Quite possible that the bacteria count has increased to a number that is infectious.
Inverts are notarious for transmitting pathogens.
Hard to say what the discoloration is without a pic and even more diagnostic would be a fin scraping or clipping/microscopic exam.
Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
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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Puffer Queen
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Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
His tail is back to normal. The black is totally gone. I hope it actually stays gone though...
What do you mean by the bacteria count has increased to a number that is infectious?
Thanks
What do you mean by the bacteria count has increased to a number that is infectious?
Thanks
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Puffer Queen
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Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
When a bacterial pathogen is introduced into a tank, there is a limited number. If conditions are "right" for the bacteria, it will grow/reproduce/multiple. In other words where there was just a limited number, there may be many now (increased bacterial count).
If the fish is stressed, weakened immune sytem, poor nutritional status - it will not be able to fight off the bacteria.
If the fish is stressed, weakened immune sytem, poor nutritional status - it will not be able to fight off the bacteria.
Kelly
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
Oh ok, I understand now. I really hope it does not come back! We have tried to do everything we can to keep the conditions in his tank "ideal" and keep nitrates below 5. Hoping the new refugium will lower them even more!
Anyways, thanks for all your help! I was hoping to get a good photo but the tail has no signs of the black anymore and looks totally normal.
Do you have any idea of what it MAY have been? What is the common diseases that turn a puffers tail black?
Anyways, thanks for all your help! I was hoping to get a good photo but the tail has no signs of the black anymore and looks totally normal.
Do you have any idea of what it MAY have been? What is the common diseases that turn a puffers tail black?
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Puffer Queen
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Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
Black tails are not common - so for the common cause - would have to guess it would be injury or bacteria.
Kelly
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
sigh...As quickly as it went away, it has come back...Overnight. Its really, really bad now too. I really dont understand why it would keep clearing up to the point where you cant see any black at all to being a very dark black half way up his tail fin. We have no idea what we should be doing but Im really worried about this now. Never seen or heard of this kind of thing.
He is still swimming around normally except that he will not fan his tail at all. Its quite clamped. Here are the best two pics I could get with my camera phone. Sorry about the poor quality...
He is still swimming around normally except that he will not fan his tail at all. Its quite clamped. Here are the best two pics I could get with my camera phone. Sorry about the poor quality...
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
Heres another one...
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
My boyfriend was just reading my posts and pointed out that I have all the sizes of the fish wrong...Apparently hes 12" or so now...Not that it makes a big difference...
Few more pics...
Few more pics...
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
Anyone????
Its even worse than when I took these pics a few days ago! Im getting very worried. I have been spending many hours a day trying to figure this out but NO ONE has any ideas...Hes such a big part of our family and we really don't want to loose him to this.
Anyone have anything we can try? I don't want to just stand by as this gets worse.
Its even worse than when I took these pics a few days ago! Im getting very worried. I have been spending many hours a day trying to figure this out but NO ONE has any ideas...Hes such a big part of our family and we really don't want to loose him to this.
Anyone have anything we can try? I don't want to just stand by as this gets worse.
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Puffer Queen
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Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
Not ignorinng you/your puffer or this thread but have been at MACNA in PA doing a presentation - which by the way was an awesome conference this year!!
If it is getting worse - ie spreading/not using it normally, treatment should be started - hospital tank with antibiotics. No tank mates as sick or injured fish feel vulnerable and often get intimidated/picked on. Chronic or acute stress directly affects the disease process - becoming afflicted, being successfully treated, etc.....
If it is getting worse - ie spreading/not using it normally, treatment should be started - hospital tank with antibiotics. No tank mates as sick or injured fish feel vulnerable and often get intimidated/picked on. Chronic or acute stress directly affects the disease process - becoming afflicted, being successfully treated, etc.....
Kelly
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
Thanks again. What type of antibiotics should I use?
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Puffer Queen
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Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
You will have to separate the puffer from other tank mates. Do not treat the entire tank.
Baths are another option, but isolating is the best choice.
Nitrofurazone, kanamycin or maracyn-2 are all good antibiotic choices.
Baths are another option, but isolating is the best choice.
Nitrofurazone, kanamycin or maracyn-2 are all good antibiotic choices.
Kelly
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
Yes, I plan on isolating him but unfortunately, all I have to do so is a 33G. Im not even sure that he will be able to turn around in it. Approximately how long do you think he will have to be in isolation?
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
Oh and should he be brought back to marine conditions from hyposalinity first? If not, do I use fresh or salt water meds?
Re: Sick Puffer-Tail turning black???
If we did try baths with Maracyn 2, how long and at what concentration would be best? I am still not sure if we should do a bath in saltwater or keep him at 1.010 that he is at now?