SAP Problems

[bobblehead27]

Hi everyone,
I had purchased a SAP about two to three weeks ago. He's been swimming around exploring but won't eat anything other than blood worms. I've tried tiny MTS, tiny round snails (idk what they are, they were given to me from a petshop to try) ghost shrimp, and even brineshrimp. I even crushed some of the snails before dropping them in and still nothing... when the blood worms go in he seems healthy though...

He also gets REALLY skinny, REALLY quickly. Like by the next day

 

[bobblehead27]

I'm thinking he has some sort of internal parasite but i feel like that wouldn't stop him from eating.

OH and i forgot to say, water parameters are all great except pH is high, but its a constant 7.6 so I heard thats better than low and unstable

 

[Fat Homer]

Looking solely at that firsy pic, and by what you have said im defintiely leaning towards your puffer having IP's...

Start treating him right away before he does lose his appetite or it will be really hard to fix afterwards...

 

[bobblehead27]

Ok. I have quarantined him and medicated his quarantine tank. Should I also raise the temp and add salt or no? I still don't fully understand when that's the preferred method and when it's not

 

[Fat Homer]

Adding salt + Higher Temps tend to be for combating ICH / White Spot...

While with internal parasites, the best bet is to use some form of medication that targets just that (such as jungle parasite tabs i think people use?)

The only time i would maybe consider using EPSOM Salt during IP treatment would be near the end of treatment if i notice my fish hasn't pooped in a while... since people say a little epsom salt works as a sort of laxative on fish...

 

[bobblehead27]

Ok thanks.