How to Treat Sick Boxfish

Boxfish are square-shaped, bony, saltwater fish that look very similar to pufferfish or filefish. They come in a variety of different colors and sizes, belonging to the family Ostraciidae, which contains boxfish, cowfish, cofferfish and trunkfish, all of which have very similar general physical appearances. Boxfish can be difficult to keep, as most saltwater fish are, and it can be especially disheartening when one appears sick. Treating a sick boxfish can be a difficult task, especially since you must first diagnose it. If it appears thin, then it's probably not getting enough food because either the tank is too large for it to find food or its tankmates are grabbing it all before it can eat any. The most common fish diseases, like fungus and parasites like Ich, can be treated gradually using a quarantine tank and certain chemicals.

Things You'll Need

Quarantine tank
Ich treatment (typically copper solution)
Bowl
Net

Instructions

- 1
  Identify the problem. If the fish shows signs of physical damage, then it is being attacked by other fish. If it is noticeably thin, then it's not getting enough food. If it's gasping for breath or covered in white flecks, then it is a common condition caused by the Ich parasite. If it has warts or boils, it may be a fungus.
- 2
  Set up the quarantine tank. The quarantine tank is typically just a 10- to 20-gallon aquarium with similar water parameters to your primary tank. It should have the same salinity level, water temperature, and filtration as your primary tank. It does not need fancy decor or even a substrate; in fact some quarantine tanks are simply blank aquariums.
- 3
  Move your sick boxfish to the quarantine aquarium using a net. A white nylon net works best in contrast to the standard green nets, which can cut fish's fins.
If a Fish is Physically Damaged or Thin
- 4
  Feed the fish and carefully observe it as it eats. If it is eating fine, then it is another malady like a fungus, parasite, or bacterial infection.
- 5
  Add the proper dosage of a chemical like melafix if the boxfish's fins are physically damaged. The proper dosage can be found on the packaging. This chemical helps the fins heal.
- 6
  Repeat steps one and two for at least a week and note any physical improvement. You may want to consider removing overly aggressive fish from your main aquarium before placing your boxfish back into it or setting up a separate aquarium entirely for your boxfish.
If It is Ich
- 7
  Raise the temperature of the water in the quarantine aquarium by about five degrees Fahrenheit. Ich has trouble tolerating higher temperatures, as its life cycle is temperature-dependent. Raising the water temperature can break the cycle and eliminate much of the ich.
- 8
  Add the proper dosage of Ich removal solution (typically a copper solution that turns your water blue). The proper dosage can be found on the packaging.
- 9
  Repeat steps one and two while regularly feeding your boxfish for a few days. If there's no improvement, move on to step four.
- 10
  Perform a freshwater dip. This is done by filling a bowl with warm freshwater and placing your boxfish in it for about five minutes. Saltwater Ich cannot tolerate freshwater, and may die off during the dip. However, this should only be taken as an extreme measure, as the boxfish itself is also very sensitive to freshwater.
If It is a Fungus or Bacterial Infection
- 11
  Keep the temperature of the water in the quarantine tank stable, around the same temperature as your main aquarium.
- 12
  Add the proper dosage of fish antibiotic, which should be on the packaging. Antibiotics, which can be found at most pet stores, come in a variety of forms (typically a liquid or powder capsule), and are used to stave off infection and treat things like Popeye (swelling of the eye) or other bacterial infections.
- 13
  Feed the fish regularly to make sure it continues to eat.
- 14
  Repeat steps one through three for a few days to make sure the infection has subsided before placing the fish back into the main aquarium.