Valentini puffer not looking good

[think_tink13]

I was getting ready to put some zoas in the tank when we noticed our puffer was missing! I found him on the back corner, puffed, and discolored. He is normaly white and bright colored but he is now brown and dull. What's wrong ? All other fish and coral are fine.

 

[ReefWreak]

test nitrates, see if other fish have been bothering him, etc. It's hard to say 100% without knowing the circumstances. How long have you had the puffer? Did you QT him or Dip him before putting him in the tank? Has he been skinny or had a pinched stomach?

 

[think_tink13]

He is the bully of the tank so no other fish bug him. We have had him for at least a year so no dipping. We don't have a at tank (dad sold my extra tank at the last garage sale with out asking). His stomach has been fine lately not skinny or pinched. He normally bulges a bit when I go by, he only likes my fiance cause he feeds him and I clean the tank.

 

[think_tink13]

We also have a lot of algae so nitrates are most definitely there, but wouldn't the other fish be showing signs of distress if its a water problem? He is breathing really hard now

 

[carlosngloria]

have you tried doing a water change? any stray current in the tank? if he puffed up then something spooked him.

 

[think_tink13]

This is how we found him around 6pm and we have no idea how long he has been there since. He NEVER "sleeps" during the day and his normal sleeping position is on the rock work on the other side of the tank! He also normally responds to the lights turning off and on and when the lights turned off he didn't flinch, not even when I took a picture and the flash went off. He usually gets scared and hides. His behavior is not normal, so we known something is wrong. When I left around 10pm he was still there unchanged. He is bloated compared to his normal state and he is also a lot darker.


This was taken about a month ago:

I've been reading a lot about puffers gulping air and having a hard time "burping" it out but all those puffers were swimming or floating around. He just refuses to move! I really hope he gets better =(

Oh, and yes we did a small water change with the water we had. Fish stores were already closed. And I don't know about currents in the water, but if there were wouldn't the other fish experience it too? My fiance is supposed to work on pulling out algae tomorrow, but we don't want to spook the puffer anymore.

Maybe my future sister in law scared him! LOL (Luis would probably be the only one to find that funny!):rollface:

 

[DgenR8]

Go to the CMAS forum and post there asking "Pufferpunk" for help. If anyone can talk you through helping your puffer, she can.
If water quality is good, the only thing I can offer you is to ask what you've been feeding this fish. They love Krill, but it gives them lockjaw and eventually they can't eat because of it.

CMAS forum

 

[think_tink13]

Good News!! Around 4:30pm I got a call that he left his corner and began to swim around again! His color is getting better but he hasn't eaten. We'll try tonight.

I really would like to know why this happened so we can avoid it in the future.

 

[LauraCline]

They get upset sometimes when you do anything in the tank like floating bags, moving something, cleaning, or doing water changes. Mine does this basically anytime I do anything to the tank.