The Puffer Forum

We have had Puff (a Fahaka puffer) for almost a year now. He is alone in a somewhat small tank (55 gal), but we are planning on moving him into a 125 gal. He has not been eating, has been lethargic, and has this white stuff that looks like it's coming out of his pores (see attached photos). We have been doing 50% water changes every 3 days for the past week and a half. but we also do regular water changes weekly. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
ph 7.5
nitrite 0
nitrates 20

Hi and welcome.

Looks like Ich! Please bump up your temp to 80-85 and add a generous portion of table salt to the tank. Begin doing this immediately as Ich can be fatal, especially for scaleless fish such as puffers.

Check out this detailed article: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28113

Some also opt for using Vitamin C or Jungle Ich Clear Fizz tablets. But the above is the cheapest and most effective.

His face looks a little long, perhaps he also has overgrown teeth? What do you feed him? Can you see his teeth?

Don't think it's ich. I've had a lot of fish & have been dealing with fish for a long time 10+ years. I have over 1000 gallons of tanks. I've had my fair share of ich--salt method is what I use. Reasons for it not being ich: I don't feed him live foods, nor have I purchased any fish in at least 4 months, maybe longer. I am very cautious when it comes to cleaning tanks. Each tank has its own separate nets, siphons, etc. I don't mix anything. Another reason I say it's not ich is it's only on his back and sides, not on fins or gills. It also changes, like its a secretion from his pores. One day its coming out of some pores and not others. Guess I should clarify when i say pores- there are little pen pricks all over his body. Almost like a spike going inward. Looks very similar to pores on human skin. The white stuff is only coming out of these. Not just sitting on the skin, gills or fins. We have had him over a year and have added nothing live or new to this tank since.
I do believe that he needs his teeth trimmed. If this is the case, will it make him act this way? I can barely see his teeth when he's relaxed. I also can see he can open his teeth roughly about half an inch. We mainly feed him jumbo shrimp with shell on from super market, earthworms rarely--just as treats. With this being said, do you thinks his teeth need to be trimmed? And if so then what's up with this white stringy stuff coming out of him?

Puffer ich can look a little different. It generally starts on their body instead of fins. Even if it's not ich, the salt treatment could help. Salt is used for a wide variety of things such as fungus.

Also, you're saying it can't be ich because you haven't added anything to his tank, but ich can happen at about any time. When your fish gets stressed, it can get ich. Since your fahaka is in a very small tank for him, and for so long, chances are at some point the water quality went bad and he got stressed and got ich. Puffers produce A LOT of waste, like you wouldn't even believe.

Pimafix and melafix could also help you, if you really don't think it's ich.

Those "pores" are actually where his spines grow out of. The "pricks" are his spines. I have never seen a puffer leaking anything from there. I'd start by trying Melafix to help sooth his skin. Please upgrade him ASAP.

Pufferpunk wrote:Those "pores" are actually where his spines grow out of. The "pricks" are his spines. I have never seen a puffer leaking anything from there. I'd start by trying Melafix to help sooth his skin. Please upgrade him ASAP.

+1 IME

stress can do wonders to a person. it probably relates to anything that can feel stress. If you provide better housing, you may also find out it does wonders to your puffs health

Burke wrote: I do believe that he needs his teeth trimmed. If this is the case, will it make him act this way? I can barely see his teeth when he's relaxed. I also can see he can open his teeth roughly about half an inch. We mainly feed him jumbo shrimp with shell on from super market, earthworms rarely--just as treats. With this being said, do you thinks his teeth need to be trimmed? And if so then what's up with this white stringy stuff coming out of him?

He definitely needs a more varied diet, much more nutrition and crunch.
here is a feeding article
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
It is possible for overgrown teeth to prevent a puffer from eating, if you feel that his teeth are too long, you can consider teeth trimming.
here is a tooth trimming article
library/hospital/dentistry/