My Porcupine Puffer has recently gotten a small bacterial infection(ie white cloudy,outside of eye) on his right eye by scratching it in a piece of live rock. What is the best med i can give him without throwing my skimmer completely out of whack and keeping my live rock nice and coraline covered still(id rather not move him into a QT tank cause he is so big and dont really have a big enough tank to do that.My nitrates were pretty high(40-70) so i have since down a good sized water change.Usually i have notice with good water perameters these things fix them selves...but just i cause it get worse i would like to hear some opinions.....and pleez like i said try and leave the QT option out.
Porcupine Troubles........
- Thread starter H^2 Salt
- Start date
I am going through something similar with a puffer. If you are unwilling to QT, you could do the following -
1) stay on top of water quality, keep water quality as high as possible - often these conditions will remedy themselves if the fish is strong and environment is healthy
2) feed a nutritious variety of food (again, keeping up health and boosting immunity)
3) consider administering antibiotics in the food - make sure you get the right kind (I like a combination of neomycin and sulfa as a broad spectrum antibiotic). take a look at SeaChem Focus, which is made to mix with food, in combination with a broad spectrum antibiotic.
4) daily dips or baths in a bucket - maybe try an hour in methylene blue bath to start. my puffer hates it, but it has been very effective (in this case, the problem was not bacterial)
1) stay on top of water quality, keep water quality as high as possible - often these conditions will remedy themselves if the fish is strong and environment is healthy
2) feed a nutritious variety of food (again, keeping up health and boosting immunity)
3) consider administering antibiotics in the food - make sure you get the right kind (I like a combination of neomycin and sulfa as a broad spectrum antibiotic). take a look at SeaChem Focus, which is made to mix with food, in combination with a broad spectrum antibiotic.
4) daily dips or baths in a bucket - maybe try an hour in methylene blue bath to start. my puffer hates it, but it has been very effective (in this case, the problem was not bacterial)
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crazedpuffer
New member
What was the ph in the FW bath? PH and temp have to be near identical to your SW tank for the fish to live.
I'd get a commercial remedy for bacterial infections (pennicilin comes to mind) and give him an hour bath in it daily.
You treat as it says for first days dose in a sperate container (like one you use in water changes) filled with tank water, then you put him back in and do it daily.
Also don't net him out of the water or he might puff and inhale air causing many more problems.
I'd get a commercial remedy for bacterial infections (pennicilin comes to mind) and give him an hour bath in it daily.
You treat as it says for first days dose in a sperate container (like one you use in water changes) filled with tank water, then you put him back in and do it daily.
Also don't net him out of the water or he might puff and inhale air causing many more problems.
julianp
New member
If the porky is healthy (other than the bacterial infection) I'd say supplement his/her diet with beta glucan. Check out: http://www.marineaquariumadvice.com/beta_glucan_biological_defense_modulator.html
You can get it at GNC and other health food places. Just make sure to read the article above and get the correct type.
Porcupine puffers are pretty tough little dudes and I'm sure keeping water chemistry good and supplementing diet with stuff like selcon/garlic and beta glucan will due the trick.
Good luck!
You can get it at GNC and other health food places. Just make sure to read the article above and get the correct type.
Porcupine puffers are pretty tough little dudes and I'm sure keeping water chemistry good and supplementing diet with stuff like selcon/garlic and beta glucan will due the trick.
Good luck!
a short (less than 4 minute) fw dip in water matched to pH and temperature of the display should not kill a fish, especially a puffer, that could possibly make it.
antibiotics or antiparasite meds should be fine in a bath or dip if used properly. and it does not need to be a fw dip/bath.
antibiotics or antiparasite meds should be fine in a bath or dip if used properly. and it does not need to be a fw dip/bath.
no he died right there in the dip......all he had was ich!!!!.....and he was fine before eating and everything normal behaviors besides the....Ph was 8.4 in display and 8.3 in dip...temp was as stated above.....my only guess is that he went into some sort of shock from the dip....so i guess we will have to agree to disagree:rollface:
as stated above i saw you can do a dip with the same tank water with a little bit of pennicilin in it.Im assuming you mean the kind people are prescribed for infections and what not?......and if so how would i go about do this?
and LisaD yes i think i will try giving him/her a meth. blue bath tonight as his entire eye is now cloudy, not just the initial bit like in the begining.
and LisaD yes i think i will try giving him/her a meth. blue bath tonight as his entire eye is now cloudy, not just the initial bit like in the begining.
crazedpuffer
New member
Nope, you can go to your LFS and they should have Pennicilin there. I believe its in a green package thing with a rabbitfish on it. It comes with 12 pills.
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