Sick dwarf puffer - help please

[bluetik]

Hi all,
My DP seemed fine last night when I fed him. Now he is bottom sitting and looks very "sucked in" in the back.

I have had him since around Thanksgiving. He is in a 10 gallon with 3 otos, purchased at the same time.

My water parameters are
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

I did a 50% h2O change on Sunday night. I just added a little Prime, and I'm going to do another 50% h2O change on my lunch break.

Any quick advice for me? It seems this puffer is near death. Could it be a gut impaction issue?

Thanks!
Charlene

 

[bluetik]

ok -- 80% water change and PraziPro -- I'll let you know how it goes. He is still alive, obviously. The little research I've been able to do points to a sunken belly as a sign of intestinal parasites. Is it possible he's been harboring them all along and they are only now causing problems?

 

[mel_20_20]

It's possible. I would advise that you also get something to help his intestines move.
A very popular and effective method is to get some frozen english peas. Nuke some in a bit of tankwater in the microwave.

Squeeze the pea out of the skin, the pea should be slightly mushie, not firm. I like to use a clean styrofoam plate.

If you have some fresh garlic you could press some juice out of onto the plate with the pea this would be good. Garlic is an appetite stimulant for fish, they seem to love it.

I keep a jar of minced garlic in my fridge so you can use some of that, too. It doesn't hurt if tiny fragments of garlic are mixed with it because garlic itself has antiparasitic action.

This is a very effective laxative that is gentle and is used by many fishkeepers, myself included.

Has the puffer been eating? He's not looking underweight or thin is he? What has been your feeding schedule for him and what types of foods?

 

[Tay690]

Could also be fish TB

I think a picture would help hit the nail on the head

The symptoms (as you mentioned) can be caused by internal parasites...but could also be fish TB in early stages

The only physical difference between the two that I know of

1. Fish TB in later stages will cause the spine of the fish to warp
2. Internal Parasites usually give the fish White poop with a stringy consistency

If it is fish TB (one of my clowns just had it) it is transferable to humans

The extent of the symptoms in humans ... differ depending on what you read

In some cases it can cause mild skin irritation and itchiness

Not sure how severe it can be to humans in all honesty so I won't comment further on that

Just make sure you wash your hands and arm also ... very thoroughly and try not to mix tools with different tanks to avoid contamination of your other tanks

IE: if you use 1 siphon for all your water changes...make sure you clean it VERY WELL with near boiling hot water...give it a good scrub with your hand also

Again...this is only in the event it IS fish TB

 

[bluetik]

Thanks for the advice. I will try the pea -- I wasn't aware that puffers will eat peas, but if he doesn't, my otos surely will, so no harm done. He hasn't looked underfed or thin to me. He consumes frozen bloodworms (2 or 3) once a day. I offered him some this morning, when I noticed he wasn't well, and he refused them. He ate as he normally does last night.

Fish TB -- I had a couple of cherry barbs in my other tank die with a curved spine. But I use a python in that tank and regular siphon in the puffer tank, so there shouldn't have been any cross-contamination.

I've attached a few pics -- these are the best I could get under the circumstances. He is moving around a bit now. Thanks again for your advice!

 

[bluetik]

One of the pics didn't come through.

 

[surf4life87]

definitely looks like internal parasites to me. Most dwarf puffers need to be treated for them.

 

[jbradt]

Yep, definitely IP. Good luck with the treatment. Remember that if you soak his food in some medicated water before you give it to him it'll help him internalize it more reliably. I hate to see puffs in that condition... keep us updated.

 

[bluetik]

he is up

He started swimming around 5 pm -- found a spot near the filter and has just been hovering there ever since. I offered food again, and he refused.

Jbradt -- by "soaking in medicated water", do you just mean the tank water with the prazipro?

He was in this condition when I first got him in November -- the LFS guy said he had been feeding flake exclusively in that tank and the puffer had been there three weeks. I thought he was just thin b/c he was starving.

I couldn't get him to take the frozen bloodworms, and had him on live blackworms at first. He fattened up pretty well and looked robust for a few months, and now this.

I feel badly that he has had the parasites all along and I never knew that he needed help....

Thanks again for your advice everyone!

 

[jbradt]

He started swimming around 5 pm -- found a spot near the filter and has just been hovering there ever since. I offered food again, and he refused.

Jbradt -- by "soaking in medicated water", do you just mean the tank water with the prazipro?

He was in this condition when I first got him in November -- the LFS guy said he had been feeding flake exclusively in that tank and the puffer had been there three weeks. I thought he was just thin b/c he was starving.

I couldn't get him to take the frozen bloodworms, and had him on live blackworms at first. He fattened up pretty well and looked robust for a few months, and now this.

I feel badly that he has had the parasites all along and I never knew that he needed help....

Thanks again for your advice everyone!

You can use tank water, or any treated water really. I would put a little extra medication in it and let it soak overnight in the fridge. Then feed it slowly the next day. It sounds like you're doing everything you can for him. You should be commended for that.

I had a DP that looked healthy as could be when I got her. I think it took about 6 months for her to show signs. After about a week and a half in quarantine she got better. She's still with me 8 months later. I say this just to say don't give up. It's pretty tough to treat when they won't eat. I feel like you should be prepared in case he doesn't make it, but there's always hope.