Toby Puffer Possible Ick

AquaAndrew · Mar 9, 2020

Ive had this blue dot toby puffer for one week. He has been very active, swimming eating normally. last light i saw him flash on a rock, i took and good look and did not seeing anything on his skin or any injures. I tested my water 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and less then 5 nitrate. this morning i could not find him, i finally found him down in the sand tucked under a rock. i decided to do a water change just to be safe, i changed 30 gallons (150 gallon tank). he came out of hiding during water change and i noticed something hanging on him, white dots. (pic attached) after finishing water change I remembered i had Ick-X, i dosed ick-x and am planning on doing another water change in the morning. I attached another pic of him after 3 hours of ick-x, he is laying on the sand but lucky in a spot i can see him. i did notice he seems to be breathing fast.

Thank you for your help

Big G · Mar 9, 2020

Toby's will pickup pieces of sand on their skin.

But the breathing fast is troubling. Was the fish breathing fast before the Ich-X?

Have you given the fish a freshwater dip to check for flukes?

AquaAndrew · Mar 9, 2020

I noticed the heavy breathing after the ick-x but i couldn't say when it started as he was hiding most of the day. I did think it looked like sand but wasn't sure. i will do a freshwater dip if not improved tomorrow, i hate remove him from the tank if i dont have to. when he was out i noticed his colors look normal but he is not eating

Big G · Mar 9, 2020

Yes, it's no fun taking them out of the tank and they get all puffed up. Did it stop eating after dosing the ick-x?

AquaAndrew · Mar 9, 2020

no it hasen't come out to eat at all today, fed 3 times

AquaAndrew · Mar 10, 2020

i really didnt want to wake up to a dead fish so i did a 5 min freshwater dip, he did well, rolled on his side but perked right up when put back in his tank, he is now laying against a rock like he normally sleeps. i guess i will see what he looks like in the morning

AquaAndrew · Mar 10, 2020

I checked on the puffer this morning and he is alive but laying in one spot and the rapid breathing is still present, i assume since he is still alive i have a chance to save him, did some testing and found my salinity was a little high from the water change last night so i am adjusting that now (possible cause of the rapid breathing?) and making another 30 gallons of salt water for another change tonight. is there any thing else i can try now? i will see if he wants to eat when the lights go on in about 3 hours. he has some light blotches on his skin but this may be because the lights arent on yet, he turns light at night when sleeping (pic attached)

Mr Fishface · Mar 10, 2020

Have you checked the PH of the water too? I found on my personal system I had to leave an air stone in the new saltwater overnight to raise PH as my fresh saltwater I was using was a much lower ph for some reason. Stressed my fish and corals out in QT until I caught that.