The Puffer Forum

This spot showed up the other day. Perhaps from running into a filter tube- is that common or could this be something else?



120g
2 xp3s and Magnum 350
waters fine
Tanks been set up for 1+ year.

Hi xtc. I can't see your pic. I can tell you I have never seen a bruise on my gsp's or any of my fish as of yet. I have seen markings from bites. My whiteskirt tetra was spooked one day I was cleaning the algae off the tank. He ran into the glass hard but did not have a mark from it. I'm not saying it can't happen. Try to repost your pic.

fixed- thanks

What a cute fish even w/ the bruise. IDK, I have never seen anything like that. Does he also have a bump on his cute lips? Let's see what others with more experience have to say about what it could be.

Thanks! He's my wife's favorite fish- she pampers him pretty well.

A bruise seems unlikely to me, but I can't think of anything else other than a random pigment thing.

This morning, he closed his eyes- like he pulled them inside their sockets and pushed his skin out over them- so it looked like a pair of belly buttons- bizarre! His belly is white and he seems to be just fine other than that strange new dot.

Here's his tank:


and a yawn:

He's a handsome fellow. I have never seen a mark like that on a fish though..

it doesn't look real, like someone spray painted a dot on him, weird, awesome fahaka though

Thanks! Like I say, he's well fed and taken care of.

BTW- it is not a raised bump- it appears to be at flesh level and the texture doesn't appear to be any different (like a fungus).

anyone else?..

Yes, he'll be moved to his new home (200+ gallons at 24" deep) in the next few months- he's not yet too big for that tank.

A beautiful fish, but on that last pic it seems like he has no tail at all.

I've never seen a spot like that either, I must admit.

Just call it his beauty mark. Quite an experssion you caught in that last pic!

seems we got our answer- he had apparently tested a tank mate, a small catfish. The catfish must have convinced him it wasn't such a good idea with a prick between the eyes.

The spot has decreased in size and looks more like a prick point. I'm sure that won't convince him to stop trying.

The catfish must have made a lucky escape. I tried a catfish with an abei, and the abei went for its belly, the only vulnerable area on the fish. Luckily I was prepared for it, and removed the catfish after the first attack (that I know of). And a Fahaka surely will make more damage than an abei. I'm glad to hear that your puffer is doing ok though. What kind of catfish do you have with it?

it WAS a wild caught cat- but he didn't make it...Peanut did end up winning the battle (apparently). My wife is at home and she just reported that the catfish is no longer in the tank.

He was a wild caught channel cat that we were going to monitor his growth rate for a project. We caught him on a Killi fishing trip and we spent the last month getting him parasite free and cleaned up.

Here's my wife's video of snack time...seems the catfish is makin him a bit gun shy now...

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v486/ ... tMovie.flv

Glad to hear he is recovering.