Sick Fahaka Puffer
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.
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
He really is refusing - I whipped him around by his tail pretty good.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Try to find that thread here about this happening to another puffer. It sounds very familiar... I don't think it ended well though.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!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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J-P
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21714&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... p&start=30
that one? Started with what looks like ich and it was air filled?
that one? Started with what looks like ich and it was air filled?
if you follow me, you avoid stepping in the crap that I just did...
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Try Epsom salt, 1 tbsp/10g & then tomorrow, add the same amount again.
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!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Dadof4
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
That sure is intestinal and not trapped air. Clams can carry a lot of different bacterias although rare for them to cause problems, it looks like you may be on the unfortunate end of finding a batch that did. The bacteria themselves are just the indirect cause of the problem because they give off an endotoxin and depending on the bacteria the effects can range from simple loose stools to major intestinal swelling to systemic reactions.
I fear your Fahaka has a combination of the last two. Epsom salt, like PufferPunk said, is probably the best approach to hopefully get everything out of his digestive tract and the next is praying. It looks like he got hit pretty hard by it.
The Epsom salt should be OK with the Melafix but definitely add an air stone and have carbon on hand to make sure.
I fear your Fahaka has a combination of the last two. Epsom salt, like PufferPunk said, is probably the best approach to hopefully get everything out of his digestive tract and the next is praying. It looks like he got hit pretty hard by it.
The Epsom salt should be OK with the Melafix but definitely add an air stone and have carbon on hand to make sure.
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
That is what I really thought -- Turgidus dying and now Fahaka is trying to die on me. It really had to be some "bad food"
Can I buy epsom salt at a Walmart/Target out of the bathing area or where is the best place?
I looked at him this morning. He had not moved that I could tell from 8 hrs ago. Lump is still there.
Can I buy epsom salt at a Walmart/Target out of the bathing area or where is the best place?
I looked at him this morning. He had not moved that I could tell from 8 hrs ago. Lump is still there.
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Black Widow
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Have you tried Melafix / antibiotic yet?, he still has infection he needs treating
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
He has been in Melafix almost the entire time since I noticed he's been sick. I re-dose the tank daily per the bottle's instructions.
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Black Widow
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
This sounds real bad man real bad, I had a one dogface puffer that just died on me due to v.poor water quality, and as he get worse he eventually became brain died and was just lying there breathing and not doing anything else.jnheinz wrote:He has been in Melafix almost the entire time since I noticed he's been sick. I re-dose the tank daily per the bottle's instructions.
Its only really worth treating him at this point if hes still aware of his surroundings, check to see if his brain is still active by concentrating on his eye movement! Run your finger along the glass to try get his attention watch for his eye following your finger or any real eye movement if it does then that means hes still very much alive and keep treating him, if not it maybe too late. As you said hes not been eating for 2 weeks .... IDK what else to say
*Vulgarity gotten around our word censor, edited out by PP*
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
My test every day has been shining a flashlight on him and then tapping on the glass - He is reacting to light movement as well as vibrations. I don't believe he is brain dead at this point. I was really interested in treating with salt from the beginning, but you guys had me moving him out of his little tank. That was the wrong type of salt though.
Epsom salt is at home, girlfriend got it during the day. I will try it tonight as directed in this topic. I will probably give him until Friday evening to show some forward progress. At that point, he would be without food for 3 weeks and I am torturing him in my mind. I would euthanize at that point. I just can't give up on the poor guy quite yet.
Epsom salt is at home, girlfriend got it during the day. I will try it tonight as directed in this topic. I will probably give him until Friday evening to show some forward progress. At that point, he would be without food for 3 weeks and I am torturing him in my mind. I would euthanize at that point. I just can't give up on the poor guy quite yet.
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sevenyearnight
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Yeah epsom "salt" is magnesium sulfate, it's not a salt, just looks like one.
Where salt retains, magnesium sulfate expels.
Where salt retains, magnesium sulfate expels.
Last edited by sevenyearnight on Wed May 11, 2011 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
And is fine to use in his main tank. Please don't move him to a small uncycled tank. the stress alone will do him in.
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!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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fugu99
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
I feel so bad for your puffer, I really hope he makes it. Im becoming more and more attached to Fahaka puffers, I think when I could I would get one. Theyre so beautiful and energetic. Its sad that youre having to struggle with this.
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Feels like my dog is dying. Knock on wood. The epsom salt is now in.. 1tbsp/10gal.
He hasn't moved much in 12 hours. He is looking around a lot more I can tell. Lump is still there. I'm sure his eye stuck in the gravel looks pretty icky, but I can't really do anything about that. We'll see how 12 hours with the salt does.. I have a good feeling about it. Constipation may be the issue.
He hasn't moved much in 12 hours. He is looking around a lot more I can tell. Lump is still there. I'm sure his eye stuck in the gravel looks pretty icky, but I can't really do anything about that. We'll see how 12 hours with the salt does.. I have a good feeling about it. Constipation may be the issue.
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J-P
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
It wouldn't really be "constipation" per se. A bad portion of food could have caused the bloating from the build up of gases in the intestines. This will help pass that and or possibly pass the air, which ever it happens to be.
You may still have to massage the stomach a bit to help it along.
You may still have to massage the stomach a bit to help it along.
if you follow me, you avoid stepping in the crap that I just did...
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