The Puffer Forum

Hi Guys,

Since a few days my Fahaka Yoda is having a strange infection-like thing on its tail. He also stopped eating since yesterday and is just laying in his corner, clearly not feeling well.

Does anybody know which medicine i could use best to treat this? He has been my companion for over 9 years and has never been sick before.

I checked my water parameters, all is fine. Still did a small water change just before i left for work today. He lives in a 600 liter tank with about 10 little leopard danios to keep him active.

Looks more like a parasite to me - maybe an anchor worm?
I'm not sure what the best form of treatment would be - maybe something like Lice-solve?

Almost looks like a tumor of some kind. Be sure to keep the parameters pristine. May need surgery on this.

Eeek, surgery. I dont know if there is such a person in the netherlands.

It really looks as if his flesh is rotting or something. I hope things will turn out ok.

You would have to knock the fish out with MS-222 & cut it off with a razor blade.

Oh dear, that sounds intense.

Any idea at what point i should consider trying such as thing? I'd image first try some sort of medicine first and operate as a last measure. Like with humans....

Been trying to get a better view of his tail and it looks like just one "nerve" (one of the thick stripes which he uses to open en close his tailfin) of his tail got swollen and kind of rotting.

I would like to try something first without surgery so he can try and heal on his own? Still have no clue what to use tho, should I try MELAFIX first?

Can you provide better images of the tail area ?

Melafix isn't going to touch this.

Finally today Yoda decided to swim around a bit so I could take a photo of both sides of his tail. He is always wild so always hard to take a clear photo but here are two.

He is still not touching his food tho....

The unaffected right side


The affected right side

in your last picture, it looks "less bad" than in your first picture in the opening post
to me, it looks like an infection, not a parasite
a better picture would be helpful
pristine water, Melafix, and an antibiotic would be my inclination
increase aeration when using Melafix

It does look bacterial. Add 1 tbsp salt/10g. Try Kanaplex.

Yeah it looks worse when he wraps his tail. When he waves it out its a better view.

Ok, i'll start with the salt. Just found out its a b*tch to order Melafix or Kanaplex in the Netherlands. Nothing but webshops from the States sell it.

KorrepZ wrote:Just found out its a b*tch to order Melafix or Kanaplex in the Netherlands. Nothing but webshops from the States sell it.

I buy it in Ireland in the LFS easy enough. I did a quick search on ebay under European Union selllers and theres plant closer to home than the states. The kanaplex looks like it would be a USA order though!

Melafix It on its way. But the order may take up to 5 october, a week from now. Meanwhile Yoda's condition is getting worse and worse. He does not eat, gettin thinner and the meat around the wound is gettin white. I also think the Syno, his tankmate who is always hiding under wood, is now feeding from the wound. I saw him nipping at Yoda his tail the other day. Today Yoda is clearly deathbed-like. Just laying around and you can literally see the fish-bone of his tail.

Getting very worried now. While waiting for the Melafix, which will probably not arrive in time, I turned to eSHa 2000, hoping this will help.

My god. I just threw a buckload of eSHa in the tank 1 hour ago and now my girlfriend tells me she forgot the mention the Melafix arrived this afternoon when i was at work.

Can i use Melafix along with the eSHA?