Ph- 8.2
Ammonia- 0
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 5
Salinity- 1.022
Temp- 78
150 G FOWLR
I feed raw shrimp, clams & mussels on a half shell, snails, blood worms, mysis shrimp and some fruits and veggies occasionally.
I just did a water change. Tank has been set up over a year and was cycled.
I noticed a couple days ago my porcupine puffer Juke had a spine sticking out. I didn't think anything of it, he occasionally gets loose spines and they go away. Only this time it looks different. It's sticking straight out and yesterday I noticed it had developed a lump under the spine. I did a water change and have been doing research but I'm having trouble figuring out what to do. He is acting completely normal, big personality and appetite. I am still very concerned. I don't want him to get sick. Anyone seen this or know what I should do next?
Infected spines on porcupine puffer
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.
-
casc
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:24 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: "Juke" porcupine puffer 150G FOWLR
10G Aqua scape tank with Dwarf Puffer
~Non puff tank:
30G reef tank with Hawaiian Dwarf Peacock Lionfish
~GF tanks:
90G freshwater w/ fancy goldfish
90G freshwater w/ oscar - Location (country): USA, Vermont
Infected spines on porcupine puffer
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Last edited by casc on Fri May 23, 2014 10:08 am, edited 2 times in total.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- 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: possible infected spine
Is it possible to get a good pic of this? I'd at least add SW Melafix.
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!"
-
casc
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:24 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: "Juke" porcupine puffer 150G FOWLR
10G Aqua scape tank with Dwarf Puffer
~Non puff tank:
30G reef tank with Hawaiian Dwarf Peacock Lionfish
~GF tanks:
90G freshwater w/ fancy goldfish
90G freshwater w/ oscar - Location (country): USA, Vermont
Re: possible infected spine
I have taken 20 pictures and so far this is the best I got. Its right under his pectoral fin. You can see a spine slightly sticking out. It's on top of the lump. I can see it in the pic but I can see how it would be hard if you don't know what your looking at. I will continue to try n get a better picture.
-
casc
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:24 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: "Juke" porcupine puffer 150G FOWLR
10G Aqua scape tank with Dwarf Puffer
~Non puff tank:
30G reef tank with Hawaiian Dwarf Peacock Lionfish
~GF tanks:
90G freshwater w/ fancy goldfish
90G freshwater w/ oscar - Location (country): USA, Vermont
Re: possible infected spine
I have treated Jukes tank for a few days with melafix. So far no improvement. He had been acting normal up to about an hour ago. He is hanging out at the bottom. He's still moving around but slowly and he spit out food. I'm concerned the swollen spike is possibly poking his fin. Either way I'm sure it's uncomfortable. I'm not sure what to do. Anyone seen or heard of this or have any idea what my next step should be? I just want him to be ok. I'm very concerned.
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-
casc
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:24 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: "Juke" porcupine puffer 150G FOWLR
10G Aqua scape tank with Dwarf Puffer
~Non puff tank:
30G reef tank with Hawaiian Dwarf Peacock Lionfish
~GF tanks:
90G freshwater w/ fancy goldfish
90G freshwater w/ oscar - Location (country): USA, Vermont
Re: possible infected spine
Anyone have any ideas?
-
casc
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:24 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: "Juke" porcupine puffer 150G FOWLR
10G Aqua scape tank with Dwarf Puffer
~Non puff tank:
30G reef tank with Hawaiian Dwarf Peacock Lionfish
~GF tanks:
90G freshwater w/ fancy goldfish
90G freshwater w/ oscar - Location (country): USA, Vermont
Re: Infected spines on porcupine puffer
Can ANYONE please help!?
-
sgtmyers88
- Moderator
- Posts: 1294
- Joined: Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:37 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffers
- Location (country): USA
- Contact:
Re: Infected spines on porcupine puffer
From what I understand as they grow porky puffs "molt" and shed their spines as children do with their teeth.
See here: viewtopic.php?t=31451&p=335864
See here: viewtopic.php?t=31451&p=335864
WARNING: Puffers are mischievous little blimps with enchanting powers. You may not be content with having just one.
-
casc
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:24 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: "Juke" porcupine puffer 150G FOWLR
10G Aqua scape tank with Dwarf Puffer
~Non puff tank:
30G reef tank with Hawaiian Dwarf Peacock Lionfish
~GF tanks:
90G freshwater w/ fancy goldfish
90G freshwater w/ oscar - Location (country): USA, Vermont
Re: Infected spines on porcupine puffer
Yes I have seen that happen multiple times with him. This does not look normal or anything like the porc in that post. What I am concerned about is th the large lump under his spine. I can't seem to find a similar situation. The melafix is not helping.
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- 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: Infected spines on porcupine puffer
Possibly a cyst? I see that in dogs a lot. If he's eating, swimming, interacting as usual, I wouldn't worry much.
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!"
-
casc
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:24 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: "Juke" porcupine puffer 150G FOWLR
10G Aqua scape tank with Dwarf Puffer
~Non puff tank:
30G reef tank with Hawaiian Dwarf Peacock Lionfish
~GF tanks:
90G freshwater w/ fancy goldfish
90G freshwater w/ oscar - Location (country): USA, Vermont
Re: Infected spines on porcupine puffer
He is acting normal again today. Do you think it will go away? Or it's something he can live with normally?
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- 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: Infected spines on porcupine puffer
They do go away, as do any other cysts.
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!"
-
casc
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 2:24 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: "Juke" porcupine puffer 150G FOWLR
10G Aqua scape tank with Dwarf Puffer
~Non puff tank:
30G reef tank with Hawaiian Dwarf Peacock Lionfish
~GF tanks:
90G freshwater w/ fancy goldfish
90G freshwater w/ oscar - Location (country): USA, Vermont
Re: Infected spines on porcupine puffer
I hope that's what it is. I'm worried about him, that makes me feel a little better.
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hadla
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1626
- Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:33 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 gsps and a big Stars and stripes
- Location (country): California
- Location: Sacramento, CA
- Contact:
Re: Infected spines on porcupine puffer
* wasn't posting cause she had no idea...* but yeah if he's acting normally, it's probably nothing to worry about 
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR