The Puffer Forum

Hello,
I have a valentini saddle puffer who is at least two years old. I have had him a little over a year now. I have been feeding him emerald frozen omnivorous mix twice a week and white shrimp shell on once every two weeks. I recently found out that is not enough so now I feed him frozen every day and shrimp twice a week. He also grazes my live rock for pods all day long. He is normally very active and eats like a horse. For the past four days he has been sleeping a lot and only coming out to eat. This morning he only woke up when I turned on the lights and moved to a cave to go back to sleep. He wouldn't eat either. It looks like the skin on his belly is peeling off now, I don't know if this is from him being on the rocks so much or something ells.

Tank info:
55 gallon fowler
Ph- 8.2
Nitrate- 5ppm
Nitrite- 0
Ammonia- o
Salinity- 1.023
Temp- 80*F
Water change 10%/week
Thank mate is a yellow tail damsel who is very dosile and cuc.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Can you get a clear pic of the skin issue? Anything added to the tank?

Water quality looks okay. It is possible he has a skin infection which is leaving him not feeling too well. When you say his skin is peeling, does it look damaged or look like an ulcer?

+1 on a picture; I've had tobies before that have gotten skin diseases, which I was able to successfully treat.

I can't really get a good picture of it because he is staying under the rock. It looks like road rash that's the best way I can think of to discribe it. There is definitely no ulcer though.

Pufferpunk wrote:Can you get a clear pic of the skin issue? Anything added to the tank?

I haven't added anything to the tank. I did change to led reef lights a few months ago if that counts.

I'd at least start adding Melafix. Are there corals/anemones in the tank?

There are no corals at the moment but I am getting ready to start adding some soon. And should I leave him in QT or move him back to the the DT?

If he's the only sick one & you can keep the parameters stable, keep him in QT.

He didn't make it through the night , but thanks for all the help.