The Puffer Forum

Hi all haven't been around in a while but know I can always come here for help. My older dog face has been constipated for about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks now. I added 1 tbs. of Epson salt for every 5 gls about 8 days ago. I can see that when he tries to go it is blocked with brown waste. Last night he start to expel lots of white powder waste ???? but can still see the blockage. I can certainly see that he is not well and is stressed. He has eaten a bit in the last three weeks which is good. Any ideas and thanks.

Hi Puff is still bounded right up. Should I add more Epson Salt, something else that anyone has had luck using. Any other infor that I could give that would help, please do let me know. Have had this guy for 7 1/2 years and am just so worried about him, he is my pet. Thanks

I've never had to treat with Epsom Salts, so hopefully someone else can chime in on that. If he's still eating maybe you could try feeding him peas? I've done that several times with my smaller puffers, and also with my burrfish and it seemed to help.

I sent a PM to Puffer Queen for this one.

Thank you both. I can see I am slowly loosing him as day by day he is getting weaker and I feel helpless. I just don't know what to do he is blocked right up. Will try the pea but he is not eating much at all, only bits of his favorite smelt.

Here are a few answers I found by searching for constipation:

Usually, with a change of diet, the condition rights itself. But in stubborn cases try dried food that has been soaked in medicinal paraffin oil. Glycerol or castor oil may also be used. If the diet is changed on a regular basis and live foods offered occasionally this condition may never occur.

The symptom of constipation is swelling of the body and abdomen and loss of appetite. Constipation is usually not caused by any diseases but rather by the diet the fish are fed. If the wrong diet is given to a fish for a prolonged time this can cause constipation and constipation can therefore often be rectified by improving the diet of your fish. Exactly what this means depend on the species of fish you keep in your aquarium. Predatory fish are best kept on one type of diet and herbivores on another, and so on. If a predatory fish is kept on an herbivore diet or vice versa there will be problems. One possible problem is constipation; others include various deficiency caused diseases. Search this site, the rest of the Internet and books to find information about the right diet for your fish and make sure to feed your fish such a diet in the future. It is also important to remember the importance of a varied diet. Not varying the diet enough is a common cause for constipation as well as for different deficiency related health issues. If the fish is given a varied diet suitable for the fish in question constipation should never occur.

If the constipation doesn't resolve itself after an improvement of the diet of the fish you will have to try other methods. Feed your fish flake or other dried food that has been soaked in glycerol, castor oil or medicinal paraffin oil to help remove the colon blockage that causes the constipation in your fish.

Thanks for your time in looking that up pufferpunk. Just went out and picked up some castor oil will dipp some shrimp pelts in it. Don't know if he will eat the shrimp pelts but it is worth a shot. Will try anything at this point. Thanks again.

Just wondering, what does his diet normally consist of?

Ok can't get him to eat shrimp pelt soaked in caster oil. I really feel he is on his last legs. In response to your question boxermom his diet included shrimp pellets, smelt, seafood melody (squid, snails octopus ect.).

Pelleted food is okay for a treat but nutritionally not the best. This has caused constipation in some fish.

Blockage can be caused by many things. Puffers will often ingest things that are not natural and can't be passed - plastic pieces of intake caps/filters, sponges that cover powerheads, pieces of rock or substrate, etc. FAMA's may edition has a good article on puffer proofing your aquarium.

Another possibility is a worm ball in the intestines. Might try to deworm.

I agree with trying to administer some laxative to food - I have used cod liver oil to help alleviate in the past. Might need to gavage or tube feed the cod liver oil if the fish is too weak. Another more invasive option may to try and pass a centimeter a soft red rubber catheter in the rectum to stimulate peristalisis.

Best of luck.

Thank you for your reply. Still can't get him to eat the castor oil socked shimp pelt so we might have to resort to gavage. Can anyone explain the best way. Put a syringe down his throat ??? How much cator oil ?? Thanks for any help.

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Hi I am preparing to put puff under to try force feeding. I have used clove oil a few time to cut teeth but never on my own puffer, this is going to kill me with the emotional attachment involved. Puffer Queen you mentioned MS222 which I am going to phone around to the vets to see if I can obtain. Ok questions

When using the MS222 how long can they be safely sedated? How long for the clove oil ?
I understand that a 5 french feeding tube is ok how much castor oil should I use, and should this be mixed in with food?

Another more invasive option may to try and pass a centimeter a soft red rubber catheter in the rectum to stimulate peristalisis

I can see where he is completely clogged up so a rubber catheter would go no where. Would it maybe help while I had him under to try and gently remove some of the waste (if possible) from his rectum.
Thank you so much for all your help will be waiting for your reply so that I can hopefully get this done with.

trekenk wrote:Hi I am preparing to put puff under to try force feeding. I have used clove oil a few time to cut teeth but never on my own puffer, this is going to kill me with the emotional attachment involved. Puffer Queen you mentioned MS222 which I am going to phone around to the vets to see if I can obtain. Ok questions

You can buy it online from Fosters & Smith as well as Seahorsesource.com. It is also called Finquel.

When using the MS222 how long can they be safely sedated? How long for the clove oil ?

I would not keep them out of water for longer than 60 -90 seconds as they can not breath when out of water.....hold your breath and when you need a breath, the puffer needs one as well. I have not used clove oil - only MS222 for about 10 years or more.

I understand that a 5 french feeding tube is ok how much castor oil should I use, and should this be mixed in with food?

You can use the feeding tube or the tubing on a butterfly venipuncture blood collection set.....whatever you use, make sure the puffer is sedated, otherwise the tube can be bit in half and swallowed - causing more problems.

Another more invasive option may to try and pass a centimeter a soft red rubber catheter in the rectum to stimulate peristalisis

I can see where he is completely clogged up so a rubber catheter would go no where. Would it maybe help while I had him under to try and gently remove some of the waste (if possible) from his rectum.

Sometimes just gently inserting the catheter a short distance ~ 1cm or so and rotate will stimulate peristalisis and possibly create an opening.
Thank you so much for all your help will be waiting for your reply so that I can hopefully get this done with.[/quote]

Thank you so much for your quick response Puffer Queen. Vets in my aera don't have any MS222 I did check out the site that you refered me too but being in Canada will take a week or longer to get. which I certainly don't want to wait. I guess we are going with the clove oil, which I understand for a one time use should be ok?? Went out and got the 5 french feeding tube. Just phone the drug store and they do carry catheters what size??? and is there anything household item that could subsitute for a catheter as the drug store is closing shortly but if that is the best method will have to wait till tomorrow to do the porcedure.
Sorry for all the question I'm just a little nervous doing this to my own pet One way or the other I''m going to give it a shot as doing nothing he will certainly die.

One last question do I mix the castor oil with food and how much castor oil should I use.