Porcupine puffer with ich

[sir_puffs_nots_alot]

I just bought my porcupine puffer fish (fell in love with him) and he developed ich within 48 hours..I QT him in a 10 gallon bare aquarium. I have raised the temp and lowered the salinity. I am doing water changes daily (approx 50%) At first he would not eat then he ate for 2 days but he is not eating again. He loves to be rubbed (I assume his skin itches). He will come up to your finger for you to rub him. His eyes are not cloudy he only has the white spots. The spots are going away slowly but I am worried because he won't eat....any suggestions?

 

[little_fish]

Hello and Welcome

Try putting him in a large QT set up, a rubber maid tub works just as well. I would put in a few pieces of the big PCV pipes for him to hide in

You might find this helpful as well: https://www.livingreefs.com/oh-no-have-ich-do-do-t30950.html

 

[Sir Alex]

Here's an article on ich treatments: https://www.livingreefs.com/oh-no-have-ich-do-do-t30950.html

I believe it says not to mess with the temperature during the hypo salinity treatment.

And how big is the fish? If it's large then the quarantine might be stressing it.

Have you tried soaking the food in garlic? I've heard that that can encourage fish to eat.

 

[Sir Alex]

Hmm, a ninja and a reefer at the same time... :grumble:

 

[irensing]

Puffers are typically hardy. He'll probably fight it off on his own. I would say less is more in this case. What food are you trying to feed him? As tempting as it is I wouldn't "pet" the fish. Also, you probably shouldn't have a puffer with calcerous corals. I think he'll pick at them (once he's healthy).

 

[wontonflip]

In order for hyposalinity to be effective it has to be at 1.009. Anything higher and the ich can survive the treatment. Lowering it fast is ok, but when the treatment is over in a few weeks, you cannot raise the salinity more than .001 per day. But if he comes out of it ok, you'll have a nice ich-free fish.

 

[sir_puffs_nots_alot]

He is about 2 or 3 inches.....i have tried the garlic but not working....i only see 1 spot on one fin. Today he had a discolored spot on his head...it just showed
up today

 

[sir_puffs_nots_alot]

My porcupine puffer seems to have recovered from the ick but his left eye is very cloudy....it looks like he has a large cataract in that eye. Will his eye go back to normal or has he just lost it? He is eating well and the spots are gone now. I still have him in QT. Is there anyting that I can do for the eye?

 

[little_fish]

There isnt much you can do for the eye and it sounds like he either has an infection in there or a cataract like you said. But if he does go blind in that eye, its not a big deal, fish do fine with just one eye.