Please Help My Puffer (Noob)

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.
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IbanezRG
Puffer Fry
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 8:10 pm
Location (country): Alexandria, Va

Please Help My Puffer (Noob)

Post by IbanezRG »

Hi everyone,
I have been reading this board for a little while. Great information and nice people.
I hate for this to be my first post but I really need some advice on my Dogface. I ordered him online in Dec and when he arrived he had a gap in his upper beak. I thought it would grow back but I think the sides are starting to bother him. I tried to research if he needs his beak trimmed but everything I found was on overgrown beaks. As of right now, I dont think he can close his mouth. He is eating although just things that fit in his mouth without moving in.
Anyways, please take a look at the attached pics and lend me your advice. Please let me know if you need any more info. Its a pleasure to meet you all. Timmay!
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User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32984
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: Please Help My Puffer (Noob)

Post by Pufferpunk »

Looks more like lockjaw to me. We do have an article on dentistry here, in our Library.
library/hospital/dentistry/
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!"
IbanezRG
Puffer Fry
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 8:10 pm
Location (country): Alexandria, Va

Re: Please Help My Puffer (Noob)

Post by IbanezRG »

Many thanks Pufferpunk! That is exactly what it looks like and he was eating krill. He's been eating other things so I will make sure he gets more and I also have some additives. Thanks again! Tim
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32984
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: Please Help My Puffer (Noob)

Post by Pufferpunk »

You may have to resort to force feeding.
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!"
IbanezRG
Puffer Fry
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 8:10 pm
Location (country): Alexandria, Va

Re: Please Help My Puffer (Noob)

Post by IbanezRG »

Thanks again. So far he is still eating and has a little movement so I am going to monitor him. Tim
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IbanezRG
Puffer Fry
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 8:10 pm
Location (country): Alexandria, Va

Re: Please Help My Puffer (Noob)

Post by IbanezRG »

Hey Pufferpunk,
I was going to send you a PM but I guess am too new so I wanted to say thank you again. Looks like it was caught soon enough, he has actually recovered and closed his mouth. I very much appreciated your advice. Tim
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