Puffer sick please help

Maaka · 10/06/2012, 12:15 PM

My stars and stripes puffer has been not eating like he has been for the past week. and today he is laying on the bottom of the tank covered in white patches that looks like a very thick slim coat and his eyes are clouded. What could this be?

Nothing new has been added to the tank in months.

Maaka · 10/06/2012, 12:22 PM

Hopefully these work

http://i45.*******.com/11t3786.jpg

http://i49.*******.com/sxfw5z.jpg

joeogio · 10/06/2012, 12:36 PM

are your parameters ok ? also how long have you had him ?

Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

Maaka · 10/06/2012, 12:48 PM

had him a year and has been fine the whole time till now.

the nitrates and phosphates are high but it is a FOWLR and they have been high ever since he has been in it.

Cymonous · 10/06/2012, 01:32 PM

Do you have a QT setup? If so, I would get him into that. Do any of your other fish have any signs like his?

Maaka · 10/06/2012, 01:38 PM

No none of the other fish have any signs. and i'm afraid to move him because I don't think he will make it.

I was hoping someone could identify what he has and maybe give me a course of treatment before I started to move him.

It almost looks like some type of white cotton mold growing on him.

Maaka · 10/06/2012, 03:27 PM

Moved him to a QT tank that is blacked out to hopefully keep the stress down and during the process the white stuff fell off and underneath it is a very dark red bruise.

Revmedia · 10/06/2012, 06:48 PM

I had a pictus catfish once that lost a fight with a large sharp rock. He had something just like that, and I thought for sure he was a goner. I nursed him back to health over the course of 2 or 3 months and he eventually pulled through.

Keep the water spotless in your QT while he's in there. He will be very susceptible to infection with an open wound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maaka

Moved him to a QT tank that is blacked out to hopefully keep the stress down and during the process the white stuff fell off and underneath it is a very dark red bruise.

hollister · 10/06/2012, 10:05 PM

The slime is a defense and means he is in destress. Something had to change. What sixe tank and whats used for water flow?

Maaka · 10/07/2012, 04:28 PM

Well now he is in a 29 gallon QT tank with a HOB for flow and filtration. but i can put a power head in there for more flow if necessary but i figured with his state he shouldn't be fighting the current much.

567234ta · 10/07/2012, 05:38 PM

I would treat him with antibiotics and basically give him the entire QT treatment for any new fish that looks sick.

Maaka · 10/07/2012, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 567234ta

I would treat him with antibiotics and basically give him the entire QT treatment for any new fish that looks sick.

That is basically what I have started to do. I just hope he starts eating again and makes it through.

lil-bit · 10/07/2012, 07:07 PM

I have a green spotted puffer in QT right now. I had screen over the top of my tank while breaking in a new bulb, well I went to feed him and he jumped into the screen and scaped himself from in front of his right eye across his head. This got a white filmy stuff on it. Was not able to see the eye. He has been in QT for about 2 weeks now. I'm treating him with Sulfathiazole every 3days and doing a 2 gal water change before I dose. (he is in a 10 gal) He seems to be improving. Although he never stoped eating.
If you are going to treat with antibiotics, remove any filtartion. Go with just the power heads.
GL

Revmedia · 10/07/2012, 07:43 PM

Make sure you don't run carbon in the filter while treating.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maaka

Well now he is in a 29 gallon QT tank with a HOB for flow and filtration. but i can put a power head in there for more flow if necessary but i figured with his state he shouldn't be fighting the current much.

567234ta · 10/07/2012, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maaka

That is basically what I have started to do. I just hope he starts eating again and makes it through.

yeah something is eating him up bigtime. What is the salinity at?

lagatbezan · 10/07/2012, 09:21 PM

The fact that he is not eating is not a good sign but they can go a little while before they starve. I would make sure water quality is top notch in the qt. What kind of antibiotics are you using?
I also suggest you post this in the disease and treatment section on this forum.

Maaka · 10/08/2012, 08:47 AM

No Carbon the Salinity is at 35ppt in the DT and QT tank. and I got Maracyn Plus because it was the only one the pet store had. there is no LFS within an hours drive of me.

Maaka · 10/08/2012, 11:28 AM

Thanks for the help, but he died about a half hour ago.

here are some picks of his injury it looks like a really bad infection to me but idk please let me know what you think.

the white patch was covered with a bloody scab but it came off when I went to get him out.

joewallace2008 · 10/08/2012, 02:59 PM

im sorry looked like a really cool puffer

lagatbezan · 10/08/2012, 03:28 PM

Sorry for your loss. yeah that looked really bad. I would suggest maybe just order some maracyn2 or furan2 and keep it around in case of emergency.

