Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

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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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Nemalator417
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Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Nemalator417 »

Hi all! I am new to this hobby and know I’ve made mistakes from not so great advice.
I currently have 60gal saltwater tank that is about a month old. Was told it would be cycled by adding fritz turbo start and all would be good. Long story short I’m having to do a fish in cycle because it didn’t cycle with the starter bacteria. I am nearing the end of my cycle (had nitrite spike and now it’s decreasing). Current stock is 1 porcupine puffer, 1 blue spot puffer and 1 diamond goby. All was fine with water changes and stability but I noticed my blue spot had a chunk missing from the dorsal fin - attributed this to aggression from my porcupine during feeding, but he was acting fine. 2 days ago I noticed white strings hanging from him and a red mark in his mouth. He had been hiding and not wanting to eat so I pulled him out and put him in QT tank. He is getting these slime/fungal patches on his belly that are easily removed but comes right back after an hour or so. I’m having a hard time identifying them.

This morning my goby was dead but looked completely normal otherwise. None of the lesions look like ich but now the blue spot is having a hard time swimming and the white film is getting worse!
Does this look fungal? Parasitic? Secondary bacterial infection from wounds?
Dosed QT tank with Metroplex but he’s still not eating.

Current parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Ph: 8
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0.25ppm
Nitrate: 20ppm
Temp:79f

Just did 20gal water change on the 60 gallon after finding the dead goby. Porcupine is acting fine/eating well with no slime lesions.

Thank all!
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Pufferpunk »

Welcome!
So sorry to hear about the bad advice! I suggest returning the porc. Not only will it continue to harass & possibly kill the Bluespot, but you'll also eventually need a 120g for it, as they grow to 18".

As far as the Toby puff, I suggest methylene blue baths:
https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... blue-baths

What is your filtration system? How much live rock do you have in there? Protein skimmer? Powerheads?
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!"
Nemalator417
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Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 10:04 am
Location (country): Texas, USA

Re: Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Nemalator417 »

Thank you for your reply! I will get some methylene blue for a bath.
I have 2 aqua clear hang on filters. One 70gal and one 50gal filters. No protein skimmer or power head. I have a good size airstone and just some fake rock decorations. Thought about switching to live after more research. I have live sand but maybe adding live rock would be better.
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Pufferpunk
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Posts: 32764
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: Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Pufferpunk »

Also, what is your SG? At the moment, you are running FW filtration on a SW tank. You'll still be doing weekly water changes on it. By switching over to the aforementioned marine filtration, most of your filtration will be biological, needing much le$$ WC.

What about the porcupine?
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!"
Nemalator417
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 10:04 am
Location (country): Texas, USA

Re: Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Nemalator417 »

The blue spot ended up passing away this morning :/.

My porcupine is acting slightly off now as well unfortunately. Breathing heavier and he didn’t eat tonight. Usually he goes crazy for frozen krill but I held it in front of his face and he didn’t go for it/ignored it. No lesions on him, fins look fine.

SG: 1.025
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0.25 ppm
Nitrates: 10 ppm

Any ideas? Methylene blue is on its way.
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Pufferpunk
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Posts: 32764
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: Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Pufferpunk »

ANY nitrite is poison & will affect the gills. What other foods are you offering the porc? Krill causes lockjaw, among other things...
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!"
Nemalator417
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 10:04 am
Location (country): Texas, USA

Re: Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Nemalator417 »

I’m wondering if when my nitrite spiked it affected the gills of all the tank members. Possibly didn’t get it down enough or quick enough and now I’m seeing the affects of it. I’m offering half shell clams and marine cuisine cubes as well. He never was interested in those and only wanted the krill.

I’ll plan on a water change and see if that helps him.
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
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: Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Pufferpunk »

Yeah, krill is like fish crack--they can't get enough & will deny all other foods. Stop it altogether
& only offer healthy choices. Be sure to defrost cubs & rinse well, before feeding.
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
library/feeding/problems-feeding-your-puffer/
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!"
Nemalator417
Puffer Fry
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun May 16, 2021 10:04 am
Location (country): Texas, USA

Re: Sick Blue Spot Puffer, slime/fungus?

Post by Nemalator417 »

Awesome! Thank you for all your help!

He is back to acting normal now. I will work on changing the diet.
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