Dead Valentini Puffer

[YukonJet]

So, I picked up a Valentini Puffer just about a month ago and have had him in quarantine. I literally was going to move him today into my display and found him dead in the QT.

My question is, do I need to be worried that he released his toxins into the water? I am doing a 50% water change now anyway but is that sufficient? He was possibly dead in there for up to 24 hours. I have a store holding a pearlscale butterfly for me now which I was supposed to pick up tonight but have delayed til tomorrow now as a result of this. The new butterfly will go into this same QT.

Is a vacuuming of the bare glass bottom and a 50% water change enough?

Thanks in advance!

 

[todddye]

It depends on what the puffer died from, but I would definitely not put another fish into the same QT without sterilizing it first. If the puffer died from a parasite infestation, there may be free swimming parasites or eggs on the bottom or other surfaces that a simple vacuuming or water change won't remove.

 

[YukonJet]

Thanks, I was kind of leaning this direction the more I thought about it. The puffer's death is a mystery. Behavior was normal, colors never faded, never puffed up (that I ever saw anyway), ate like a champ. Total mystery.