No joke- swollen anus on new F8

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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.
Post Reply
puffniko
Puffer Fry
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:54 am

No joke- swollen anus on new F8

Post by puffniko »

I just got 2 new f8's a week ago. The one is doing great but I have noticed that my other is not eating as well and is not really swimming that well. He rolls sometimes and other will swim fine. I think that he is on his way out. The strange thing is that his anus is open to about the size of a pin Head almost. Nothing looks like its stuck or blocking it. Does anyone know if this is a parasite and should I get him out of the tank. My water is fine and tested weekly. I did have a nitrite problem and put bio-spira in it yesterday. His problem started before this.
puffniko
Puffer Fry
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:54 am

Post by puffniko »

Oh yeah. I forgot to say that his belly is starting to turn light brown in one spot.
Jayhawk
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 348
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 1:04 am
Location: KC, MO, USA

Post by Jayhawk »

Are there red, short thread like things coming out of the anus (this is a sign of camallanus worms)?

That's my best guess - a picture would be helpful - although I know that's not always possible.

Eric
puffniko
Puffer Fry
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:54 am

Post by puffniko »

There are no red things coming out. I think he is blind now too. He wont even flinch when I put my finger up to him. I think im going to take him out.
puffniko
Puffer Fry
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2005 7:54 am

Post by puffniko »

sorry to say he didnt make it. It could have been parasites. I hope my other one is ok. They both came from the same tank at my LFS. Like I read, they can be caught from the wild with the parasites. Especially the F8's I hear.
Jayhawk
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 348
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 1:04 am
Location: KC, MO, USA

Post by Jayhawk »

Sometimes they just don't make it. I bought a figure 8 that died about 2 weeks after bringing it home. I waited a bit to make sure the tank was OK, then bought another figure 8 from the same tank and he was OK and has been with me since this past summer. You just never know with wild caught fish.

Eric
User avatar
The Fisherman
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 694
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:46 pm
Location: West Michigan
Contact:

Post by The Fisherman »

How can you tell if a puffer has parasites?
-John
_______________________________
http://highelf53.deviantart.com
http://twitter.com/Ketsudan
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32979
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Greenville, SC
Contact:

Post by Pufferpunk »

Usually eating but still thin, listless, not lively.
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!"
ChesapeakeSwellfish
Mentor
Posts: 283
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:54 pm
Location: southern Maryland

Post by ChesapeakeSwellfish »

Nematodes are relatively large. Once deceased, even a crude necropsy would reveal them, even without magnification. I realize it is difficult to cut into the body of a beloved pet, however.
Pamela
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 456
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 8:50 am
Location: Oxford, UK

Post by Pamela »

I had a figure eight who showed symptoms like that before dying...however, he also became thin, listless and very dark before he went.
Chances are your guy had parasites as well...sorry for your loss.
Pami.
lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

This is why it's so exciting that more fish, including puffers, are being tank-bred!!
ChesapeakeSwellfish
Mentor
Posts: 283
Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:54 pm
Location: southern Maryland

Post by ChesapeakeSwellfish »

Excellent point! With tank spawning, parasites can be avoided and you can, at least in theory, also breed (spawn) for desirable characteristics.
lisalisa

Post by lisalisa »

Also, we can rest easier knowing that no environment has been harmed (don't get me started with marine collection !!), that mortality rates aren't nearly as staggering, and that pathogens are potentially kept far more at bay.
Post Reply