Fowlr Trigger and Dog Face Puffer

[Miller Aquatic]

In one of my tanks I have a dog face and Niger trigger and they both still eat very well but they look like they have a mild disease. I was wondering what you guys think it is? I’m hoping it’s not velvet. Could I do hypo or should I just keep pristine water and use selcon. My macro algae in my tank had a lot of gunk and I had a nitrate spike I did a water change that hopefully fixed that.

 

[MnFish1]

Can you give any more information? like breathing, eating, lesions? I see some white spots - some looking too large for Ich alone on the trigger. I don't think Selcon would be effective. Did you quarantine the fish? Are there other fish in the tank?

 

[Miller Aquatic]

They both eat like crazy and I’d say breathing pretty normal. He’s been laying down like he always has because he’s a lazy puffer. The trigger is acting like nothing has happened. I didn’t quarintine because I didn’t think it’d matter because I only had one fish in there and my lfs had a pretty good quarintine system.

 

[Miller Aquatic]

It’s only the trigger and dog face in there. If they don’t survive I might have to take a break from this hobby.

 

[OrchidMiss]

#fishmedic

 

[nereefpat]

If the breathing rate isn't really fast, like you say, then you can most likely rule out velvet.

It's probably ich, but it's possible there are some flukes in there as well. Since the tank is a fowlr, I'd just do hyposalinity in the display. That would treat ich and flukes. I would do it immediately. That puffer doesn't look good.

 

[Miller Aquatic]

Will that effect nitrifying bacteria?

 

[Miller Aquatic]

Or chaeto?

 

[nereefpat]

Will that effect nitrifying bacteria?

In my experience, it hasn't.

Or chaeto?

Maybe? But I wouldn't be concerned with that. If the chaeto starts going downhill, you can put it in a bucket of saltwater with an airstone until the hypo is over.

 

[Miller Aquatic]

So I just lower it to 1.09 over the next day and leave it there for a couple weeks? I don’t have an auto top off but I do have a calibrated refractometer.

 

[MnFish1]

So I just lower it to 1.09 over the next day and leave it there for a couple weeks? I don’t have an auto top off but I do have a calibrated refractometer.

It's usually done over 48 hours. (I think @cmiller, that you meant 1.009). I would watch carefully - once your SG is low. I agree with @nereefpat that velvet is less likely - but Velvet does well in Low S.G. - so if you notice worsening, that should be a consideration.

 

[vetteguy53081]

In one of my tanks I have a dog face and Niger trigger and they both still eat very well but they look like they have a mild disease. I was wondering what you guys think it is? I’m hoping it’s not velvet. Could I do hypo or should I just keep pristine water and use selcon. My macro algae in my tank had a lot of gunk and I had a nitrate spike I did a water change that hopefully fixed that.

Appears to be ich but cant confirm especially with puffer in the sand bed in pic - Ich or dust?
Can you provide a 20 second you tube video under bright white light intensity ?

 

[Miller Aquatic]

Does it have to be a YouTube video or can I just upload a video? I’ll try and get him back out with food.

 

[Miller Aquatic]

 

[Miller Aquatic]

This is what he looked like yesterday. Alot better.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

So I just lower it to 1.09 over the next day and leave it there for a couple weeks? I don’t have an auto top off but I do have a calibrated refractometer.

The puffer looks to have ich, but ich or flukes can be treated with hypo.

Drop to 1.009 for 30 days. I would use two measuring devices, just to ensure you get it exactly right.

Here is the full hyposalinity thread:

Hyposalinity

Hyposalinity Jay Hemdal 2024 This term refers to a long-term bath treatment for marine fishes in which the salt content of the water is lowered and held below the point that certain parasites can survive. The salt level reached, and the time of the treatment are the two variables...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Miller Aquatic]

Should I also put in poly lab medic or fix ick or should I just start hypo? Also what percentage of water should I change every day to get 1.009 in two days?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Should I also put in poly lab medic or fix ick or should I just start hypo? Also what percentage of water should I change every day to get 1.009 in two days?

Polyp Lab medic is merely peroxide salts and rarely if ever works and at $40 for a small vial is a shame. Opposed to copper based meds, I agree with hyposalinity dropping salt level as mentioned by jay. Do add aeration with airstone and focus on water quality mainly ammonia level

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Should I also put in poly lab medic or fix ick or should I just start hypo? Also what percentage of water should I change every day to get 1.009 in two days?

The math for that is a sliding scale - the first water changes are small, but as the seawater becomes more dilute, it takes larger changes to remove the same amount of salt. My article has some sample calculations in it.

 

[PharmrJohn]

It’s only the trigger and dog face in there. If they don’t survive I might have to take a break from this hobby.

Don't do that. I did that 12 years ago. One of the biggest mistakes I ever made. Now it's taking SO much money and time to get back in.