The Puffer Forum

Help my fahaka has developed a ulcer type wound on his side and lost his appetite! ( not even live snails will work)
i have tested the tank and the PH was low at 6 but i have raised it to 6.8 now using coral sand, planning on raising a little more!
The other test were 0 for ammonia ect..
i have been treating him with melafix but my lfs has told me to use myxazin is this safe?
he is still active which is weird considering he isnt eating!
he has no tank mates and is in a 125 gallon tank
he usually gets 30% water change a week
i struggle to get him to eat anything but earth worms (night crawlers) and frozen shrimp. Even when food is soaked in garlic.

Please answer ALl the Qs above, in red. What's the pH of your tap water? 6 is the pH of urine!
Is it possible he's laying on your heater? Looks like a burn.
He certainly doesn't look like he's starving... Try live earthworms/nightcrawlers.
Myxazin loks like a waste, use Melafix.

The tank was running with smaller fish for about 6 months now he has been living there for 18months (the smaller fish returning to one of my other tanks)
The tap water was running at about 7.5 ph but it seems to be coming out at 6 now!?! I live on the moor and the water is soft.
recently added more airation if that counts as a change.
he is ignoring earthworms which isnt like him at all!! hes only been not eating for about 7 days but im used to him eating as much as i put in!
since introducing the melafix his colour is back he was a angry blotchy dark colour!
i dont think he can get to the heater i have plants and filter partly blocking it.
during the week the wound did have fur which has now gone!

I'm glad the "fur" is gone, that's a fungal attack. You could also add Pimafix. I'm sure he'll be eating soon.

Thank you i hope so! ohh i also added a half dose of aquarium salt hopefully that was a good move?

That doesn't do much & may irritate the puffer. I'd also contact your water supply co & ask them why urine is coming out of your tap!

I would bring some tap to a LFS to have them test as well. Just to make sure something with your test kit isn't off. A ph of 6 seems really weird for tap water.