Let's move this thread as I will try to provide updates on the progression:
Well as Rbu1 said, two fish did not make the trip back. When I arrived at Rbu1's place, I saw the large sailfin and there was no mistaking it as velvet. He was coated with white spots/flakes. This disease is awful. The puffer had no markings but it was obvious he was affected by his slow swimming and labored breathing. The hippo had markings of ich with slight velvet. The ich was probably a secondary reaction. We FW dipped the sailfin, puffer, hippo, and purple. The sailfin appeared to like the FW dip but upon return to the shipping container, his breathing was very labored (we'll understand why later). The puffer was neutral on the dip. The hippo was a bit feisty in the dip but he actually spent awhile in there. I saw a lot of dead tissue come off and many of the ich spots disappeared. The purple also appeared to like the dip. Before we packed up, the sailfin and the dwarf angel appeared to be in serious distress. I hoped that they could last the trip back to my place.
I drove back as fast as I could and unpacked as fast as possible. As I opened the container, I saw the sailfin gasp his dying breath. The dwarf angel had died in transit. The shipping water had reached about 71 from original tank temp of 79. That was surprising but actually good as my setup was 72.5. pH had fallen down to 7.6 which was disturbing but my setup was 7.8 so acclimation time would be minimal for temp and pH. Imeasured the SG and it was rather high at 1.029. I wanted to make sure it was not the container that was causing the high salinity so checked on the puffer in a separate bucket. His water measured 1.028. I saw he was also trying to gasp at the surface so he was suffocating. I decided it was best to put all in one container to drip acclimate. My stock tank is running at 1.021 and I am keeping the temp cool to keep more oxygen in there.
The puffer had changed colors and had gone into some type of hibernation. His eyes had closed and his breathing was rapid. As the salinity went down, his breathing became better but he was very unresponsive. The hippo, purple and clowns were very alert. The wrasse was troubled but his color looked good (we already saw when we caught him he likes to play dead by changing colors, stopping his breathing and bobbing upside down). I added some ampicillin to the drip container and the hippo complained. He thrashed and went pale. He played dead. However, his skin was actually looking better and eventually he responded nice again.
Three hours later, the SG was still not a match and the puffer was not going to hold up. I decided to accelerate the drip and introduce the specimens into the tank. The tangs and clowns looked to be fine in the tank whereas the puffer and wrasse laid on their sides. I prodded the wrasse and he was responsive so I left him alone. I prodded the puffer and he was not responsive at all. I basically could move him wherever I wanted. I decided I had to administer copper even though the puffer could die from it (I think he would've died if I did nothing). I gave a half dose of cupramine and hoped for the best. I gave them dim light for the rest of the night.
I checked on them before I headed out to work. The purple and hippo swam normal with controlled breathing. The clowns were not awake. The wrasse and puffer remained on their sides. Again I prodded them and wrasse was responsive. Puffer appeared to be dead. I saw no breathing and he was pushed very easily. His color had returned to normal though instead of the darkened state. This is one problem with treating in a stock tank. It is very hard to look at the specimens top down. I decided not to take him out yet since his color was good. The ammonia spike would be nominal if I left him until after work when I would have more time to look at him.
At this point, I will try to feed before going to full dosage of cupramine. I think that the tangs/clowns and wrasse should survive all this. They had minimal symptoms and breathing has normalized. I am pretty sure the puffer is dead but will hope for the best.
Well as Rbu1 said, two fish did not make the trip back. When I arrived at Rbu1's place, I saw the large sailfin and there was no mistaking it as velvet. He was coated with white spots/flakes. This disease is awful. The puffer had no markings but it was obvious he was affected by his slow swimming and labored breathing. The hippo had markings of ich with slight velvet. The ich was probably a secondary reaction. We FW dipped the sailfin, puffer, hippo, and purple. The sailfin appeared to like the FW dip but upon return to the shipping container, his breathing was very labored (we'll understand why later). The puffer was neutral on the dip. The hippo was a bit feisty in the dip but he actually spent awhile in there. I saw a lot of dead tissue come off and many of the ich spots disappeared. The purple also appeared to like the dip. Before we packed up, the sailfin and the dwarf angel appeared to be in serious distress. I hoped that they could last the trip back to my place.
I drove back as fast as I could and unpacked as fast as possible. As I opened the container, I saw the sailfin gasp his dying breath. The dwarf angel had died in transit. The shipping water had reached about 71 from original tank temp of 79. That was surprising but actually good as my setup was 72.5. pH had fallen down to 7.6 which was disturbing but my setup was 7.8 so acclimation time would be minimal for temp and pH. Imeasured the SG and it was rather high at 1.029. I wanted to make sure it was not the container that was causing the high salinity so checked on the puffer in a separate bucket. His water measured 1.028. I saw he was also trying to gasp at the surface so he was suffocating. I decided it was best to put all in one container to drip acclimate. My stock tank is running at 1.021 and I am keeping the temp cool to keep more oxygen in there.
The puffer had changed colors and had gone into some type of hibernation. His eyes had closed and his breathing was rapid. As the salinity went down, his breathing became better but he was very unresponsive. The hippo, purple and clowns were very alert. The wrasse was troubled but his color looked good (we already saw when we caught him he likes to play dead by changing colors, stopping his breathing and bobbing upside down). I added some ampicillin to the drip container and the hippo complained. He thrashed and went pale. He played dead. However, his skin was actually looking better and eventually he responded nice again.
Three hours later, the SG was still not a match and the puffer was not going to hold up. I decided to accelerate the drip and introduce the specimens into the tank. The tangs and clowns looked to be fine in the tank whereas the puffer and wrasse laid on their sides. I prodded the wrasse and he was responsive so I left him alone. I prodded the puffer and he was not responsive at all. I basically could move him wherever I wanted. I decided I had to administer copper even though the puffer could die from it (I think he would've died if I did nothing). I gave a half dose of cupramine and hoped for the best. I gave them dim light for the rest of the night.
I checked on them before I headed out to work. The purple and hippo swam normal with controlled breathing. The clowns were not awake. The wrasse and puffer remained on their sides. Again I prodded them and wrasse was responsive. Puffer appeared to be dead. I saw no breathing and he was pushed very easily. His color had returned to normal though instead of the darkened state. This is one problem with treating in a stock tank. It is very hard to look at the specimens top down. I decided not to take him out yet since his color was good. The ammonia spike would be nominal if I left him until after work when I would have more time to look at him.
At this point, I will try to feed before going to full dosage of cupramine. I think that the tangs/clowns and wrasse should survive all this. They had minimal symptoms and breathing has normalized. I am pretty sure the puffer is dead but will hope for the best.
