Help, Does my porcupine puffer have ich?

[Nubi]

I bought the 80 gallon hexagon tank from a dentist, it included this puffer and a clown fish. I added some live rocks and changed the substrate to sand, but I’m worried this might be ich, can anyone tell from this pic

 

[ScottR]

Hard to tell but most likely it’s ich. You should qt it and treat it with copper. It won’t go away on it’s own usually.

 

[Nubi]

Hard to tell but most likely it’s ich. You should qt it and treat it with copper. It won’t go away on it’s own usually.

Tx you, I will

 

[Sashaka]

I bought the 80 gallon hexagon tank from a dentist, it included this puffer and a clown fish. I added some live rocks and changed the substrate to sand, but I’m worried this might be ich, can anyone tell from this pic

It's hard to tell. Porcupine puffers are like ich magnets. If you have it in the tank, the puffers going to get it eventually. Still, it looks like the problem is more like a growth around the mouth and on the tall than spots, so it does not look like ich from the picture to me. It might be Lymphocystis virus, though I don't know if it's all that common in puffers. Check out the link and google a few pics of fish with Lymphocystis and ich to compare and help diagnose: https://www.thesprucepets.com/lymphocystis-virus-in-saltwater-aquarium-fish-2925398
Good luck!

 

[ReefHog]

Hard to tell but most likely it’s ich. You should qt it and treat it with copper. It won’t go away on it’s own usually.

I don't believe Puffers tolerate copper well. https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.191/

 

[cracker]

I agree with Sashaka ! ich would be smaller spots.
Also the fish looks skinny . Is it eating for You? I can see it not getting fed well at the office.

 

[Sashaka]

I don't believe Puffers tolerate copper well. https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.191/

That has not been my experience, though I am only one person. I've used Copper Power at the lowest medicinal dose on 3 different puffers without issues.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I have seen other's treat puffers with copper; just have to raise it up very, very slowly... like with wrasses and other sensitive fish. Cloroquine is the method of choice for them, but since it seems to suppress appetite, for a fish this thin... I would focus on packing in the food for a week or so before starting, if he does not seem to be in immediate distress.

 

[Dom]

If you are worried, you can try the hypo-salinity approach.

 

[Nubi]

I agree with Sashaka ! ich would be smaller spots.
Also the fish looks skinny . Is it eating for You? I can see it not getting fed well at the office.

Yes it eats well, but maybe I Need to feed it more often

 

[ReefHog]

Mine loved algae sheets and nori

 

[4FordFamily]

Regarding the diagnosis, I cannot tell. My large porcupine puffer has marks on his fins that look like lymph but they've been there forever. I do feel like the tail may have some ich spots on it, but it's tough to tell. What other fish are in the tank? Do any of them show any spots?

I have seen other's treat puffers with copper; just have to raise it up very, very slowly... like with wrasses and other sensitive fish. Cloroquine is the method of choice for them, but since it seems to suppress appetite, for a fish this thin... I would focus on packing in the food for a week or so before starting, if he does not seem to be in immediate distress.

I agree. My golden puffer went through copper relatively easily. His appetite barely suffered and for a very short time. We weren't overly cautious. My other two went through CP treatment.

Mine loved algae sheets and nori

My three puffers throw down algae as well!