Mbu Puffer not eating

[SMcCreath]

Hi All,

I would like some help please. Brian, my Mbu hasn't eaten in the last 3 days. I've had him 18months now and he is approximately 12inches including his tail.

He's in a 6x2x2 tank on his own as, having done the research I know that they can be aggressive to other fish and I thought it unfair to subject him or another fish to discomfort or aggression.

The tank parameters are:

Temp: 25 oc
PH: 8
NH3: 0mg/l
NO2: 0.1mg/l
NO3: 10mg/l

He has had a small 'lump' on at the base of his tail, directly below his dorsal fin. I've been treating him with melafix and pimafix for the last week and it has got better,not disappeared however. My lfs suggested that I try aquarium salt, I've dosed the tank thi evening using half the recommended dose - purely as I am cautious.

I'm concerned that althought the lump is getting better, it didn't put him off his food. Since Friday he's hidden behind his log and isn't interested in food at all even when its been waggled on a skewer in front of him.

I do at least a 40% water change every week and I have two external filters, one is an Eheim Pro 2 2028 and the second larger one is a Eheim Pro 3 2180 Termo. I test his water fortnightly and have not noticed any spikes. I have gravel, plants and bog wood in the tank, its not heavily decorated, almost under decorated as I perfer him the space to swim. He has plently of hidding spaces.

I've tried to take a photo of the lump to show you, but with little success and I'm not sure how they'll come out, slightly blurry. I will try and post a better one when he moves next.

I haven't changed anything in the thank for the last month - same decor, same gravel. Although I have changed the floss and one camber of media that needed it, but you'll see from the parameters above, there has been no deterimental effects.

I'm at a loss and am now worried. I know that their appetites drop off as they get older, but he is suddenly off his food and I believe that I know him well enough to spot if this is a minor issue and I'm now not sure if it is minor. Your thoughts would be appreicated.

Many thanks.

[CtHM]

Is it possibly constipation? Rather than just aquarium salt, try using some epsom salts. if you can, try feeding him Daphnia (Or cyclops, I can't remember which). I know it might be small.... but that usually helps clear out the digestive system.

[cobra1713]

well does he look bloated to you? i cant really tell from the pics if thats bloating or not, but you can try spom salt it wont hurt anything, the aquarium salt IMO isnt gonna help anything, an eating disorder wont be helped by aquarium salt.

i noticed your nitrite is detectable, this could be the problem! my personal guess is that when you changed the filter media the tank might have mini-cycled. which caused him to not eat. if the tank was fully cycled you shouldnt be able to read any nitrites at all. so before you do anything to drastict i would try and get that nitrite out of the tank by another large water change and they just let him relax, they can go a long time without eating and not see any long term effects.

but yes the daphnia would help if he will eat it and has constipation so you can try that it wont hurt.

[crazedpuffer]

When was your last w/c? Try doing a large (50-75%) w/c and see if it helps any.
Also he has really nice markings!

[Pufferpunk]

Beautiful fish (although I'd like to see the WHOLE fish)! I agree with the Epsom salt (1tbsp/10g) & larger WC. What foods are you offering him? Try soaking his food in garlic, to enhance appetite.

[SMcCreath]

Hi there,

Thank you all very much for your posts, much appreciated! Apologies once again for the quality of the photos, photography is not my strong point! He is a beautiful fish.

Firstly, I am pleased to report that he was more lively this morning and although was not his usual dancing self, he wasn’t hiding behind his log.

The tank he is in is mature and it was cycled (fishlessly) for 4 months before he was transferred so he's been in it for 14 months.

He doesn't appear to be bloated and his poop seems normal. I vary his diet so in order to give him as much nutrients as possible, but he is a fussy eater. He flat refuses daphnia and bloodworm. He eats shrimp, prawns, cockles, muscles and gut loaded ghost shrimp.

I did a 50% w/c on Saturday and that’s when I changed the floss and only one compartment of media as part of the routine maintenance. I would have thought that due to the massive filtration that I have on the tank, any ‘blip’ might have been taken up by the other external filter.

I have an API test kit for testing the parameters and the lowest colour on the chart is 0.1 for nitrite, but I agree, another water change can do no harm.

Thank you, I will try the Epsom salts as well as garlic. Should I just crush a clove of garlic and soak his food in it prior to giving it to him?

Thanks again.

[clareanded]

Hi there, glad to hear Brian is a little more lively. Maybe keeping the light off for a couple a days will help him relax if he is out of sorts.

Like the others who've replied to this post the issue seem to relate to the nitrite reading. Hope the large W/C sorts things out.

Keep us posted!

Ed

[SMcCreath]

Hi All,

Just thought I'd update you with Brian's progress. I bought and dosed with the Epsom salts as recommended - I search the site here for the correct amount, but undershot it o be on the safe side. I have also carried out a 1 50% and 1 40% WC's since my first post.

Although his level of eating has increased, in that I have managed to get him to eat a prawn soaked in garlic, it hasn't returned to as it was before and the white mark that I mentioned in my OP, has grown a little as you'll see from the picture below.

Having tested the tank this morning, the parameters are:-

Temp: 25.2 oc
PH: 8
NH3: 0mg/l
NO2: 0mg/l
NO3: 20mg/l



I've also added salt to the water, only half dosage (again being cautious) and I've been treating with both Melafix and pimafix. The worrying thing is that although his appieite has improved, the white lump hasn't and I'm not sure if it's just me not giving the treatment long enough or if there is anything else that I could be doing to resolve the issue.

Thank you once again in advance.

[Pufferpunk]

Why is your pH so high? Is that what your tap water is?

Dosage for Epsom is 1 tbsp/10g for a FW fish.

[SMcCreath]

PP,
Yes it is, unfortunately. I have always been sceptical of adding pH reducers to the tank as I agree with current thinking that it would be adding additonal chemicals.

I dosed the Epsom salts to 50% of the recommended amount.

Does anyone have any ideas on the white lump?

Many thanks.

[Pufferpunk]

Yes, in that case, I would leave the pH alone. Constant swings are worse than the fish having to adjust to a higher pH.

Does it look like you could pick that off with your fingernail?

[VMike]

I can't tell you what the white lump is but one of my Mbu puffers had the exact same looking white "pimple" if you will on it's side and I treated with a product called Parasite Clear.It dissapeared in a few weeks and haven't had any more problems. Brian looks nice and healthy to me otherwise. Also my pH runs about 7.8 out of the tap and I don't mess with it. Mike

[SMcCreath]

Hi,

Thank you for your replies, it is much appreciated. Thank you Mike for your comment too, its reassuring to know that this is more common than I first thought, as from speaking to other puffer owners it would appear that they too have seen exactly the same thing.

The lump has a regular edge to it, but it doesn't look like you could pick it off, perhaps that’s me just being squeamish though!!

The skin appears to be closing back over the lump and the lump itself is going down in projection, but has not reduced in area as yet. I think the fact that his skin is growing back over is a sign of healing (sorry if that sounds obvious) and is therefore an indication that Brian is on the mend. I've been treating with melafix and pimafix as well as that previously mentioned. I guess it is just a slower process than I first anticipated. His activity levels are virtually back to normal and he's appetite is back, so I'm more settled than I was.

Thank you once again and I'll post an update shortly.

[edmlfc1]

That's great news! He is one good looking fish.

[SMcCreath]

That's great news! He is one good looking fish.

Thank you, he certainly is - his markings are almost Leopard like at the moment. I'm always fascinated to see how they change and with his growth rate, its easy to spot the changes!