Dogface Puffer head growth

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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.

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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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kerry robson
Puffer Fry
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 12:41 pm
Location (country): usa

Dogface Puffer head growth

Post by kerry robson »

My Dogface Puffer has developed an skin eruption on the top of his head which has been growing larger over the past 2 months. Photo attached. Anyone have any ideas as to what it is and maybe how to treat him? Kerry
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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
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Re: Dogface Puffer head growth

Post by Pufferpunk »

Appears to be some kind of tumor. :( Possibly you could speak to a vet about surgery.
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!"
kerry robson
Puffer Fry
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 12:41 pm
Location (country): usa

Re: Dogface Puffer head growth

Post by kerry robson »

I think you are right as it did not start as a superficial surface growth but "erupted" from under the surface and widened with time. My Vet did not know (from the picture) what it might be but to be fair she is primarily cats. All my water parameters are WNL and the puffer is not shy and has lots of room to swim (1000 gallons) - acts very normal. Nobody in the aquarium pays any attention to him so he is not getting picked on. Strange
User avatar
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: Dogface Puffer head growth

Post by Pufferpunk »

Just keep him happy & he'll live as long as he'll live.
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!"
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