sick fahaka
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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ACF
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:37 am
- My Puffers: 13" Fahaka Puffer *RIP* :(
14" Fahaka Puffer (Very Alive)! surlaW Disturber! - Location (country): Canada
- Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Contact:
sick fahaka
About 4-6 weeks ago my Fahaka Puffer ingested two rubber nosed plecos. After that his belly swelled and didn't have a bowel movement for over a week. His belly continued to grow and you could tell he was clearly constipated. As per advisal on this forum, I added a couple tablespoons of epsom salt to water. Within a day his bowels passed. I'm assuming his digestive system had difficulty digesting the plecos as their anatomy consists of a lot of bones. Shortly after I noted his rapid decrease in appetite. Currently it has now been over six weeks since he has last eaten (since plecos). He has developed ulcerated round patches all over his body and tail. I have included pictures depicting same. The patches have significantly gotten worse after my efforts of a fungal treatment and herbal treatment to water (pimafix). I don't know what to do. I am so worried for my poor puffer. What could his diagnose be and what type of treatment is effective for his condition?
Last edited by ACF on Wed Oct 19, 2011 4:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
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Re: sick fahaka
In addition to some pics, please answer the questions above the post in red.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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Pufferpunk
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burrfish
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Re: sick fahaka
Awww... poor thing! I wonder if the sharp boned perforated his innards? What are you treating him with now?
Continue with the Epson salt (1 tbsp/10g), add Melafix & Pimafix. You may also want to use Maracyn on him. Be sure his water is pristine.
Continue with the Epson salt (1 tbsp/10g), add Melafix & Pimafix. You may also want to use Maracyn on him. Be sure his water is pristine.
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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ACF
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:37 am
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14" Fahaka Puffer (Very Alive)! surlaW Disturber! - Location (country): Canada
- Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Contact:
Re: sick fahaka
Here are some pics =) The fiance was writing earlier because im currently out of town and shes computer..... huh.... 
All the help will be very appreciated from all of you at the forum!
All the help will be very appreciated from all of you at the forum!
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Nuclear_Glitter
- Fahaka Puffer
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- Location (country): North Carolina, USA
- Location: North Carolina, USA
Re: sick fahaka
as PP suggested maracyn is a good treatment. I have no clue what he has, but I really hope you can get him better. Best of luck.
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -- Henry Ford
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Pufferpunk
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T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
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Re: sick fahaka
I wonder if the skin problem & the eating of the plecos is just a coincidence?
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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bertie 83
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Re: sick fahaka
I thought the same thing. The only thing that held me back was the swelling, so poss 2 ailments. Epson salts and melafix are essential. Also daily 50% wc? Maybe go from there
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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ACF
- Figure 8 Puffer
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14" Fahaka Puffer (Very Alive)! surlaW Disturber! - Location (country): Canada
- Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Contact:
Re: sick fahaka
Ive secluded him to a 10 gallon and am giving him daily 100mg doses of Erythromycin.
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ACF
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 186
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:37 am
- My Puffers: 13" Fahaka Puffer *RIP* :(
14" Fahaka Puffer (Very Alive)! surlaW Disturber! - Location (country): Canada
- Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Contact:
Re: sick fahaka
Epson salt has done absolutely nothing for him. In all honesty if anything its pissed him off!
bertie 83 wrote:I thought the same thing. The only thing that held me back was the swelling, so poss 2 ailments. Epson salts and melafix are essential. Also daily 50% wc? Maybe go from there
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sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
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Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
Re: sick fahaka
That looks like a big fish, do you have a larger hospital tank than a 10 gallon? He should be able to turn around easily and have enough water to dilute his bioload.
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Pufferpunk
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T miurus
A modestus
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C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: sick fahaka
I'm not sure how adding magnesium to his water would piss him off. It should help him pass a blockage. Keep a very close eye on those water parameters. I have a feeling you'll be needing 80% wC 2x/day in a tank that small. See if you can get a 30+g for him.
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!"
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32980
- 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:
Re: sick fahaka
I'm not sure how adding magnesium to his water would piss him off. It should help him pass a blockage. Keep a very close eye on those water parameters. I have a feeling you'll be needing 80% WC 2x/day in a tank that small. See if you can get a 30+g for him.
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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Srkoe
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Re: sick fahaka
+1Pufferpunk wrote:I'm not sure how adding magnesium to his water would piss him off. It should help him pass a blockage. Keep a very close eye on those water parameters. I have a feeling you'll be needing 80% WC 2x/day in a tank that small. See if you can get a 30+g for him.
I've also heard of people using large Tupperware containers as QT tanks.
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sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
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Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
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Re: sick fahaka
I think you might have meant to say rubbermaid, a tupperware are casserole sizes.Srkoe wrote:+1Pufferpunk wrote:I'm not sure how adding magnesium to his water would piss him off. It should help him pass a blockage. Keep a very close eye on those water parameters. I have a feeling you'll be needing 80% WC 2x/day in a tank that small. See if you can get a 30+g for him.
I've also heard of people using large Tupperware containers as QT tanks.