So I have 3 south american puffer two of which I just yesterday. There is a loach and a placo of some sort in there as well. It is a 36 G tank. Water parameters are in good shape just did a water change. I feed them once a day normally black worms which they love, I rey to feed them clams on the half shell but the don;t like that. I am still growing my snail population in another tank for them at the moment. I have had my tank about 3 months now and last month it fully cycled.
Problem:
While feeding the puffers this morning (black worms) when I saw one of the new guys had some weird thing under it's skin. Upon further inspection it moved around a bit and looks like a long worm. It is on the dorsal side. I am hoping maybe some how he got over anxious in the blood worms but don't think that is the issue. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks
Puffer worm diseases
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32776
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Puffer worm diseases
![[welcome]](./images/smilies/welcome.gif "welcome")
Bloodworms don't get under the skin. Most I've seen if when they feed too quickly, they'll wriggle out of their gills. Possibly a nematode. Not much you can do for that.
More SAP info: library/puffers-in-focus/sap/
library/hospital/dentistry/
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Puffer worm diseases
I'm not one for bringing fish back to the store but is this contagious to my other puffers? Could I just be SOL? Or should I bring him back for a different one. I don't want him getting the other guys sick too.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32776
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Puffer worm diseases
Yes, it is contagious--best kept to a single tank but it is possible they all have it.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Puffer worm diseases
Well, too late I think they all got it now. Just started noticing some white patches. They are not fuzzy looking like ich. But it looks like lesions on their skin. Not sure what to do now. I can try and get a picture.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32776
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Puffer worm diseases
Please do post a pic & answer ALL the Qs above, in red.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Puffer worm diseases
1)pH 7.8, Amonia-0, Nitrites=0 nitrates=10
2)36 gallon
3 tiny red eye puffer, 3 south America puffer, 1 Algae eater, Hilstream/butterfly loach
3)Feed Black worms, frozen Clams on the half shell and fresh/frozen brine shrimp (Hikari Brand)
4) Problems started a few says after I got the two new SAPS I did a water change the day before I got the new puffers.
5)I have had the aquarium for about 5 months. Cycled it with an african cichlid not in tank anymore.
All other inhabitants are looking healthy but the SAPS are looking and but acting normally except one who has not realized where the food is yet.
2)36 gallon
3 tiny red eye puffer, 3 south America puffer, 1 Algae eater, Hilstream/butterfly loach
3)Feed Black worms, frozen Clams on the half shell and fresh/frozen brine shrimp (Hikari Brand)
4) Problems started a few says after I got the two new SAPS I did a water change the day before I got the new puffers.
5)I have had the aquarium for about 5 months. Cycled it with an african cichlid not in tank anymore.
All other inhabitants are looking healthy but the SAPS are looking and but acting normally except one who has not realized where the food is yet.
Re: Puffer worm diseases
So I couldn't get the photos to upload them to my pictures so you can see them. They are pictures of 2 of the SAPs but the other did not want a picture taken
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32776
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Puffer worm diseases
The red eyes are gonna tear up your SAPs & loach. That tank is overstocked by 3 puffers.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Puffer worm diseases
Is there any way to treat whatever it is that they have? Or does anybody have any idea what it is? They don't seem to be affected by the skin it just looks bad. The worms I would like to get rid of the others do not appear to be affect yet. If there is some time of antibiotic to treatment would be awesome to find.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32776
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Puffer worm diseases
Whatever you use to kill the worms, will leave a dead worm under their skin to rot--killing the fish. Some have tried surgery. I'd leave it.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"