Puffer has a swollen...cheek? Please 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.
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.
- Mopar
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:41 am
- My Puffers: 2 GSPs, Rowdy and Rascal
- Location: Ohio
Puffer has a swollen...cheek? Please help
Today when i got home I went into my room to say hello to my little buddy. I didn't notice anything wrong, but when i sprinkled some blood worms into the tank, I noticed he was having trouble grabbing them to eat. He couldn't close his mouth all the way from what I could see. I thought maybe it was his teeth growing out too far, but i did a little motion and he came up to the tank wall. I looked at his teeth closely and they were fine. And then I noticed one side of his face was swollen. It looks like someone who just had a tooth pulled. I'm worried about him. I have no idea what it is. I'd try and get a picture, but he is very camera shy, whenever i put it up to the tank he swims away.
Anyone have any idea of what it could be?
Thanks!
Anyone have any idea of what it could be?
Thanks!
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32771
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Haven't come across anything like that before, that I can think of. Epsom salt is known to reduce swelling. I'd add Melafix too.
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!"
- Puffer Queen
- Mentor
- Posts: 386
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:35 am
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Contact:
- Mopar
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:41 am
- My Puffers: 2 GSPs, Rowdy and Rascal
- Location: Ohio
He's not getting any better, it actually looks like it is getting worse. I soaked his food in melafix and I've also tried pimafix. Neither are working. And now he won't even eat, just a slight nibble here and there. I went to my LFS and got some metro ms Acriflavine ms. I guess I'll give it a shot. The others aren't working. This is killing me, I can't let my little buddy die. He's my room buddy. He's right next to my bed and I watch him every night before I go to sleep.
- Boxermom
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
Melafix and Pimafix are to be added to the water, not the food. As PufferQueen said, you need antibiotics. Neither Melafix or Pimafix is an antibiotic.
Tina
Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
- Boxermom
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 2182
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:34 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
- Contact:
I don't know, you might want to PM PufferQueen and ask her. Make sure you tell her what kind of puffer and what your SG is and all that sort of info.
Tina
Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
Puffers: Auriglobus silus x1, Tetraodon travancoricus x1, Tetraodon turgidus x1, Tetraodon miurus x1, Tetraodon nigroviridis x2, Tetraodon baileyi x2, Tetraodon lineatus x1, Tetraodon palembangensis x1
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32771
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Melafix is tea tree oil. It is great for mild bacterial problems, frayed fins/scratches & such. It can be used in conjunction with more serious meds. It's always good to try 1st but you need to bring out the big guns for what's going on with your puffer.
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!"
- Mopar
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:41 am
- My Puffers: 2 GSPs, Rowdy and Rascal
- Location: Ohio
Ok. My typing to me seems to be coming off a little edgy. I don't mean for it to, but i'm really upset. sorry if it does. My animals aren't animals to me, some are like brothers and sisters (I'm an only child) and some are like kids (2 cats and Mr. Puffy). Thanks for your help.
Also, what exactly does SG mean?
Also, what exactly does SG mean?
Last edited by Mopar on Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32771
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
- Puffer Queen
- Mentor
- Posts: 386
- Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:35 am
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Contact:
I don't have experience with antibiotics with brackish puffers.....don't know if this is a gram negative or gram positive bacteria as gram negative is more common with saltwater fish and gram positive is more common with freshwater fish.
For saltwater puffers - I like kanamycin, nitrofurazone and Maracyn-2 (minocycline).
If I had to pick antibiotics for a brackish, I probably would use maracyn (erythromycin) which covers gram positive bacteria AND maracyn-2 which covers the gram negative bacteria. I would add the amount recommended for 10 gallons to just one gallon and aerate well. Leave the puffer in the antibiotic bath for one hour.
Anyone else have experience with treating bacterial infections in brackish fish?????
For saltwater puffers - I like kanamycin, nitrofurazone and Maracyn-2 (minocycline).
If I had to pick antibiotics for a brackish, I probably would use maracyn (erythromycin) which covers gram positive bacteria AND maracyn-2 which covers the gram negative bacteria. I would add the amount recommended for 10 gallons to just one gallon and aerate well. Leave the puffer in the antibiotic bath for one hour.
Anyone else have experience with treating bacterial infections in brackish fish?????
Kelly