please HELP. what is wrong with my puffer? picture included.

[porcelaindoll]

as you can see from the picture, he has some sort of "discoloration" right above the stomach area, a big white patch that keeps getting bigger. he also has a tiny bit of fin rot. but what I need to know is what is that big white patch?? I treated him with Pimafix tonight. any suggestions?

[Steven Pro]

That looks like a nasty bacterial or fungal infection. I would ask Kelly Jedlicki for help. She knows a lot about both puffers and marine fish diseases. She moderates a forum on the Marine Depot site. More than likely, you are going to have to treat with a real antibiotic in a proper quarantine tank. Kelly will know what antibiotic would work best and be tolerated well by puffers.

[Devilishturtles]

I would set yourself up a QT tank as soon as possible, and get the puffer into it. What are your water parameters? Ammonia, nitrtite, nitrate, pH, Alk, SG?

Maracyn should work on your puffer if it is a bacterial infection, so if you can't get to post on the other forum yet (I agree, she is pretty darn good with puffer infections) I would start by setting up a QT and treating with Maracyn.

[porcelaindoll]

Ammonia=0
nitrtite=0
nitrate=40
pH=around 7.8-8.0 (I'm having problems keeping it stable)
Alk= haven't tested it yet but I know it's low
SG=1.022

this brings up another question/topic-
I've been using a buffer that raises my ph to 8.3. it also says that it raises my alkalinity but my ph never stays stable and it makes my phosphates high which causes lots of red slime. is there a ph buffer that won't cause high phosphates and can anyone recommend something will raise alkalinity carbonate?

oh and about the QT tank. doesn't it have to be a tank that is cycled and set up for at least 4-6 weeks or can I just set one up with some of my old aquaruim water?

[roka64]

For your pH, you can point a ph toward the sruface in order to promote surface agitation. That should keep it stable.
What type of covering do you have over the tank? Personally, I don't like to dose my tank with anything.
The QT can be set up rather quickly if you move your seeded material from your main tank, like filter sponges. Keep in mind, the nitrifying bacteria resides in/on your LR/sand and other equipment (like the aformentioned sponges/media), very little of this bacteria resides in the water column. With enough media, you could have it setup within a day.

[porcelaindoll]

I have a glass canopy over my tank. I will try the idea with pointing the power head to the surface. I have a canister filter that only promote surface agitation on one side of the tank. I didn't realize that made a difference in ph. do you know how that helps? just curious....

thanks for your help!

[roka64]

I would remove the glass top. I had pH problems when I had the lid on mine. Once I removed it, everything stayed stable. The glass top adds extra heat and limits the actual air "volume" above the surface of the water. That's about as technical I can get. Maybe others can explain it a little better.

[Sadielynn]

Here is a bit of an explanation of PH
Understanding PH

[porcelaindoll]

actually I only have one side of my tank covered with a glass top. I took it off before but it's been a problem keeping it off b/c my puffers and my cowfish like to spit out water when they get hungry! LOL. but I will take it off again and add another power head. does it matter that I also have a regular wood canopy over my tank as well?

[melosu58]

Here is some info and a forum for puffers.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/puffcareinfo.htm

http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/