The Puffer Forum

Hello All

Joined the forum for a bit of help with my Dwarf Monty. Iv had him 4 years so isnt a young fish and he's tough as old boots. Moved tanks 3 times, survived a tank crash, survived a cycle etc. But I noticed something today, admittedly I have never kept an eye on his poop over the last 4 years, but today I noticed he is pooping what look like undigested bloodworm. So its long, easily the size of the fish, slightly red/brown and in places looks like rope.

Im thinking Internal Parasites. I just want to make sure as he lives with a breeding ramshorn population that then feed my GSP's and Figure 8s in another tank and I believe any medication will kill them?

His current tank is relatively new as he threw a paddy when he decided that he must kill the figure of 8 he was sharing it with, the tank was 130L so a bit overkill for a dwarf. The tank he is in has been running 6 weeks, fully cycled with readings at 0 except for a small amount of nitrates. If you wonder how I can claim fully cycled after 6 weeks it was set up with existing media, water, decorations etc and supported with stability for a short while until readings settled. Water is a 20% change each week.

He displays no other symptoms, no change in behaviour etc. Still eats like a monster, swims about ok, no concave belly. so could just be me being paranoid, but i'm attached to the little guy. Could over feeding cause this if not IP?

I have attached some pics:






It must be mentioned the OTOS pooped white string a few days back and I put that down to them unable to find food in a recently established tank. There is no algae.

Have you added any new fish?
If the poop is brown, it could just be resembling the food he eats.
What are you feeding him?
These questions are covered in the list above, in red.
I do believe IP meds could kill your snails.

No hes all on his own,just with the Otos who he has been with for years. It was the otos who drew my attention to him to be honest as I saw truly stringy white poop from the otos a few days ago.

He has a very varied diet, that night he had been fed bloodworm

He eats a varied diet, that evening it had been bloodworm. To me it looks like undigested bloodworm.

No new fish, he was briefly with two new figure of 8s for one day about 6 weeks ago.

And how often are you feeding?

He gets fed daily with the odd days skipped here and there. Its been the same for all his life.

I have purchased some Praziquantel and will treat all puffers as a preventative measure. Would rather be safe than sorry. I will dose the food and see how we go.

Looks like poo to me.