The Puffer Forum

Hi guys.
A month ago my 4yo Fahaka injured its mouth on a snail shell. It is still no better and he now will not eat anything. I have done a round (3 doses) of Kanaplex with Stress Guard incase there is an infection or anything like that. But he does not look ill,the lump is not red, does not look infected. It is just a lump. His teeth are fine. He just refuses to eat.
I found him with a large snail, busted shell, not finished. The shell looked sharp and it was the 1st time he did not eat/finish a meal. Then the lump. I have thought maybe a piece of shell is inside. I posted about this here a couple of weeks ago but only got the one response.
This is now urgent. I am really worried about performing this procedure. I have read the articles but I am hoping for any tips you can give me.
I do not have MS-222 and I feel like I should not wait and order it and wait for shipping. I really wish I did but clove oil and Sunday I think is going to be the best option.
He is 13–15” how do I wrangle him out of his tank without pulling him from the water?
It says after sedated to hold him in the net, I have also read a wet towel. I don’t have a net that large, would a wet towel do? (Gloves ofcourse)
If I can’t see the shell poking out, do I risk cutting into this lump to find it?
Either way do I put any kind of topical antibiotic on it or anything when I am done?
Can I release him into his tank to revive or does it need to be back into the non medicated holding tub? He has no tank mates and It would be less stressfull for all involved ( one less move )

Anything else you can think of. His teeth seem ok and I do not have a dremmel or I would give them a zip while I was at it.
I am really scared about the whole thing. Worried I won’t find it and he will just waste away while I watch. Really wishing I had he MS -222 also.
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read thru and give me ANY TIPS OR ADVICE. I need it right now.

Photo?
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/ ... uffer2.htm

It is beyond my computing capabilities apparently. I have tried once before and twice now with. Flickr and shutterfly to figure out how to upload and then link photos. It is frustrating and unfortunate that it is so difficult to post photos when they really are so needed.
I have read that linked article. And many others. Watched numerous videos. 99% regarding small amazon puffers. None about 14-15” ones.
I don’t have MS-222. I can’t get it anywhere in town. Just clove oil. But is clove bud oil ok? I read it is more potent? Is it ok if it is in an alcohol mixture? Thats what I have right now. Its what I could find. I don’t even know where to go for answers anymore.

You can't upload your pic to an image site & link that page here? The product should say Eugenol.

3rd try.

https://flic.kr/p/2ndDPNj

https://flic.kr/p/2ndMJDJ

Thats as good as it gets. It doesn’t look like a link to me but I can’t find anything else.
My kids away at college. Im a baker. Not so much with computers.

Honestly, Ive done the leg work. I don’t know what you can do to help here. Its a stab in the dark. Ive googled, researched, read, everything I can find. Ive tried the vets in town and been back and forth to my go to fish guys. Ive medicated, and now gram pos and neg antibiotic medicating.

But I have read tons here and you have been here for years. Maybe you have seen something that will click.

What I got a whole foods says clove liquid extract. On the ingredients it says clove flower bud “syzygium aromaticum extract”. It also has cane alcohol and vegetable glycerine.

I'm not so sure the tooth on one side is overgrown, the other one looks like it might have broken off.
Do NOT use that product! You don't want your fish ingesting those chemicals. Eugenol is all I would use.
Have you tried Kanaplex?

Wait, what?
It will be easier if you refer back to the beginning of this post. My first one is quite thorough, we seem to have a miscommunication somewhere.
Yes. Kanaplex. 3 doses. With safeguard.
It is not broken teeth. You are not looking at teeth at all. It is a fleshy lump. His teeth are behind it. They do come out but the top ones I see much less often since this happened. But I promise you and everyone else who doesn’t believe me, All 4 teeth are in tact. This lump has shrunk and then grown again. It is granular/grainy textured you can see the same texture on his front bottom lip.
His mouth does not seem to be able to close, it is always open now. He seems to want to bury but aborts when sand gets into his mouth. I am guessing it is from swelling but Idk really.
I checked out lock jaw but that doesnt fit and there is no reason for it.
A tumor has been suggested but it came on over night after trying to eat a snail, not finishing it, leaving a sharp broken open shell. Which he has never not finished before. It made me think injury, then since, possible shell inside wound. Hence the clove oil to sedate & remove. Now, i really dont know.

I'm so sorry about asking you about the Kanaplex. I read too many posts! Puffers eat plenty of snails in the wild, so I doubt it would be a shell. How wild is he to handle? You may be able to net him & pull back the lip. Keep his head underwater & have someone hold a flashlight, so you can get a good look.

https://www.pufferfishenthusiastsworldw ... blue-baths

Sorry, I kept checking in and wasn’t getting an updated response. I have a few sites with questions hoping someones seen something similar.
He is big. Somewhere over 14-15”. I can pet him a little but have never needed to remove or handle him. There are no nets larger than 10” in town. I can see it clearly. He can’t seem to close his mouth.
I did a Kanaplex + metroplex + furan 2 treatment that was recommended to me by my fish guys and his mouth looks better but he seems to have a bulge in his side now and he still refuses to eat.
But the lump in his mouth is much smaller.
He also has had a small tick/twitch for a couple weeks that is getting a bit worse. Idk if that is signs of something neurological or what.
I am considering maybe tube feeding him as he spits out anything i get into his open mouth but he isnt going to just let me do it. Removal from the tank will be stressful as will any type of sedation at this point but I dont know how much longer he can go with no food. Plus the symptoms he is collecting are not good.
I dont know if trying the M Blue baths should be before or after tying to tube/force feed him
I have really appreciated the time you have taken here trying to help.

They actually can go quite some time w/o eating. I'm sure you can order a larger net online or a pool net. Fish do get tumors.
Sorry I'm not more help. Lots of great pufferkeepers on here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/319738601907514