldmaker]

This is INSANE

So today I went to get some medication for my puffer. I am starting from the assumption it is a fungus of some sort. After spending a good hour or so reading the different medications ingredients, I finally chose a product called MarOxy. I fear for my shrimps' life, but I rather save the puffer. On my way out, I grab some frozen blood worms.

I get home, defrost the worms and feed them to the puffer, who eats them like there is no tomorrow. OK, eating problem solved - I guess I got a picky eater, it doesn't like brine shrimp, daphinia, snails or ghost shrimp.

15 min later I come back and pick up the leftover worms. I dose the MarOxy, and put it in the tank. Immediatelly one of my shrimps started to swim all over the place, kind of like in despair, really afflicted. OH NO! I am thinking. I KILLED THE SHIMP! But To my surprise, this white line the shrimp had since I first bought it at Wal Mart (which I always thought was food on the shrimps digestive tract) started to come out (and boy, it was looong). When it came completelly out, I netted the thing and put it on the counter top. It was a worm! A huge, white worm.

The shrimp is fine, looks a little shaken up but there is no damage. So, if you ever need to get a worm out of a ghost shrimp you should try MarOxy. I don't know if it is going to cure the thing my puffer has, but I could see that it did good for the shrimp I am so excited!

 

[Argblarg]

I have a big white line in one of my ghost shrimp too. I just thought it was some wierd crack or something. Not very excited it might be a worm!

 

[dskidmore]

I've heard about those parasites killing ghost shrimp. You're lucky you happened across a cure! I hope the shrimp does ok!

 

[Bioworldmaker]

THERE IS A HOLE IN MY FISH! 8O
And... no, it is not the gill! The skin is peeling?!

 

[Bioworldmaker]

THERE IS A HOLE IN MY FISH! 8O
Does anyone have any idea of what that may be? It started as a fungus-like pink spot, and now looks like it is dead skin falling out leaving a hole in the fish!

 

[Puriti]

8O do you have a better pic? It's hard to tell....you sure no one like...bit it?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Likely bacterial infection. I'd treat with an antibiotic such as Maracyn 2(prefered) or tetracycline. Keep an eye on your water parameters, because sometimes antibiotics can alter water chemistry and make your tank go through a mini-cycle.

 

[dskidmore]

There is nothing else in the tank that could be hurting him?

The MarOxy doesn't seem to be helping? You might try an antibiotic.

 

[Menagerie]

Posts merged together to keep the "history" with the current problem.

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Ok, so the "round" skin fell off the fish (kind of like a scab falls off) and now it looks like it is healing. I guess the fish will survive, it seems to be doing fine - more than fine, as one day I saw an "extra-fat" puffer, and only the shrimp's head to be found. The fish must have got hungry during the night, or maybe the shrimp got too bold for its own good and ended up eaten.

 

[roka64]

I've heard puffers really like inverts.