567234ta · 10/08/2012, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maaka

Thanks for the help, but he died about a half hour ago.

here are some picks of his injury it looks like a really bad infection to me but idk please let me know what you think.

the white patch was covered with a bloody scab but it came off when I went to get him out.

It looks like he got ran over by a lawn mower, is there anything in the tank that could scalp him like that? sharp rock edge maybe?

Maaka · 10/08/2012, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 567234ta

It looks like he got ran over by a lawn mower, is there anything in the tank that could scalp him like that? sharp rock edge maybe?

nothing that he hasn't been living with for the past year. I guess it could be but I can't think of any spot in the tank that could do that. maybe just bad luck.

10/06/2012, 01:32 PM	#5
Cymonous My Clown Attacks Me Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,105	Do you have a QT setup? If so, I would get him into that. Do any of your other fish have any signs like his? __________________ 100 Gallon Long with 20L sump 10 Gallon Office Tank Current Tank Info: 2 False Percula Clowns, One Spot Foxface, Diamond Watchman Goby, Yellow Tail Damsel, Engineer Goby

10/07/2012, 07:07 PM	#13
lil-bit Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 21	sick puffer I have a green spotted puffer in QT right now. I had screen over the top of my tank while breaking in a new bulb, well I went to feed him and he jumped into the screen and scaped himself from in front of his right eye across his head. This got a white filmy stuff on it. Was not able to see the eye. He has been in QT for about 2 weeks now. I'm treating him with Sulfathiazole every 3days and doing a 2 gal water change before I dose. (he is in a 10 gal) He seems to be improving. Although he never stoped eating. If you are going to treat with antibiotics, remove any filtartion. Go with just the power heads. GL

10/07/2012, 09:21 PM	#16
lagatbezan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,109	The fact that he is not eating is not a good sign but they can go a little while before they starve. I would make sure water quality is top notch in the qt. What kind of antibiotics are you using? I also suggest you post this in the disease and treatment section on this forum. __________________ Ryan. 300g with velocity t4 for return and a Reflo dart on a closed loop, T5 lights & SRO3000 skimmer. Current Tank Info: 300g Last edited by lagatbezan; 10/07/2012 at 09:28 PM.

10/08/2012, 03:28 PM	#20
lagatbezan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 1,109	Sorry for your loss. yeah that looked really bad. I would suggest maybe just order some maracyn2 or furan2 and keep it around in case of emergency. __________________ Ryan. 300g with velocity t4 for return and a Reflo dart on a closed loop, T5 lights & SRO3000 skimmer. Current Tank Info: 300g

10/06/2012, 12:36 PM	#3
joeogio Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: bluff city TN Posts: 198	are your parameters ok ? also how long have you had him ? Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

10/06/2012, 12:48 PM	#4
Maaka Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Lima, Ohio Posts: 329	had him a year and has been fine the whole time till now. the nitrates and phosphates are high but it is a FOWLR and they have been high ever since he has been in it.

10/06/2012, 01:38 PM	#6
Maaka Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Lima, Ohio Posts: 329	No none of the other fish have any signs. and i'm afraid to move him because I don't think he will make it. I was hoping someone could identify what he has and maybe give me a course of treatment before I started to move him. It almost looks like some type of white cotton mold growing on him.

10/06/2012, 03:27 PM	#7
Maaka Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Lima, Ohio Posts: 329	Moved him to a QT tank that is blacked out to hopefully keep the stress down and during the process the white stuff fell off and underneath it is a very dark red bruise.

10/06/2012, 10:05 PM	#9
hollister Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 2,037	The slime is a defense and means he is in destress. Something had to change. What sixe tank and whats used for water flow?

10/07/2012, 04:28 PM	#10
Maaka Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Lima, Ohio Posts: 329	Well now he is in a 29 gallon QT tank with a HOB for flow and filtration. but i can put a power head in there for more flow if necessary but i figured with his state he shouldn't be fighting the current much.

10/07/2012, 05:38 PM	#11
567234ta Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Fort Smith AR Posts: 579	I would treat him with antibiotics and basically give him the entire QT treatment for any new fish that looks sick.

10/08/2012, 08:47 AM	#17
Maaka Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Lima, Ohio Posts: 329	No Carbon the Salinity is at 35ppt in the DT and QT tank. and I got Maracyn Plus because it was the only one the pet store had. there is no LFS within an hours drive of me.

10/08/2012, 02:59 PM	#19
joewallace2008 i brought the ocean home Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: manchester ct Posts: 1,023	im sorry looked like a really cool puffer