The Puffer Forum

Hi,

I have a 5 inches Porcupine fish in a 50 gal with about 90 lbs of Live Rock. Also there is just another fish, a smaller, about 2 inches, cowfish. They have been living together for about 1 year by now, not having any issues.

Mostly I have fed them during this time frozen shrimp and frozen mussel. Normally feeding every other day, sometimes daily at the evening time. Never fed twice a day. On a rare occasion feeding them some frozen mysis, frozen brine shrimp with garlic, squid.

I do not run any external filtration or skimmer, doing a weekly 25% water change. Althought not checking often when check the water parameters where No2 = 0, No3 = 30-50, Po4 = 0, NH3 + NH4 = 0. Temperature 27C, about 80F. SG varying between 1.023 to 1.25 at the time when I did the checks. No light supplied, light comes from the room window.

Things were good until recently. The day by day course of last week:

- Last Sunday - did a water change, about 25%
- Tuesday - feed the puffer 2 frozen shrimps heads (shrimp are not too big but I don't feed the puffer normaly more than one head, tail and a bit of shrimp body. Feeding every other day.) Think I have overfeed him.
- Wednesday - the puffer was under severe distress, acting like was trying to vomit, feeling generaly sick. It had a whiteis apearance and I thought he does not sees well, resting at the bottom of the aquarium with his head into live rock. Perhaps he did vomit and created some spike?
- Thursday - happily swiming and nipping the glass... but couldn't see a thing. Not even larger objects, not my hand, nothing. Started bumping into everything.
- Friday - checked all water params, No3 was about 40, must be into the sand/rock. No ammonia, No2 or Po4 was detected. Did a 90% water change but No3 still about same. Feed the puffer a clam using a wood stick, I had to chase him for some minutes until I made him ate it. He still couldn't see a thing.
- Saturday - He moves both eyes like before (he always did), no sign any damage, no spots on his body, acting absolutely normal; just blind. Due not being able to avoid objects he bruised his mouth, skin damaged at the front starts to peel, live rock is quite abrasive and he bump with face into it.

I never had any kind of ligh in this aquarium, only room light. However he was able to see very well even at night. Last Saturday I think someone visiting me took a couple of pictures of it using a camera, I think using the flash light, but don't think it has anything to do, I fed the puffer later that day and he was able to see perfectly.

One thing I have noticed, the eyes are not as they used to be, they are now dark blue, glossy appearance instead of the classical clear blue the puffers display. This will be the only physical change I can notice.

Added an external Tetra filter with only activated cardbon and poly. Bought RO water from LFS along with new RO system (until all replacements part are coming for the existing one, all of them still good in in their period, but chaning evrything I can). After so many changes No3 now at about 5 ppm level. Preparing water, tomorrow planing another change, trying to bring it to 0.

Starting today I have had him into a small QT with Myxazin, overdosing 3 times the normal dosage with heavy aeration. Kept it in for 3 hours. Suggested to do so every forthnight. During this treatment no signs of any stress. Removed in the end, set back to his aquarium, no change in his condition.


Is there anything to do, other treatment, environmental change? Are there any chances of recovering?

Thanks.

He needs a bigger tank to dilute his waste as he grows. I don't think a cowfish is a suitable puffer tank mate

Shrimp also contains thiamine which with too much of it can cause health problems if used as a staple diet. Try some clams on the halfshell and live crabs so he can hunt them and trim his beak and even some bloodworms or mealworms would suffice from time to time.

Start trying different foods as recommended and soak the food in vitamins like Zoe. You DEFINITELY need a bigger tank. Start searching your local craigslist or reef club for a bigger tank, and get rid of that tank mate, because it's going to end badly.

Isn't it cowfish that can poison your whole tank if stressed?

bertie 83 wrote:Isn't it cowfish that can poison your whole tank if stressed?

Yes. If they're stressed or they die.

Anyone having any suggestion about the lost of eyesight issue?

The no3 is high, prob not high enough to cause a problem but possible, you need to get that under 20 ppm. Are there any air fresheners or is anyone spraying deodorant in close proximity to the tank?

I was suspecting malnourishment from lacking a varied diet.

sgtmyers88 wrote:I was suspecting malnourishment from lacking a varied diet.

I thought of that, shouldn't this happen over the course of time and not suddenly?

This is why I said soak your food in vitamins. And it probably did happen over-time and you just didn't notice the small signs. Do a 20-30% water change with matched salinity. Then start varying his diet much more, remove the cowfish, and work on upgrading the tank. Check craigslist or your local reef club for good deals.

The biggest things right now are the varied diet and vitamins, the water change, and taking that cowfish out. The cowfish may have poisoned the tank and it could have something to do with your puffer's lost eyesight.

Nuclear_Glitter wrote:

bertie 83 wrote:Isn't it cowfish that can poison your whole tank if stressed?

Yes. If they're stressed or they die.

They can but never had one nuke the tank though. I ended up sellin him because I did not and could not get him into a bigger tank in a small apartment.



Btw, the cowfish should not be in the same tank with another puffer or any aggressive fishes. Now they have been known to release small amounts of toxins in the tank. And some owners that I have heard from say they have added carbon to their filters with any boxfishes.

FADE2BLACK_1973 wrote: They can but never had one nuke the tank though. I ended up sellin him because I did not and could not get him into a bigger tank in a small apartment.



Btw, the cowfish should not be in the same tank with another puffer or any aggressive fishes. Now they have been known to release small amounts of toxins in the tank. And some owners that I have heard from say they have added carbon to their filters with any boxfishes.

I am worried it released enough toxin to cause damage to the puffer's eyesight.

I had a porcy that went blind, he would bang into things and swim funny, he died shortly after. I didn't have a boxfish in my tank, So not sure what caused it.

Arny wrote:I had a porcy that went blind, he would bang into things and swim funny, he died shortly after. I didn't have a boxfish in my tank, So not sure what caused it.

What was your setup? How was your parameters? What sort of diet was he on?

We really need to get this figured out.