Spiny Box Puffer and ICH

[Cobra Jack]

On the afternoon of Feb 3rd, I noticed that my spiny boxed puffer was covered with small white dots, about the size of a pen tip. He was evenly covered with the white spots, on his fins, eyes, pretty much everywhere. He was also looking stressed (pale skin color) and just wasn't being himself.

That evening I went to my LFS, and told the manager/owner about my puffer symptoms. His diagnosis was ich.

He said because of the puffer's skin type and toxins it's not recommened to use copper on him.

Instead I was told to buy a product called BiFuran+ (Link to product info) which contains nitrofurazone and furazolidone.

I set up a 10 gallon hospital tank out the recommended dosage of BiFuran+ and put the puffer in there. I did 25% water changes daily.

The puffer had no appetite on Friday and Saturday, Sunday he ate about half his normal inatke of food, and the white spots were reduced by about 75%. Monday his apetite returned to normal and he only had a few white spots on him.

On Tuesday I had to return him to the main tank because I was going out of town for the next three days and did not want my wife maintaining the hospital tank as well.

during my absense his appetite remained strong but the white spots came back.



Can anyone offer any suggestions as to the best course of treatment

 

[spongebobby]

Hyposalinity and leave the main tank fallow for atleast 6 weeks.

 

[Cobra Jack]

What does Fallow mean (in the aquarium sense)

 

[billsreef]

Arghh! Marketers should not be allowed any where near labeling of medications That stuff would be absolutely fine for bacterial infections and yes, even some protozoans, but absolutely not effective on ich at all.


Best course of treatment is to place the puffer, and all other fish from the tank, into QT and treat with Hyposalinity, while leaving the tank fallow as spongebobby recomended. In this sense, fallow means to leave the main tank without any fish for at least 6 weeks to allow any ich to die off without any fish to feed on

 

[rnelson]

"fallow" means unoccupied

 

[BlackOnyx]

try rxp for kent marine and get the salinity down, do NO water changes lets the ich chemicals stay around.

 

[billsreef]

IMO keep the rxp for BBQ sauce, as those pepper based remedies are not very effective.

 

[TerryB]

Listen to Bill.

Terry B

 

[baobao]

What is the best anti bacterial medication? Maracyn 2, bifuran+, nitrofurazone, or Ultra Gel Px? Would it be Ultra Gel PX? [what I like about that medication is that one uses dropper to medicate directly to fish and can combine it with Beta Glucan.]