Spotted Puffer with Eye Problem

dma1976

New member
Hi, I am new to the forum but not new to the hobby. I have had a saltwater (fish-only) tank up and running for over 15 years and through two moves.

I'm writing tonight with a newly developed problem with my green spotted puffer (I know that it's technically a brackish water fish but has been happily living in my tank for over a year).

He has developed a habit of getting excited when I walk into the room where the tank is, splashing water almost as if he was trying to jump out of the tank. I know that sometimes fish try to jump out due to poor water quality, I really don't think this is the issue. He only does this prior to feeding so it is clearly a learned behavior.

Saturday afternoon I came in to feed the fish and when I went to open the lid he jumped out and landed on my wood floor. I quickly scooped him up and put him back into the tank. He swam and ate fine almost immediately (he did have a little dust stuck to him). Everything has been fine since. Now tonight I go in to feed them and I notice that his left eye is white-ish and swollen, kind of like pop-eye. It almost looks like there is a scratch in the middle. He is still swimming around and ate until he stuffed himself as usual, none of the other fish are bothering him yet.

My question is: do you think I should medicate or let it ride? If I should medicate, what do you suggest? It is a fish only tank with only a few damsels other than the puffer (I bought them to hold the tank after my French Angel died) and kind of got attached and haven't added anything else since.

Sorry for the not-so-great photo, it's hard to make a fish sit still and pose. :lmao:

Thanks so much for your input!
Dawn
 

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I'd watch it for a few days. If the outside doesn't get more cloudy and the swelling doesn't increase then let it run and it should resolve. It takes a while for the popeye to go down but the cloudiness should clear within a few days. Sounds like an opportunistic infection on trauma, not anything systemic (yet). Puffers are tough. If you can catch it, you can do an antibiotic bath in a 5 gallon bucket with a bubbler. Nitrofurazone or tmp-sulfa will work for a few days. If you want to just do an hour long dip, can do kanamycin or neomycin (kanacyn/neocyn by seachem) once every day for a maybe 3 treatments. dose as directed and watch ammonia.
 
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