Problematic Puffer (or ICH AGAIN???)

[JH]

Hi everyone, I have this puffer (arothron nigropunctatus) that is driving me insane!!!!
I boght her some months ago, and the fish was fine, then I left her with my in-laws and both of my fish developed ich. I had to move 2 days later, I moved, put both of the fish in QT, treated with Rid Ich +, both of them got better, put them back in the tank.
The puffer I am talking about has been in and out of the main tank the whole 4 month ever since the move. The longest the fish has been in the tank is 3 days.
I put her back in the tank after yet another Ich treatment of 1 1/2 months yesterday. Today the spots are back and the fish is cratching (she seemed to scratch even when in QT).
Now what the hell is wrong with it and what do I do???? Could it be something besides ich??? Can I do something besides putting her back in the QT? This is really getting on my nerves.
THanks

[mastaJ]

ICH comes and goes in life cycles. It is larvae swimming in the water. Then it gets big enough to breed, at this time it attaches to the host (fish). Then it dies and falls off. Cycle repeats.

So chanches are the ich in your main tank is in the swimming stage and when you put your puffer back into the main tank it just re-develops and goes over and over again. Because your puffer is still stressed from the move, etc.

I would keep your puffer in the QT for at least 3 weeks. This will allow the ich in the main tank to die-off, your puffer to re-gain strengh/relax (when you keep moving him it stresses him out), and it will be easier for you.

OR, you could lower the salinity in your main tank (1.020), not stress out the fish (keep everything constant), feed with selcon (or other vitamin supp.), treat the main tank (don't recommend), or ??? maybe someone else will suggest something. HTH...

[JH]

Thanks a bunch for the reply.
Yes, I am aware of the stages of ich. What makes me thinks that that might not be the case is that the fish has never been in the main tank before besides the one day and the other fish is just fine.
The other thing, is that fish looks just fine today, and I don't see ich come and go within 2 days. I have no idea what that is.
Well, the fish is eating, the other fish is fine, I haven't seen any scratching.
It's just all too weird. Stress spots????