White swollen lips :(

[Srkoe]

Ammonia-0
Nitrates-0
Nitrites-0

3" Turgidus

New 25 gallon tank. Set it up Saturday. Used media, sand, plants from a fully cycled tank...along with Tetra safestart poured into the filter.

I have another thread in the hospital section about some wood that was in the tank (please read).

I took the wood out today and it stunk. I immediately done a 50% water change. At this point I noticed Manson's lips are white around the edges and look swollen they almost look flipped outwards. He is swimming around but breathing heavily. He won't eat. The tank is still a bit cloudy. I added Melafix and pimafix to his water. Does anyone have any ideas what could be wrong? I will try to get a picture.

[Reaperpilot2014]

This sounds like mouth fungus to me. It releases toxins and stops the fish from eating. It can be treated with maracyn or penicillin for fish. It generally only affects fish that are very stressed or already ill... and grows when there is a lot of waste or excess food in the aquarium. Something to look at.

With all the problems you've been having with that tank, I would get him into a different, cycled tank with a different filter if possible and then medicate there with maracyn and Melafix. It sounds to me like this tank needs a good cleaning.

[Reaperpilot2014]

If you have a picture, that would help with diagnosis, but from what you described I do believe it's mouth fungus.

[Srkoe]

He is also hanging his mouth open and keeps hanging around the surface of the water...he occasionally sticks his lips out of the water

[Srkoe]

So Maracyn is puffer safe? What about the decorations and sand in the tank...do I have to get rid of it? I have one tank that is cycled that has two yoyo loaches in it...I don't really have anywhere to put them. I'm afraid moving him will stress him farther.

[sevenyearnight]

I agree with the maracyn suggestion, yes it safe, and won't harm your filter. If you don't have a place to move him and you think it will stress him anyway, just keep up on the water changes. Your parameters aren't showing ammonia or nitrite, so I think keeping him there will be ok, the maracyn and water changes should wipe out whatever is in that tank. That must have been a bad batch of wood.

[Reaperpilot2014]

Yeah, looks like mouth fungus. You have a point about not stressing him further, but I am also worried about the quality of your water with it stinking and all the waste you found and whatnot, even after water changes. PP or RTR may have a better suggestion on that one.

In any case, Maracyn is fine for puffers. I would also add Pimafix to my original suggestion of Melafix. Frequent heavy water changes help too. Mouth fungus needs to be treated quickly or it can be fatal. A man dropped off a Dogface puffer with mouth fungus at my dad's store several years back. The treatment I suggested worked. Hope it helps!

[Reaperpilot2014]

Another question for you, but you mentioned that you set the tank up on Saturday. Was the tank cycled then?

[Srkoe]

I put sand, decorations and filter media from an established, healthy tank along with some safestart. I've tested the water everyday all paeans are 0. I was concerned about the lack of Nitrates...I used all new, conditioned water. Littlegreenpuffer said that might be the reason for total lack of nitrates. I've set up several tanks this way and have never lost or ended up with a sick fish . It is 10:25 here, the only thing open is walmart. They probably won't have what I need . I was reading on columnaris...could this be it? The article on MFK said to also treat with salt. Should I? I feel lost right now

[sevenyearnight]

Sorry, posting delay*

[Reaperpilot2014]

I haven't heard much about the use of salt for mouth fungus, so I'm not sure.

[Pufferpunk]

1 tbsp/10g of salt. I would also recommend the Maracyn, along with Mela/Pimafix. Up those WC to 80 % to get out whatever bacteria that rotting wood added to the tank.

[Srkoe]

Walmart has jungle lifeguard all in one it contains tetramethyl, 1-chloro and imidazolidinone. They also have jungle fungus clear. It contains nitrofurazone, furazolidone and potassium dichromate.

[sevenyearnight]

The medicine you want will contain erthromycin. It's probably not sold at Wal-mart.

[Pufferpunk]

You must be careful with antibiotics or it will wipe out what little nitrification bacteria you have in there.