Dogface Puffer panting

[jcmjoe]

Hey guys, my dogface puffer has been panting in the one corner of the tank lately. He still eats like an absolute pig but I noticed when I am not feeding the tank he kinda sits in the one corner and is really rapidly breathing. I checked all my water parameters and they are as follows.

PH 8.0
salinity 1.023
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ammonia 0
CA 420

It is a 125 gallon with a 30 gallon sump/refugium.

The fish has some lympho on his fin(cauliflower looking growth) that he has had for months. The fish was quarantined before putting into DT and no other fish seem stressed. His color looks great but he has really heavy breathing.
Any Ideas. I feed him Clams, Mysids shrimp and Spectrum Thera A pellets?
Thanks

 

[b0bab0ey]

He's a Dogface Puffer! Of course he's going to pant!

Seriously though, two possibilities are most likely.

#1 Is he getting enough oxygen? Do you have an open top with at least one powerhead agitating the surface? Protein skimmer? Most likely this isn't the problem as you said no other fish seem stressed.

#2 Parasites or worms attacking his gills and thus affecting his breathing. How long have you had him? Did you QT and if so, for how long? Is he exhibiting any other symptoms such as: white dots on his skin, white string poo, head twitching, scratching on rocks, etc. Are any of the other fish exhibiting any of these symptoms? This is the most likely scenario.

 

[snorvich]

How long was the fish quarantined? How was it quarantined? How long after quarantine was it added to the display tank.

 

[jcmjoe]

He was initially quarantined for about 3 weeks with cupramine(added very slowly to a dose of about .35) I know puffers are sensitive to copper. I also had treated with prazipro. I have had him for about 4 months, 4 weeks ago I moved him into a new 125 Gallon tank and he has been a champ until like 2 days ago. I have 2 Koralia 1050 powerheads in tank with a overflow going into a sump with a Bubble Magus Skimmer and open top. His poo does not appear white or stringy. Would you guys recommend putting him into a QT if conditions dont improve after a day or so? His eyes seem clear and he is not clamping fins or twitching, that is not yet! Thanks

 

[b0bab0ey]

He was initially quarantined for about 3 weeks with cupramine(added very slowly to a dose of about .35) I know puffers are sensitive to copper. I also had treated with prazipro. I have had him for about 4 months, 4 weeks ago I moved him into a new 125 Gallon tank and he has been a champ until like 2 days ago. I have 2 Koralia 1050 powerheads in tank with a overflow going into a sump with a Bubble Magus Skimmer and open top. His poo does not appear white or stringy. Would you guys recommend putting him into a QT if conditions dont improve after a day or so? His eyes seem clear and he is not clamping fins or twitching, that is not yet! Thanks

If he's still breathing heavy come tomorrow, I would probably QT and consider treatment. Maybe a f/w bath at first to confirm Flukes. If that comes back negative, then I would probably treat again with copper.

 

[jcmjoe]

Thanks guys for all the help.

 

[jcmjoe]

Well, Today when I got home from work I checked out the Dogface Puffer and he is completely back to normal respiratory wise and personality. swimming all over the tank and squirting water and chomping his teeth at the glass when he see's me? Maybe something spooked him or stressed him out the other day?