Sick Puffer?

[Kanicky]

The sick one: Valentini Puffer

The symptoms:

Lethargic, lost most of his color (i.e., the yellow in his tail and the shimmery silver-yellow spots on his body), he kind of looks like he has the "shakes," is still eating but barely, hides a lot in the back rockwork.

Tankmates:

(2) False Percs
Fiji Puffer
Purple Dottyback
Yellow Watchman Goby
Pygmy Angelfish
CBS Shrimp

I cannot be more clear and sure when I say that no one is bothering or harrasing him. He was doing fine as always up until about four days ago. Everyone else is acting/eating normally.

The tank is fifteen months old; we've had him for a little less than a year.

45G AGA
20G Sump
50 lbs. LR
30 lbs. LS
Coralife SuperSkimmer
Coralife 9w UV Sterilizer
250w MH
(2) 30w Actinics
(2) #2 or #3 Koralia's (I forget which, exactly)

Parameters:

Salinity: 1.021 (we're working on slowly raising it)
Temp: 77.5
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: Less than 5 ppm.

I know you can't explain every fish illness or death and that sometimes fish do just have "their time" to go... but if I can save this guy (who happens to be one of my favorites) I'd like to.

Any ideas? Please?

Thank you

 

[LisaD]

this sounds like a question for a puffer expert, of which I am not. I did have a golden puffer that I'd have several years lose color, waste away and die, while all the other fish were fine. I'm still not sure what killed it.

until a puffer expert chimes in, I have a few ideas/questions:

any possibility the beak has overgrown, and it is having trouble eating? you may need to perform "puffer dentistry".

any possibility of internal parasites?

I know they looked fine, but can you recheck your nitrATEs? puffers can be especially sensitive. try to keep under 20 ppm. you want to be sure your test kit is good.

are all the other fish doing fine?

I'd consider a large water change because it can't hurt and it might help. Maybe 15 gallons a day of high quality, aged sw each day for three days.

 

[j_wishbone]

thepufferforum.com.au

puffer experts their!

 

[j_wishbone]

sorry meant thepufferforum.com

 

[billsreef]

Have you added any new fish or other livestock lately?

Can you post a decent picture of the fish?

 

[JustinReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12650167#post12650167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by billsreef
Have you added any new fish or other livestock lately?

This is the first question I had...