The Puffer Forum

Hello this is not the way I would introduce myself, sorry. I have a Guinea fowl puffer, Guinea (i know not very creative but...) he is very bloated with a small decrease in size around the pectoral fins almost looking like figure 8. He has been like this for 1-2 days. He swims with his tail tucked, white spots not very well defined and are dark and dusky.
I have been looking for a Guinea fowl puffer for about 1.5 years. So he very special to me. Please help.

Guinea
*I received him about 2 months.
*only 3-4 inches, stated out 2-3 inches.
* in my QT. He had ick. I used copper and FW dips, every other day for 5-8 min. I know copper is not very good for puffers.

Tank
*20g
*up and running for about 3 months before i received Guinea.
*Sponge filter and aquaclear 70.
*water changes 2-3 times a week, 25%-40%.
*Ammonia-0-.25
*Nitrite-0
*Nitrite-0
*1.23 sg
That is all of the info I can think of please help.
I can not attach any photos for some reason. If and when I figure out it out I will post them.

I agree--sorry this had to be your 1st post here. 1st few posts of new members must be approved by the staff, as we were getting way too many spammers here otherwise. To post a pic, you need to upload here & then link the photo: www.photobucket.com

Is he eating/swimming normally? What's his diet? Has he been treated for IPs?

He is eating well. He eats Rod's fish food, originel and predator. I feed him a small amount twice a day. He is swimming with his tail curled and tucked. He is hiding a bit, but that maybe because he associates me with catching him for his freshwater dips. I just stated treating him for parasites before the ick. I really forgot until you just reminded me. I now have restarted praziquantel.

Tonight he is still bloated but he looks like has air bubbles on his belly. If he turns just right he looks like he has stringy clearish white mucus (best word to describe it can come up with). I am really concerned I feel so helpless. I wish I knew what was going on with him. He is my 4th puffer and I have never seen anything like this.

I just was watching him and I noticed he seems to be breathing hard.

I don't think the mucus or air bubbles are out of the ordinary. Are you using the Prazi to treat his food?

Thank you for responding I feel so relieved that the mucus/air bubbles are nothing to worry about!!

I am using the prazi in the water. I did not know you can/should treat his food. How do you treat his food?

http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... treatment/

Sure would be nice to see a pic.

Thank you Puffer punk for all of your help.

I thought I did post them but obviously I did not.

I think if he's swimming/eating normally, treat for IPs & see if that helps. Also, you can add Epsom salt, 1tbsp/5g, to help with any swelling or constipation.

Looks like 'dropsy', a fluid build up inside the fish, treating for IP's as puffer punk said and/or maybe an antibiotic. Trying metronidazole if you can get it might be an idea as it works on IP's and is antibiotic?

Never heard of a puffer getting dropsy.

Pufferpunk wrote:Never heard of a puffer getting dropsy.

Me neither but it looks like it?

Is it pooping & what does the poop look like?

Doesn't specifically mention pufferfish, but this article says that basically any fish can get dropsy:

http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/terms ... Dropsy.htm

It does look just like amphibian bloat, which I think is identical to dropsy. But neither this nor that article are necessarily meaningful...

Puffer punk I think you hit the nail on the head when you asked what his poop looked like I realized I have not seen any poop from him in a long time!!! So in addition to treating for IP's I will get epson salt in the am. Thank you, thank you, thank you.