Porcupine puffer help

Baffels · Jun 4, 2024

Hey folks. Something seems to have happened with my porcupine puffer. We have had him around 2 years and he now has this white... spot? It almost seems like a rash or his "scales" are falling off. Any help would be great.

William Chiavetta · Jun 4, 2024

This looks like some sort of infection. Im sorry I can't be more help!

William Chiavetta · Jun 4, 2024

@Jay Hemdal Do you have any insight?

littlefoxx · Jun 4, 2024

Thats really bad, how long has he been like that? @AydenLincoln

Baffels · Jun 4, 2024

littlefoxx said:
Thats really bad, how long has he been like that? @AydenLincoln

I've only noticed it for around 2 days. We did just move last week (Saturday) as well, so he moved tanks.

William Chiavetta · Jun 4, 2024

Baffels said:
I've only noticed it for around 2 days. We did just move last week (Saturday) as well, so he moved tanks.

I'm guessing it's an infection related to or expedited by stress

Baffels · Jun 4, 2024

More info: He is active and eating (not as much as usual). We moved this last saturday and he has been in this tank since saturday afternoon. I just noticed this around 2 days ago.

littlefoxx · Jun 4, 2024

Baffels said:
More info: He is active and eating (not as much as usual). We moved this last saturday and he has been in this tank since saturday afternoon. I just noticed this around 2 days ago.

What is in the tank with him? I lost a stars and stripes puffer after one of my eels bit him on accident during feeding time

Baffels · Jun 4, 2024

littlefoxx said:
What is in the tank with him? I lost a stars and stripes puffer after one of my eels bit him on accident during feeding time

A couple tangs, a cowfish, pair of clowns and a dragon wrasse. All very peaceful.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 4, 2024

Baffels said:
Hey folks. Something seems to have happened with my porcupine puffer. We have had him around 2 years and he now has this white... spot? It almost seems like a rash or his "scales" are falling off. Any help would be great.

Looks like an injury which has become infected and progressive and will require immediate treatment in a separate treatment tank using seachem Kanaplex with added aeration and focusing on water quality.
Is fish breathing normal or labored?
A tail strike from tang is possible and clowns would have to have attacked this continuously. I dont see aggression as suspect cause.

Baffels · Jun 4, 2024

Video

Baffels · Jun 4, 2024

vetteguy53081 said:
Looks like an injury which has become infected and progressive and will require immediate treatment in a separate treatment tank using seachem Kanaplex with added aeration and focusing on water quality.
Is fish breathing normal or labored?
A tail strike from tang is possible and clowns would have to have attacked this continuously. I dont see aggression as suspect cause.

Seems to be breathing fine, video above.

AydenLincoln · Jun 4, 2024

Agree with injury and now an infection. I would treat with a bacterial medication in quarantine and keep any aggressive tank mates or nippers away from him. I recommend kanaplex or ruby rally with an airstone. Puffers don’t have scales and because of this their skin can get infected and I have found it to be more susceptible compared to scaled fish.

vetteguy53081 · Jun 4, 2024

Baffels said:
Video

video has audio only

Jay Hemdal · Jun 5, 2024

I wonder if this is related to the move? The other fish in the tank are unlikely to have attacked it, but maybe it was injured during the move?
I agree with the others that this looks infected and should be treated with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic like neomycin or kanaplex in a treatment tank.

Jay

Baffels · Jun 5, 2024

Jay Hemdal said:
I wonder if this is related to the move? The other fish in the tank are unlikely to have attacked it, but maybe it was injured during the move?
I agree with the others that this looks infected and should be treated with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic like neomycin or kanaplex in a treatment tank.

Jay

Must have been during the move. Not sure how though, things went pretty smooth. Going to get him in a 40g tank this afternoon to start kanaplex. This fish means a lot to my wife and I, hope things go smoothly.