Dogface puffer rescue??
- Thread starter Mini Coop
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Mini Coop
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Update: Puffy is doing great! Tomorrow is day 10 being in therapeutic copper levels. Monday I will move him to a fresh 20 gallon for observation.
GREAT NEWS: The curator for the Columbus Zoo Aquarium emailed me tonight asking some more specifics about Puffy's treatment plan! She wants to make sure he is well enough for transport before he goes anywhere. Hopefully that is a good sign!
GREAT NEWS: The curator for the Columbus Zoo Aquarium emailed me tonight asking some more specifics about Puffy's treatment plan! She wants to make sure he is well enough for transport before he goes anywhere. Hopefully that is a good sign!
Update: Puffy is doing great! Tomorrow is day 10 being in therapeutic copper levels. Monday I will move him to a fresh 20 gallon for observation.
GREAT NEWS: The curator for the Columbus Zoo Aquarium emailed me tonight asking some more specifics about Puffy's treatment plan! She wants to make sure he is well enough for transport before he goes anywhere. Hopefully that is a good sign!
No more visible white spots?
OP
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Mini Coop
Valuable Member
None that I can see. And fins are crystal clear and have been for several days. . @melypr1985 had said 10 days at therapeutic copper levels then transfer to fresh and observe for a couple weeks. Should I give him a couple of extra days to be safe? I haven't seen any white spots for a few days. Except the one day he looked very pimpled. (Pretty sure it was like goosebumps)
I'm not in a hurry, I'll do whatever is best for him. I don't want him in the cooper longer than he needs to be, but don't want it to come back and start all over either.
scriptmonkey
Valuable Member
So I have a stupid question. You gradually up the dose of copper to therapeutic levels, when treatment is over to you gradually lower or do it immediately to zero copper?
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Mini Coop
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Not a stupid question at all. They can go straight to zero with no problem!
@Mini Coop Transferring into an observation tank after 10 days is fine. Just a few things to remember:
- Do not lower the copper level in the treatment tank before transferring.
- Observation tank needs to be housed at least 10 feet away from the treatment tank.
- Do not reuse ANYTHING from the treatment tank for the observation tank. Only the fish gets transferred over.
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Mini Coop
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@Humblefish Got it!
Observation tank has been set up in a completely separate room. I even got a new mixing can so that from now on, I will have one for QT and one for DT. I originally had 2 heaters in the treatment tank, but took one out 2 days ago, cleaned it with bleach, and it has been air drying for 2 days. Other than that, nothing will be used in observation. I got new vinyl tubing for both extracting water for water changes and for syphoning new water into it from the new buckets. LOL. Everything is now labeled with bright pink duct tape as to what equipment goes with what tank. Nothing will be crossed over. I have even labeled test tubes for copper and ammonia testing.
QUESTION - I am pretty sure he is having some signs of HLLE. He is mostly eating krill. I have been soaking it sometimes in silicon. Every now and again he tries some mysis. Anything else I should be trying? Would it mostly be from the copper? Will he be ok until tomorrow night? I can't get him transferred until then, as I am mixing new water now. And we know RODI takes FOREVER!
melypr1985
totally addicted
QUESTION - I am pretty sure he is having some signs of HLLE. He is mostly eating krill. I have been soaking it sometimes in silicon. Every now and again he tries some mysis. Anything else I should be trying? Would it mostly be from the copper? Will he be ok until tomorrow night? I can't get him transferred until then, as I am mixing new water now. And we know RODI takes FOREVER!
I find puffers enjoy silver sides, clams and shrimp (like the kind we eat with the skin on and raw). Those are all great additions to his diet. Krill isn't something I would feed for the long term as a staple... just as an addition to the diet occasionally.
OP
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Mini Coop
Valuable Member
@melypr1985 and @Humblefish - great suggestions! I got shell on table shrimp at the store and fed him a couple pieces tonight. He LOVED it!!
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Mini Coop
Valuable Member
@melypr1985 @Humblefish
I am setting up the new tank now, can I use a carbon filter for this tank? Or keep it with just a sponge?
Hopefully it will not be medicated. I thought the carbon may help keep the ammonia levels down?
He has been in kanaplex for 12 days as well. Keep it going one more time? Will a carbon filter effect kanaplex?
Thanks!
I am setting up the new tank now, can I use a carbon filter for this tank? Or keep it with just a sponge?
Hopefully it will not be medicated. I thought the carbon may help keep the ammonia levels down?
He has been in kanaplex for 12 days as well. Keep it going one more time? Will a carbon filter effect kanaplex?
Thanks!
melypr1985
totally addicted
If the new tank is meant to be his home (not a QT) then you can run carbon if you like. It won't do anything for ammonia however. Carbon will pull out medications like copper and kanaplex and shouldn't be used in a QT unless your purpose is to remove the medications.
OP
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Mini Coop
Valuable Member
Well, this will be his observation tank, and home until I can find him a new home. Still just PVC pipe in case symptoms come back and I need to treat him for anything. I have a sponge seeding. I think I will just get that out and use it in hopes that the good bacteria will get in there.
I'm thinking I might run one more dose of kanaplex because of the transfer. I used a colander to be easier on him than a net. But of course he still looks like he got a couple little pieces of slime coat that came loose.
Thoughts?
He is out exploring and looks much happier with more space!!
@melypr1985 @4FordFamily @Humblefish
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Sorry just saw this. I'm in Hilliard. You?
