Puffer in need!

[colin!!]

Hey all! I’ve had a porcupine puffer for about a year, with a handful of other tank mates. The past few months now he has stopped all eating as far as I can see, (always ate from tongs with no issues) he must be eating SOMETHING because he’s still alive and doesn’t look skinny, but he’s beginning to get very slow and not active. I’ve tried all kinds of different food, and he has even grabbed it from the tongs and spit it out in the tank as if it was just annoying him. The past few days he’s gotten very slow, very inactive. Almost looks like he has a hunchback now?? No idea if that’s related, but just looking for any ideas/advice/potential answers. I’ve tried changing food, everything from krill, silversides, clams, shrimp, seasoned with a garlic mix, and not sure what else to do or try. Any ideas would be more than appreciative!!! Thanks!!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

colin!! Welcome to the Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis Forum!

The #fishmedic team and other knowledgeable members of our community will do our best to help you resolve your questions. Please provide as much of the following as you are able:

• Brief description of the issue you are observing and answers to the following questions:
  • How long have you had the fish with the condition?
  • Did you quarantine with medication when you first acquired the fish? (If Yes, which medication?)
• Current water quality measurements
• Clear photos of the issue taken using WHITE light and/or a short video of any behaviors (post in your response or on YouTube).

If you can help us by providing as much of the above info as possible, it will make diagnosing and providing recommendations for treatment MUCH easier! The Fish Medic team will get back to you as quickly as possible. In the meantime, other members of our community may also share their experience with similar situations and advice that they may have regarding your situation.

You may also feel free to provide a more detailed description of the condition if you wish to share more info than the above list.

Additionally, these links may be useful while you await a response:

• CURRENT QT PROTOCOL LINK
• HOW TO ASK FOR DISEASE DIAGNOSIS HELP LINK

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hey all! I’ve had a porcupine puffer for about a year, with a handful of other tank mates. The past few months now he has stopped all eating as far as I can see, (always ate from tongs with no issues) he must be eating SOMETHING because he’s still alive and doesn’t look skinny, but he’s beginning to get very slow and not active. I’ve tried all kinds of different food, and he has even grabbed it from the tongs and spit it out in the tank as if it was just annoying him. The past few days he’s gotten very slow, very inactive. Almost looks like he has a hunchback now?? No idea if that’s related, but just looking for any ideas/advice/potential answers. I’ve tried changing food, everything from krill, silversides, clams, shrimp, seasoned with a garlic mix, and not sure what else to do or try. Any ideas would be more than appreciative!!! Thanks!!

Please post a video under white intensity of at least 30 seconds showing breathing rate and what is your ammonia and nitrate level and how are you testing.
Adding an airstone may be essential for added oxygen while this gets figured out.
Any new fish added recently and any changes in salt and even lighting?

 

[Dom]

It may be that the beak plate has grown too large and has become uncomfortable.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

As mentioned by @Dom overgrown teeth can often cause these fish to stop eating. Usually though, you will see a period of time at the start, where the porc will still try to eat, and then eventually, it gives up. It may be your report of it trying to take food from tongs is that symptom.

Can you post a video of it from the front?

The hunched back is pretty typical of a puffer that is starving though.

 

[AydenLincoln]

How often are you feeding him? Does his beak look overgrown? Any new tank mates? Do you quarantine everything?

 

[colin!!]

Please post a video under white intensity of at least 30 seconds showing breathing rate and what is your ammonia and nitrate level and how are you testing.
Adding an airstone may be essential for added oxygen while this gets figured out.
Any new fish added recently and any changes in salt and even lighting?

Hey there, will definitely post video tomorrow, had to go out of town for the weekend and just saw this. Can definitely add the airstone as well. Thanks for the response

 

[colin!!]

Hey there, will definitely post video tomorrow, had to go out of town for the weekend and just saw this. Can definitely add the airstone as well. Thanks for the response

Please post a video under white intensity of at least 30 seconds showing breathing rate and what is your ammonia and nitrate level and how are you testing.
Adding an airstone may be essential for added oxygen while this gets figured out.
Any new fish added recently and any changes in salt and even lighting?

 

[colin!!]

Ammonia 0
Nitrates 5 (stable for a year since refugium started)
No new fish, won’t eat, shows some fin deterioration, lethargic. Tank is well oxygenated (surface agitation and large skimmer). No other fish show any sines of stress or disease.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Seeing the video, I'm less inclined to say that the hunch backed is due to starvation as I first thought - the fish's belly isn't pinched. I saw it twitch a couple of times and cough. I wonder - puffers can ingest air. Usually, that stays down low in the belly, but I wonder if this has an air bubble that migrated to the back? Has it been removed from the water recently?

