The Puffer Forum

I had 2 very large puffers that i had for over 4 years, approx. 3 weeks ago one of them seemed as if she couldn't see the food and was having trouble eating, within a few days she died. There were no external symptoms of anything being wrong and all water levels were good. About 1 week after I lost her the other one started to do the same thing. Now it has been over 1 week and she still isn't eating. In the beginning she had no external symptoms, but has been developing some over the past week. She has blood spots inside her eyes at the bottom and she has small red blood like spots on her fins and now is getting whitish pimple like spots on her fins as well. Nobody seems to have any idea what this is and I have tried treating with Metronidazole 2 times and then I have tried treating with triple sulfa. Doing water changes between all doses and putting in a poly filter between the two types of medicine. I have now treated 3 times with the triple sulfa and there seems to be no change. I realize that I am running out of time considering she has not eating. Has anyone ever heard of this. PLEASE HELP.

My PH is 8.2
The temperature of the tank is about 81
There is basically no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates
I use instand Ocean salt, Seachem Prime water conditioner

Hey there if you could tell us what puffers they are and how big, what size tank, filter etc we might be able to give you some more answers. Also "basically no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates" , means nothing, exact result need to be posted so we can help you. I understand your panic but the more info the better the advice.

without knowinbg the full detials I would suspect stunted fish in a tank too small, but guessing helps no-one

Sorry for your loss. I know how much a puffer kept a few years can mean to us. Please post what Manitus has asked for, so we can better diagnose the cause of your problem.

Diana wrote:The ammonia is at 0 - the lowest on my tester,
The nitrites are also at 0- the lowest on my tester,
The nitrates are between 0-10 more like 0.

The tank is an 80 Gal Tank & I have a wet dry filter. I Was told that she is called a Gold ear puffer, I have also seen her same type for sale as a stars and stripes puffer. She is approx. 9 inches long. I am not home right now but I will try and get a pic on here if I can. I have a UV light but it is off right now because I am treating with med. I also have a protien skimmer.

Is there substrate in this tank?

Is there live rock in this tank?

Are you running the skimmer while you are treating?

What have you been feeding the puffers??

Diana wrote:I had 2 very large puffers that i had for over 4 years, approx. 3 weeks ago one of them seemed as if she couldn't see the food and was having trouble eating, within a few days she died. There were no external symptoms of anything being wrong and all water levels were good. About 1 week after I lost her the other one started to do the same thing. Now it has been over 1 week and she still isn't eating. In the beginning she had no external symptoms, but has been developing some over the past week. She has blood spots inside her eyes at the bottom and she has small red blood like spots on her fins and now is getting whitish pimple like spots on her fins as well.

Any new additions to the tank - rock, inverts, other fish???

Nobody seems to have any idea what this is and I have tried treating with Metronidazole 2 times and then I have tried treating with triple sulfa. Doing water changes between all doses and putting in a poly filter between the two types of medicine. I have now treated 3 times with the triple sulfa and there seems to be no change. I realize that I am running out of time considering she has not eating. Has anyone ever heard of this. PLEASE HELP.

My PH is 8.2
The temperature of the tank is about 81
There is basically no ammonia, nitrites or nitrates
I use instand Ocean salt, Seachem Prime water conditioner

What dose are you using for these medications? Are you doing daily dosing??
Can you post a picture?

Metronidazole is used for internal protozoans/parasites. Symptoms include weight loss and stringy feces.......

Sulfa is not a good antibiotic for saltwater fish. Some of the symptoms you are describing are strongly suggestive of bacterial infection - best antibiotic choices enrofloxacin (baytril- only through a vet), nitrofurazone, kanamycin and maracyn - 2 by Mardel. This is in the order of preference. Treatment needs to be for a minimum of 7 days - preferably 10 days for complete eradication of the bacteria and prevention of resistant strains of bacteria from developing.

Antibiotics do affect the nitrfying bacteria so water parameters need to be watched closely and daily water changes are often in order. I prefer baths over treatinng the whole tank as antibiotics will kill off nitrfying bacteria, degrade when exposed to light, air and saltwater as well as it takes more antibiotics ($$) to treat the whole tank.

Best of luck.

I recommend treating via baths - one hour- in a separate tank. Adding antibiotics to the tank, will destroy beneficial bacteria. The additives you are mentioning will not work when you are treating the tank with antibiotics.

I would not stress the fish further by force feeding as stress can affect the immune system and the puffer's ability to overcome this disease process.

Nitrofurazone is fine.

Lower tank temperatures (low 70's) is better as bacteria do not multiply/proliferate as fast/well and therefore the antibiotic has a better chance at eradicating the bacteria.
Best of luck.

You can administer baths via bucket, container, small tank.....it is not necessary to set up a large volume of water. If the dose on your antibiotic states 1 capsule per 10 gallons - you add one capsule per gallon of bath water.

UV sterilizers can only eradicate the pathogens that pass across the light. The pathogens are only eradicated if the pathogen is exposed to the light for an appropriate amount of time and the water has to be pristine (pre-filtered) before entering the UV or most pathogens can "hide behind" or attach to the detritus and remain unaltered. UV will not help a fish that is already sick.

attached are a few pics, although you can't really see the marks on her fins that well.
I will try and return the water in the main tank to normal and give her baths with the medication. How many baths per day?

Once a day baths.

What had you been feeding these puffers?

Are you saying that you feed mostly krill and occasionally silversides?

Any vitamin supplementation?

Is it just frozen krill or freeze dried krill or both ?

I don't know this species well but the teeth look quite overgrown, they need some crustaceans to grind them down