Experienced Reefer, but new to the brackish puffer world. I have a Figure 8 Puffer alone in a 14 gallon tank - plans to upgrade in the future, but so far he seems content and I have been able to maintain stable water parameters. He has been in that tank for around 6 months now and just recently developed an issue with his eye. I need some help with options for treating him...
What I have done already -
Discovered the issue a little over a week ago and completed a 50% water change upon discovery. Then, removed Chemi pure from filter and began treatment with Melafix. After 7 days of treatment, there is no improvement. It doesn't appear to be getting worse, but it isn't getting better either.
About his tank:
14 gallon tank - regular maintenance includes weekly water changes 20%, plus freshwater top off.
Artificial silk plants + Spider Wood
aragonite substrate
11-13 ppt salinity with Tropic Marin Pro Salt
Ammonia - Always 0
Nitrites - Always 0
Nitrates - Always Below 20
He is fed frozen bloodworms and pond snails regularly. Also fed 1/2 clam once a week. He is still actively eating - normal behavior - always hungry! LOL!
His behavior is normal and his eye is functioning (I don't know how, but it is).
There are no other habitants in the tank with him.
I completed a 50% water change this morning and stopped the melafix treatments because they weren't doing anything anyway. I'm wondering if someone might have a suggestion on what I can try next? Do I need to run carbon for a couple of days to remove the melafix before using your recommendation?
I have on hand-
Melafix
Pimafix
Ruby Rally Pro
Coopersafe
Kanaplex
Obviously, I can get whatever is recommended, just wanted to list what I have on hand.
Picture attached. I took the picture immediately following a water change, so there is some sand clouding up the water.
Swollen Eye - Help with Treatment
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.
Swollen Eye - Help with Treatment
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Swollen Eye - Help with Treatment
Poor guy! I would hazard a guess that it is bacterial. Do you know of a vet that could try to aspirate it?
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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Corvus
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Re: Swollen Eye - Help with Treatment
Probably popeye disease (exophthalmia). "When only one eye is affected, especially if this is only seen in one fish in the tank, the most likely cause of the problem is some type of physical injury." If it's infection related it's mostly both eyes.
Should heal on its own. Keep the water clean and add some vitamins to the food.
Should heal on its own. Keep the water clean and add some vitamins to the food.
Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man, and he'll eat for weeks.