The Puffer Forum

My dwarf puffer's jaw is suddenly protruding. It's like his chin is sticking out abnormally. He seems fine but he looks odd. Here is a picture. I think it's a bit red too, swollen and reddish. Thanks for any thoughts on this.

Lainey

That does look strange. The redness doesn't look odd, he seems like a growing male, he'll eventually get an orangey red all over his tummy.

My puffs do that face when chewing a snail. Does he maybe have one stuck?

BTW cool plants. Do you know what kind they are? They look cool.

Something is definitely wrong with the little guy - I'm not sure the picture conveys it. If he does have a snail stuck down there, will it resolve itself on its own?

The plant is ludwigia repens x arcuata.

Thanks,

Lainey

It may, I would wait a til tomorrow. If he still has the same problem then I would do something about it. Maybe try to push it back in?

It is possible it's got a piece of shell stuck in it's mouth. You'll have to get a flashlight & look closer. You may have to tranq him to get it out with tiny tweezers. Add Melafix to his tank.

I tried Melafix and then I tried Maracyn TC and nothing helped. Someone has mentioned this as possibly a thyroid goiter that could respond to iodine. Other ideas are a puss filled sac (caused by what, a snail?) or a tumor.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what I might try next? I am simply too insecure to try and go all the way down through the throat to this thing, it's too far down.

Thank you all,

Lainey

It looks like it has grown. That is NOT a piece of shell. I'd have to say some sort of tumor/growth. Poor guy. Is he suffering? He may need to be enthusized (sp)

May be goiter, I answers this at the dwarf puffer site as well. If it's a goiter, reef iodine supplement will arrest the growth and as long as he can eat he'll live, though it may never get smaller. If it's a thyroid tumor, it's likely fatal, but I would euthanize only if the fish seems uncomfortable and treatment fails.

So is it unlikely that the iodide supp will reduce the size of the growth? Because it's a bit hard for him to eat right now. Or is there a chance it could get smaller?

No, he's acting fine still, it's not time to euthanize yet. But I have my eye on the poor guy, that's for sure.

Lainey

It may shrink very slightly, but not significantly. My DP Pig had a noble double chin the entire rest of his life.

Try 1 tbsp Epsom salt/10g to reduce swelling. Continue with Melafix too.

Could I use the epsom salt, the iodide and the melafix all at the same time?

Would the epsom salt help if it's a thyroid goiter?

Thanks,

Lainey

There are developments:

The swelling has changed shape and suddenly there is an angry red patch on one side. The whole thing is more intensely red too, but overall it seems smaller and has changed shape.

Poe is happier now, more active and eating much more.

I am wondering if a piece of snail shell or other is trying to work its way out.

Mardel is telling me that redness indicates infection or trauma whereas tumors and growths are skin colored.

I am wondering if sea salt, table salt, or epsom salt would be in order to help draw this out and reduce swelling? Can I use salt in addition to abx?

All I have on hand is sea salt, everything else is a thirty minute car ride, but will do that if necessary.

Keeping him on abx, obviously.

Thank you all!

Lainey

Table salt would provide iodide, and won't effect the PH. Crustaceans as food have more iodide in them than worms, more often than not.

My DP Poe is still struggling with his swelling. I tried antibiotics of different types for two weeks to no avail. Poe continues to act totally normal except that his jaw is so swollen that he can't eat much at any one time. It does not appear that he has a tumor or goiter because the swelling keeps changing shape, and also, it's not growing.

Today, there appears to be a head of pus that has formed and is pushing through the skin, or trying to. Pictures may help illustrate. I now believe this is an abscess that is trying to drain, and have spoken to a few people who have experienced this in non-puffs. They are telling me to drain it by putting a small hole in the area of the pus. I am scared about this because Poe is a puffer and I'm worried the stress will cause him to puff or that I may hurt his scaleless skin somehow.

Can anyone advise how I might help this abscess to drain without harming or killing the DP?

Thank you.

Lainey