Help id what's wrong with my Spiney Box Puffer plz!

[MnFish1]

Salt grains and sand are not that different. Depending on the type of sand or salt. It doesn’t seem helpful

 

[jasonrusso]

I'm assuming he's probably gonna be done any day now.

I'm sorry to hear that. I think that you got some poor advice here. I have never heard that it is ok to use copper/cupramine on a puffer. That is why CP is the recommended treatment. I used the commercially available stuff from National Fish Pharmacy. I truly hope he pulls through. They are tough as nails.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

@MnFish1 Well I appreciate your input but someone else has already chimed in and gave a more detailed response. Someone more knowledgeable than me. I guess I should not have been giving my input unless I new more.

 

[jasonrusso]

From all the pictures it was clearly velvet. At least 4 people confirmed it.

 

[MnFish1]

How so?

There is no definition as to what 'salt grain' size is - and there is no definition as to what 'sand grain' size is. there is no definition as to what 'salt grain' size is - and there is no definition as to what 'sand grain' size is. There is a lot of sand around here that is larger than a grain of salt - and there is a lot thats smaller. I just meant its not helpful.

 

[Humblefish]

He was eating great before Cupramine treatment.

How many days has he been in full therapeutic copper? Any white spots left on him or are they all gone?

 

[Chiefmaster30]

I left him in therapeutic copper for 14 days. At that time, I done wc and added carbon to system. He ate a day or 2 after that and hasn't ate since. Going on 3 weeks. I just done another 40% wc Sunday. Still will not eat. Tried frozen shrimp, lrs reef frenzy, brine, krill, and live rosy reds and live feeder guppies. Hasn't touched them. The shrimp he used to eat like crazy now spits it out. And tried pellets also.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

No white spots! I'm feel pretty confident the velvet is gone.

 

[jasonrusso]

Can you get any live shrimp? Maybe even 1 peppermint shrimp?

 

[Chiefmaster30]

Yes! I have 1

 

[jasonrusso]

Yes! I have 1

Mine have always gone crazy over shrimp but usually leave the fish for the Lion

 

[Maritimer]

Good suggestion!

That might be what it takes to get him started - and hopefully, once he's started, he'll kick it back into high gear.

~Bruce

 

[Humblefish]

No white spots! I'm feel pretty confident the velvet is gone.

I would run carbon to pull out any residuals from the copper and improve overall water quality.

Most puffers I have treated seem to really love eating those little glass (freshwater) snails. Petco will usually just give them to you, as they are considered a pest.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

What type of freshwater snails are you referring too? Do you happen to have a pic?

 

[Humblefish]

What type of freshwater snails are you referring too? Do you happen to have a pic?

See below. They are very small, brown, and are usually seen on the glass or on a plant. Their eggs will often hitchhike in on a plant, and many people buy clown loaches or a raphael catfish to eat them. Can you tell I used to work at a LFS that sold freshwater fish too?? I would feed ours to the SW puffers to keep their beaks trimmed.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

Awesome! I'm actually gonna be passing by a petco this afternoon so maybe I can try to get some.

 

[Maritimer]

Commonly referred to as "pond snails".

~B.

 

[Chiefmaster30]

I picked some of these up on my way home last night he didn't show any interest in them either. Hopefully today he will!

 

[Chiefmaster30]

It's crazy how a fish can do that bc of copper!

 

[Humblefish]

It's crazy how a fish can do that bc of copper!

It's a liquid poison. We're actually lucky that more fish don't react this way to it.