What is on this puffer?

[Linda C.]

I have been keeping reef tanks for approx. 5 years and currently breeding clownfish. I understand the need for more information to help diagnose the problem but I don't know any particulars about this fish.

I picked up a Porcupine puffer at a lfs where we sell our clownfish. He was brought in by his elderly owner. That is all I know. I don't know previous tank size, tank mates, water quality..nothing. The storekeeper said the man was site impared and that his other fish had an outbreak of Ich which went unnoticed until fish were dying. From my understanding this is the only surviving fish from the tank.

I picked him up yesterday got him in a hospital tank with PVC and larger decorations, heater, barebottom and with a very large HOB filter running carbon.

Presently the SG is 1.018-19. I was lowering it slowly (from 1.027). Would running the tank at hypo SG levels of 1.010-1.011 help or even safe with puffers?


I'm going to try hard to keep up with good water quality and testing parameters daily. Right now I have him in a 10 gallon tank but will up grade him tomorrow into either a 40breeder or 55 gallon tank. I just have to figure out a good spot for the tank to know what size I can go with. The fish is approx. 4-5"...what size minimum would you suggest for a hopstial tank? I have 10, 20, 30, 40, 55, 75 to pick from.

I moved any cords to keep them away from him as best as possible. I plan on making something out of egg crate to make sure he can't bite anything (I'm not sure how true it is that he might want to, but I am don't want him getting hurt). In the photos the cords are actually outside of the tank.

I've gotten him to eat a some frozen foods that I've been soaking in vitamins, garlic and selcon. When he eats he chews and spits and chews and spits but it looks to me that he is consuming it even with all the mess he makes. Is that 'normal' for a puffer?

Whatever changes I need to make to what I'm doing PLEASE let me know. I'm not used to these cute guys and I need a crash course.

On some fins he has what appears to by Lymphocystis to me, but I could be wrong.

I don't know what to make of the other growths on his body. They are in various places on him..sides and even head. What can be done to help this guy?

Thanks in advance for your time.
Linda

I will keep poking round the site but I wanted to get these photos up as soon as I could to start getting advice from you puffer experts.

[Pufferpunk]

Hey Linda, Glad to see you here Does he seem to be able to open/close his mouth? Do you have any idea if he was eating at the shop? He doesn't look starved... but it sounds like internal parasites may be preventing from swallowing the food in his mouth. I just saw one at my LFS like that. Since he still is interested in food, I'd definitely soak his food with prazi or metro.
Look here: library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/

Hypo would be great for this fish--especially since it's been exposed to crypt. I'd give a fellow of that size at least 40-55g for QT. 1.009 is recommended
More info: library/hospital/swich/

Large puffers have been known to bite at cords so you're doing the right thing with that. Marineland makes a "cord organizer kit" that works very well for this.

I've never seen those kind of fatty deposits on the outside of a fish like that. I don't think they're harmful--I just had one removed from inside my armpit. I suppose if they bother you, they could be surgically removed. My guess is this is an older, stunted fish but i could be wrong.

I'm mot sure if you've ever kept the larger SW puffer species, so here's a little more reading on the subject:
library/puffers-in-focus/big-marine-pufferfish-care/
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=192

Feeding: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

Good luck with him, let us know how he progresses.

[Linda C.]

Jeni,

Thanks for all the advice and support on this Puffer.

Puffer is eating great and showing signs of improvement. The tumors on the body are starting to shrivel up next to the skin and look like they might fall off at some point. I keep you posted on if they do fall off or sort of reabsorb.







click the image below if you want to view the movie

[Pufferpunk]

Wonderful news! Cool vid but it did make me a lil nauseous...

[Linda C.]

Here are some updated photos of Puffer. I posted the 'then and now' to make it easier to see the progress.

Thanks Jeni for your advice and support.
- Linda

Then:


Now:


Then:


Now:

[Pufferpunk]

Yea, he looks wonderful, not even a scar! Thanks for the update.

[sevenyearnight]

Magic!

[zookey]

Wow...... that is amazing!! What did you do to cure him?