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.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
If it is eating, infuse hexamite (metramitizol, sp) into some food. That should clear the internal bacterial infection.
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!"
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
I know you feel horrible.
I had a fahaka a while back and lost him after trying everything I could. After he stopped eating for a couple of weeks I called around to see if any vet in the area who treated "exotic pets" would take a look at a fish and found one. After feeling around, the vet said that it was most likely a tumor, if not fish tuberculosis, and prescribed a series of single-dose antibiotic shots to see if it helped. In my case, it didn't help and the puff succumbed a few days later during one of the many force-feeding attempts. I mention this because of the antibiotic shots, not because the symptoms look similar, as I could not visibly discern any lump and you've got a series of illnesses on your hands, which as you mention, points to a shared cause.
So if the bad clams are the case, the optimistic part is that your fahaka has survived the poisoning for more than two weeks and he had plenty of time to let it kill him. I have no experience with epsom salt, but if you're going to introduce it, I would do so carefully - I'm not sure you want to dehydrate a very compromised fish. From what I've read about shellfish poisoning, as long as breathing continues then recovery is quite possible.
Very best of luck.
I had a fahaka a while back and lost him after trying everything I could. After he stopped eating for a couple of weeks I called around to see if any vet in the area who treated "exotic pets" would take a look at a fish and found one. After feeling around, the vet said that it was most likely a tumor, if not fish tuberculosis, and prescribed a series of single-dose antibiotic shots to see if it helped. In my case, it didn't help and the puff succumbed a few days later during one of the many force-feeding attempts. I mention this because of the antibiotic shots, not because the symptoms look similar, as I could not visibly discern any lump and you've got a series of illnesses on your hands, which as you mention, points to a shared cause.
So if the bad clams are the case, the optimistic part is that your fahaka has survived the poisoning for more than two weeks and he had plenty of time to let it kill him. I have no experience with epsom salt, but if you're going to introduce it, I would do so carefully - I'm not sure you want to dehydrate a very compromised fish. From what I've read about shellfish poisoning, as long as breathing continues then recovery is quite possible.
Very best of luck.
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Not eating at all. Not even moving for that matter at this point. My biggest concern is that he has not eaten in almost 3 weeks.
Has not really moved for about 36 hrs at this point.
Did my usual tests in the morning -- He is still breathing and reacted to me tapping the glass and putting light on him. Moved his eyes around.
Will reapply the epsom salt and melafix again tonight. Thursday I will do a water change to clear this stuff out a little bit I think.
Is dehydration a true concern over just 48-72 hrs of being in salt?
Has not really moved for about 36 hrs at this point.
Did my usual tests in the morning -- He is still breathing and reacted to me tapping the glass and putting light on him. Moved his eyes around.
Will reapply the epsom salt and melafix again tonight. Thursday I will do a water change to clear this stuff out a little bit I think.
Is dehydration a true concern over just 48-72 hrs of being in salt?
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
I really wouldn't think so, especially in a FW fish. I'd keep the epsom salt and Melafix in there all the time. I'd probably try metro as well. Do you have a sedative on hand?
Is it back in its normal tank or still in a tiny one?
Is it back in its normal tank or still in a tiny one?
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
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sevenyearnight
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Epsom salt used externally should not cause dehydration.
He wasn't in the small tank for long, he put him back into the main tank.
He wasn't in the small tank for long, he put him back into the main tank.
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Normal tank -- Metro?Flutter wrote:I really wouldn't think so, especially in a FW fish. I'd keep the epsom salt and Melafix in there all the time. I'd probably try metro as well. Do you have a sedative on hand?
Is it back in its normal tank or still in a tiny one?
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Metronidazole. It's the only antibacterial that is easy to get here and I know is safe for sensitive fish. It's a tough situation, I wish we could help more.
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Where could this be purchased at? Just out of curiosity. So I know.
I looked it up -- Is this a human OTC medicine that works in fish?
I looked it up -- Is this a human OTC medicine that works in fish?
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Humans can use it too as can all sorts of animals. We bought ours at the local store, it's made by Seachem and comes in a little blue tube. It can also be found in the Jungle anti parasite fizz tabs. Probably at a lower dose though and then it's mixed with other medications. To be honest, with the way things are going I would give anything a try. I have never dealt with anything like this before and truly am baffled as to how to safely and effectively save this fish. Personally, I would force feed some medication but that's my uneducated decision.
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Another dose of Melafix & epsom salt added. No antibiotics at this point. I wanted to give him 48-72 solid hrs of this to see if any improvement happens. He still has not moved in about 3-4 days at this point. He reacts to light when I point a flashlight at him and knock on the glass. He realizes what is going on.
Lump still looks the same. I was going to attempt to "burp" him before bed tonight around 10PM. I realize I don't know everything obviously, but I don't think this is an air bubble. I could be wrong though.
Lump still looks the same. I was going to attempt to "burp" him before bed tonight around 10PM. I realize I don't know everything obviously, but I don't think this is an air bubble. I could be wrong though.
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
New symptom -- Some kind of sore on his belly. Right on top of the "lump" -- Verified it was just not a piece of junk rolling around in the aquarium.
Pictures below.
http://img849.imageshack.us/i/img0688ww.jpg/
http://img221.imageshack.us/i/img0689wya.jpg/
Pictures below.
http://img849.imageshack.us/i/img0688ww.jpg/
http://img221.imageshack.us/i/img0689wya.jpg/
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Srkoe
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Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Omg! You are stronger than me...I wouldn't be able to watch that 
I really hope this guy pulls through.
I really hope this guy pulls through.
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
He was still alive this morning, same stuff.
Will be home shortly to take a look again.
Will be home shortly to take a look again.
Re: Sick Fahaka Puffer
Ok, situation has worsened. I am fairly certain he's in pain now. Whatever is in there is attempting to push out and is about to bust his stomach open.
These pictures are for documentation purposes, I am going to OD him on clove oil -- Need to run to store to get it. I really can't take seeing him suffer anymore. Poor fish.
http://img807.imageshack.us/i/img0690b.jpg/
http://img27.imageshack.us/i/img0691hy.jpg/
If anyone has any final somewhat concrete suggestions for antibiotics or tactics, speak now or forever hold your peace!
These pictures are for documentation purposes, I am going to OD him on clove oil -- Need to run to store to get it. I really can't take seeing him suffer anymore. Poor fish.
http://img807.imageshack.us/i/img0690b.jpg/
http://img27.imageshack.us/i/img0691hy.jpg/
If anyone has any final somewhat concrete suggestions for antibiotics or tactics, speak now or forever hold your peace!