Puffer has a swollen...cheek? Please help

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
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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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Mopar
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Puffer has a swollen...cheek? Please help

Post by Mopar »

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!
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Pufferpunk
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Post by Pufferpunk »

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!"
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Post by Puffer Queen »

I have seen abscesses in the gun/jaw before. Need to start antibiotic baths and/or antibiotic laced food. This can progress quickly and left untreated it will lead to death.

I do not know what type of puffer this is so I can not recommend any specific antibiotic.
Kelly
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Mopar
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Post by Mopar »

Sorry, I was kind of upset when i wrote that and didn't even think about saying what kind of puffer he is. He's a GSP.
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Mopar
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Post by Mopar »

I really appreciate the help. I'm going to get right on this!
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Mopar
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Post by Mopar »

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. :cry: He's right next to my bed and I watch him every night before I go to sleep.
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Post by Boxermom »

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
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Mopar
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Post by Mopar »

Great. Ok. Can you tell me what exactly it is I need, like brand name and so on. I didn't know. She (pufferpunk) said add melafix. I did add it to the water as well. But anyway, that's what the LFS gave me. I'm pretty much lost when it comes to medicine.
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Post by Boxermom »

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
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Pufferpunk
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Posts: 32764
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:

Post by Pufferpunk »

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!"
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Mopar
Puffer Fry
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:41 am
My Puffers: 2 GSPs, Rowdy and Rascal
Location: Ohio

Post by Mopar »

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?
Last edited by Mopar on Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Boxermom
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Post by Boxermom »

Specific gravity. Sorry, I was assuming you had your GSP in brackish water.
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
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
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:

Post by Pufferpunk »

Specific gravity--measurement of salt content.
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!"
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Post by Puffer Queen »

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?????
Kelly
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Mopar
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Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 1:41 am
My Puffers: 2 GSPs, Rowdy and Rascal
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Post by Mopar »

Thank you very much, once again I appreciate the help! and as for the SG thing. I looked up what it stood for but i didn't know what it meant lol. Thanks for clarifying.
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