 

[colin!!]

It was kind of tough getting a video, you can see where he ends up eventually and it’s tough to get him out with as little stress as possible. This was shortly after I moved some coral on the other side that he was underneath, he seems to swim ok when he needs to, but ONLY does when I have to get him out from under something to see what’s goin on with him.

 

[colin!!]

Seeing the video, I'm less inclined to say that the hunch backed is due to starvation as I first thought - the fish's belly isn't pinched. I saw it twitch a couple of times and cough. I wonder - puffers can ingest air. Usually, that stays down low in the belly, but I wonder if this has an air bubble that migrated to the back? Has it been removed from the water recently?

He coughed probably this time because I had to get him out from under the coral, trying gently of course, he started to puff up a little bit…so he would do that the couple times I saw him puff up In the past couple of years. Maybe 3 times since I’ve had him. But it was almost like he was gettin himself back to little, and then would be fine.

 

[colin!!]

He coughed probably this time because I had to get him out from under the coral, trying gently of course, he started to puff up a little bit…so he would do that the couple times I saw him puff up In the past couple of years. Maybe 3 times since I’ve had him. But it was almost like he was gettin himself back to little, and then would be fine.

And no he’s never been removed from the water since he’s been in my tank

 

[colin!!]

not sure if the 2 first videos are visible, they aren’t showing up on my end when I post them. It’s after he’s swimming and just goes back to the sand.

 

[vetteguy53081]

not sure if the 2 first videos are visible, they aren’t showing up on my end when I post them. It’s after he’s swimming and just goes back to the sand.

Videos are short but agree the breathing rate appears normal as does the skin and the deformity on its back may very well be air as they come to the surface for feeding and even spitting and may have ingested air. If so, it will be up to the fish to release it but no disease is at this time suspected.

 

[colin!!]

Hey all, wanted to reach out again with some progress or lack there of,/update. Puffer is still kickin, but still not visibly eating, and seems the hump on his back is getting larger. He very rarely comes out of hiding, and when he does it’s usually to just find another place to hide. I have also noticed that he doesn’t use one of his fins AT ALL when he does swim, not sure if that has anything to do with the situation at all…I’ve taken whatever advice from shop/tank owners, and have yet to succeed in anything good here…I’ve tried to get him to eat edamame, have put some different vitamins in the water that’s beneficial for everyone, and have constantly tried to get him to eat. I’ve also tried to massage him a bit to try and get a possible air bubble out, as much as I can to minimize stress levels, although I’m sure that’s not super possible…but I figured I’d reach out again and see if anyone has some advice or ideas or info, or anything!! Thank you!!!

 

[Dom]

Hey all, wanted to reach out again with some progress or lack there of,/update. Puffer is still kickin, but still not visibly eating, and seems the hump on his back is getting larger. He very rarely comes out of hiding, and when he does it’s usually to just find another place to hide. I have also noticed that he doesn’t use one of his fins AT ALL when he does swim, not sure if that has anything to do with the situation at all…I’ve taken whatever advice from shop/tank owners, and have yet to succeed in anything good here…I’ve tried to get him to eat edamame, have put some different vitamins in the water that’s beneficial for everyone, and have constantly tried to get him to eat. I’ve also tried to massage him a bit to try and get a possible air bubble out, as much as I can to minimize stress levels, although I’m sure that’s not super possible…but I figured I’d reach out again and see if anyone has some advice or ideas or info, or anything!! Thank you!!!

I am sorry to hear this news. After so much time passing without an update, I thought for sure this poor little guy passed.

I think the question to ask now; is the fish suffering? If so, you may want to think about other options.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Sorry - I don't have any viable solution for you.....

Jay

 

[colin!!]

I am sorry to hear this news. After so much time passing without an update, I thought for sure this poor little guy passed.

I think the question to ask now; is the fish suffering? If so, you may want to think about other options.

I appreciate it, been thinking about that as well. Just wanted to see if I could figure something out and if there was a way to make this work out! Thanks

 

[Dom]

I appreciate it, been thinking about that as well. Just wanted to see if I could figure something out and if there was a way to make this work out! Thanks

I appreciate that. And yes, you want to give your pet every possible chance.