HELP QUICK!!!!

I thought I had come through my white spot problem (known as ick/ich to you Americans), but now tonight, I have 3 dead puffer fish!!! And I am scared about possible other deaths to the remaining puffers in there. It's a freshwater puffer tank, and today is day 9 of my treatment routine. I spoke to someone earlier today, and they said since I was still having problems to do the treatments for 2 more days. But I'm confused about something. I've just been reading through some other questions & comments from other members, and this is where I'm confused. I was told not to do any water changes during the treatment period. I did one right before I started administered the first treatment, and of course, I know I should do one after. I've read that other people are doing water changes while they are still going through the treatments. What should I do? I am supposed to do a treatment tomorrow (Thursday), Friday and Saturday, then I've been told to wait 3 days and do a big water change. Now just so you know, I have been vacuuming the gravel each day to suck up any uneaten bloodworms and waste, but have not changed the water. I did however, do a nitrite test and it came out fine. Please help me before I lose more puffers!!! I am shocked because one of the ones that was swimming around looking happy and fine earlier today is now laying on the bottom, on it's side and I know it's going to die. I feel like a fool because I thought I had it beaten and everything was fine, and it did appear to be that way. I have turned up the thermostat, should I turn it up higher, I think it's at 79-80F now. Also how much should I worry about infecting one of my other tanks if I get my hands into the infected tank and then into another tank?

Yes. Some infections spread readily. In fact, most aquariums have potentially harmful bacteria and parasites. Healthy fish have robust immune systems that protect them, but when aquarium conditions deteriorate, the fish become vulnerable. The best cure is prevention in the form of regular aquarium maintenance. If you choose to medicate, and you have, it's important to follow directions to the letter. If you have a charcoal filter, it can remove some medications, and if the disease/parasite has progressed very much medications may not be effective. You can try a second round of medication, but it may not work. After that, the cure all is fewer fish, less food, and better maintenance. Please let us know if any of that works.

I understand what you saying, but what I really need to know is whether I should be doing water changes during the treatments? I know better than to have a charcoal filter in during medicating fish. But the confusion for me is whether doing a water change while I'm still in the process of medicating will help or not? I realise that I'm going to lose some fish, that's evident unfortunately, but I'd still like to know what the best action to take is.
Can anyone answer that one? To do water changes during medicating white spot (ick) or not to do water changes until all the treatment is done???

Besides, I don't agree that this was brought on by something I did. I got white spot from a pet shop that didn't quarantine their fish long enough I suspect. But I don't think it's fair to basically say it's something I've done to bring it along. My puffers were in great health and my tanks were vibrant and healthy before this outbreak.

I'm very sorry and did not mean to say you did anything wrong. Fish diseases can be present in store fish, but immune systems can also be compromised by too quick changes in a fish's environment. Those changes can occur when a fish goes from the wholesaler to the retailer. Medications are easy to abuse, so they should be used exactly as directed. Personally, i never use medications. If a fish is really sick, i can't do much to help so i look for a cause. If the cause is not external, it must be related to aquarium maintenance. Some people do too much, most do too little, and almost no one gets it perfect. If the problem were mine, i would do some water changes, check chemistry and temperature, add live plants and leave the rest to nature. That said, saltwater and probably brackish water need entirely different parameters to be fish friendly.

Please keep us posted.

I appreciate what you've said. I sadly think I will probably lose all my bigger puffers in that tank. My Dwarf puffers seem fine and there wasn't any sign of the parasite on them during the entire time I've been treating the tank. I am really upset though at the near certainty that I will lose all my bigger puffers. I believe I discovered the parasite too late and by the time I started doing treatments, it had infected my puffers to a point where I could do nothing for them. It's a sad thing to see a little cute fish lay dying, I felt very sad and even cried a little. Some would say they are only fish, but they are a living thing and that makes them special.
I appreciate your comments. Thanks.

As long as I've been a hobbyist, helplessly watching a fish die is hard to accept. We're all responsible for their well being, so it's difficult when things go wrong. Maybe we can learn more and become better care givers; i hope websites like this help. Your experiences and opinions definitely do.

Sorry to barge in, but try this link about curing your disease.
www.fishlore.com/Articles/CuringIch.htm

What barge? We're about communicating.

GOOD NEWS!!!!

I am happy to say that, although I lost one of my South American Puffers this morning (probably died last night), all my other fish seem much better and happier!! Their tails, which had previously been clamped shut, are now open and flapping in the current. I was so happy to see them looking normal again. I did a 50% water change this morning, then when I added water I did another medication treatment. I also increased the temperature of the tank, and I added an airstone to give more oxygen. My fish were seriously looking like they were going to die, so you can imagine how ecstatic I was to see them looking happy again. Praise the Lord!

It's such a stressful thing to see your fish suffering and not being able to really do anything for them.

So I'm back to feeling happy again. My Puffers are my pride and joy!! I used to have a thing for L-Number Pleco's, but now they don't really interest me anymore, Puffers are so intelligent and they definitely have personality, I don't think any Plec, no matter how expensive, can rival that!!

And there you have it. Just one more thing, as some of you may know, or not, Puffers do not have scales, nor do they have gill coverings, so things that work for other fish do not always apply to Puffers. I know alot of people don't agree with medicating fish, but I did what I felt was right for my Puffers, and in their best interest. All in all, I had 3 of my Puffers die throughout this hellish infestation, but at least I still have the majority of my clan, and that is very good news to me!

Congratulations on your success, and thanks for sharing your experience.

I'm so glad for you!!!

I just love puffers! I think they're soooo cool!

It sounds like you did everything right!

It's crazy how attached we get to our fish. I had a Roseline shark (common name) named Sam that I just absolutely adored!

Well... he got injured in a feeding excitement one morning and looking back, I'm betting he had a spinal injury... Anyway, I babied him in a QT tank for over a month before he finally gave up.

I actually cried over this fish... He almost died when I first got him. He was in a tank that I bought that I had to deep clean before I could put him back in... travel by cooler... and I had to hold him in my hands and push the water through his gills when I got him into the tank. He had flipped out and rammed his head into the styrofoam box, and I guess like knocked himself out... It was wild, so he made it through the first injury, but the second one got him... R.I.P. Sam...

A lot of people get attached to their fish...