The Puffer Forum

I lost one of my bw Puffers yesterday. I will explain in more detail when I have a little more time. I've had him for about 5yrs and he has two tankmates and a former tankmate remaining. The death was very sudden and I would like to find cause-of-death, partly just to know what happened, and partly so I can see if it is something that is a threat to the remaining Puffs.

I've asked everyone I can think to ask and I've Googled my fingers off but I haven't had any luck finding somewhere to send the Puffer to for examination.

Can anyone help me out with this? Do you know of a facility, university, vet, or individual who could take a look at the Puff? (He's currently double-baggied in the refrigerator).

Thank you.

a fish vet could be your best bet and I'm sorry to hear you lost one of your puff's

Try contacting someone here http://www.aquavets.com/

Sorry for your loss.

Try contacting "Labdoc" - Dr Marty Bell in Texas.
He has done numerous seahorse necropsies and I believe some fish.

You can PM him through http://www.marinedepot.com/forums or http://www.seahorse.org.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. PufferQueen, Marty actually recommend you. I figured Marty is bogged down enough with all the Seahorse necropsies; didn't want to add to his work load.

When I found the Puffer it was floating, there was no eye movement, and no detectable breathing. I was certain it was dead. Then it started taking a breath, croaking, and twitching every great once in a while. I decided to see if I could revive it so I flushed it's gills and got it breathing more regularly. Then I "burped" it and got a few air bubbles out. After that it swam to the bottom of the bowl, was breathing very hard, and was more alert. I quickly setup a hospital tank and put him in it. He appeared to get a little better but died several hours later.

The doctor has examined my Puff and determined that the primary cod was a very heavy infestation of Trematodes (gill flukes). He is doing cultures to see if there were any secondary bacterial infections. This is surprising because none of my fish are showing symptoms of gill flukes. Regardless, it looks like everyone is about to get aquainted with the PraziPro.

how scary. Lets hope no-one else gets them

An update…

Well, it's even worse than we thought. The Puff indeed had a bacterial infection of the Mycobacterium species. The doc believes it was most likely Mycobacterium marinum. That is the worst type of bacteria to have and it is transmittable to brackish, full marine, and freshwater. I've had my Puffs for so many years that they have the same maintenance equipment, not to mention, they are in very close proximity to one another. This means that my three other T.biocellatus, two T.miurus, Goldfish, Pleco, and pond snail cultures have all been exposed. (I'm glad my Seahorses reside in a different room with different equipment although I'm still concerned the Myco may somehow spread to their room and hop into their tank).

Since nearly all of my fish are wild-caught, I cannot be certain they were not already carrying Myco when they came into my care. However, since some of them have been with me for more that five years with no symptoms, I suspect they likely contracted the bacteria from being fed store-bought treats of live "red wigglers" (earthworms) and crickets. M.marinum can be found in the soil that such critters are exposed to.

For those who may not know, Myco is insideous and there is no treatment. It is most often recommended that the fish be euthanized and all equipment sterilized.

I'm not planning to euthanize these guys. I'm going to treat one of the two T.biocellatus tanks for the Trematodes (Dactylogyrus species) in hopes that if the flukes are irradicated the Puffs might have a chance of not developing Myco as an active infection.

That is a horror story. I guess its new equipment for each tank from now on then? No new fishies for you either I guess

Unfortunately mycobacterium is fairly common in wild caught puffers. I have necropsied several DOA (dead on arrival) puffers and have found multiple granulomas that were diagnosed at a vet lab as mycobacterium. Unfortunately many fish especially puffers will eat dead fish in the ocean - these fish may have died from myco or had myco in them when they died.

Isn't this the TB that seriously infects humans too?

Yes!

Yep, PP, it is.

PQ, I wouldn't have expected these guys to live so long in my care if they had Myco from the go? Do you think they were in a carrier state and a sudden increase in their parasite load caused the Myco to become an active secondary infection?

I still can't believe they've had trematodes all these years with no symptoms.

Often times mycobacterium will not be the primary cause of death - can weaken immune systems and impair organs.

I had an 11 year in my care puffer die from a bacterial infection from a bad bite and on necropsy there were granulomas on the liver.

You know, after reading this thread, and doing a quick google, I think that's what might have killed my puffer as well. He just went from bad, to worse really really fast...

Well, I'm losing another one. My adult red T.miurus of ~3yrs. He hasn't eaten in two months and is wasting away. I'm guessing the Myco is kicking in. I've checked his teeth and they aren't overgrown or broken but he has a weak bite. PP, PQ, have either of you ever force-fed a Puffer?