Puffer question

[alddb]

I have a puffer that is acting off.

he was rubbing in sand and flashing last week. Treated prazipro Thursday. Sunday did a water change and added carbon.

He was rubbing in sand and flashing again on Monday. Treated with prazipro yesterday and now last night he had a cloudy eye. He wasn’t swimming around at all yesterday, just hid. Today both eyes appear cloudy and has white spots. These spots were not there yesterday. He is breathing fast. But he is swimming around so a improvement. He no longer rubs in sand today. Please note he has lympho. He had blown up and stressed. His white dots have went down a lot since the first video was taken. My main concern is his breathing and his eyes.

we just tried a FW dip and he went nuts, on top trying to jump out and spamming, gasping for air before falling to bottom, we panicked and pulled him out.

when we put him back in big tank he kept going into the power head and all this white stuff like his skin was shedding came off.

we now have him in a quarantine tank with melafix. Hoping this helps the eyes. I figured if we can tackle the eyes, I can treat again with the prazipro later.

I know prazipro pro needs doses 5-7 days apart. We intended another dose this week.

Any other suggestions? Just trying to help him.

Video of him earlier today
and a video from now.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

It certainly looks like it has a severe protozoan infection, probably velvet. Prazipro and melafix won’t help with that. The freshwater dip is probably the best thing to buy some time. Fish do react badly to a dip, but they won’t die from it unless they are close to death in the first place. If the puffer survives the dip, you would want to start a copper treatment ASAP. To be honest though, the prognosis is very poor....sorry.
Jay

 

[alddb]

It certainly looks like it has a severe protozoan infection, probably velvet. Prazipro and melafix won’t help with that. The freshwater dip is probably the best thing to buy some time. Fish do react badly to a dip, but they won’t die from it unless they are close to death in the first place. If the puffer survives the dip, you would want to start a copper treatment ASAP. To be honest though, the prognosis is very poor....sorry.
Jay

You can’t copper treat the puffer correct?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

You can’t copper treat the puffer correct?

Sure you can, I have one in coppersafe right now, been in it forever, I use it to keep the quarantine system operational. You do need to dose it with a test kit.

Jay

 

[alddb]

Sure you can, I have one in coppersafe right now, been in it forever, I use it to keep the quarantine system operational. You do need to dose it with a test kit.

Jay

I have a test kit and coopersafe.
His spots are almost completely gone now. He had done this before with the spots. When he inflates. Takes 2-3 days and they all disappear. LFS claims it’s this type of fish.

 

[alddb]

I have a test kit and coopersafe.
His spots are almost completely gone now. He had done this before with the spots. When he inflates. Takes 2-3 days and they all disappear. LFS claims it’s this type of fish.

Actually I have cupramime, not coopersafe. Guess im going to store tomorrow

 

[Jay Hemdal]

That rapid breathing is the main issue. Bacterial infections and flukes can cause that, but by far, protozoans are a more common cause.
Jay

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Actually I have cupramime, not coopersafe. Guess im going to store tomorrow

A lot of people use cupramine, I just prefer copper safe.
jay

 

[alddb]

Actually I have cupramime, not coopersafe. Guess im going to store tomorrow

What is this stuff coming off him?

 

[alddb]

That rapid breathing is the main issue. Bacterial infections and flukes can cause that, but by far, protozoans are a more common cause.
Jay

The eyes are new. Being cloudy. I read melafix can help that. We did the prazipro yesterday and he stopped rubbing in the sand and flashing. I figured he got something in the eye that caused it to go cloudy. Why we thought melafix to help with that.
we noticed when we clean the tank or do anything, he breaths heavy. We added prazipro yesterday plus the eye... then today went from his tank to FW dip back to tank and then to a QT tank. He is seeing now. Breathing still fast but not as rapid as earlier.

 

[alddb]

The eyes are new. Being cloudy. I read melafix can help that. We did the prazipro yesterday and he stopped rubbing in the sand and flashing. I figured he got something in the eye that caused it to go cloudy. Why we thought melafix to help with that.
we noticed when we clean the tank or do anything, he breaths heavy. We added prazipro yesterday plus the eye... then today went from his tank to FW dip back to tank and then to a QT tank. He is seeing now. Breathing still fast but not as rapid as earlier.

Sleeping, not seeing. His eyes are closed

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I’m not a fan of melafix, it is a herbal tonic not a true medication. If the breathing has slowed, that’s a good sign.
Jay

 

[alddb]

I’m not a fan of melafix, it is a herbal tonic not a true medication. If the breathing has slowed, that’s a good sign.
Jay

What would you recommend that I can use that is at a LFS? I can pick it up tomorrow.

I read I can lower temps and salinity in tank. Do you recommend that over coopersafe? I don’t work and don’t go anywhere so I have lot of time on my hands.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Have you done a full FW dip yet? I think that is the starting point here.

Jay