Blue spot puffer dark area

[drmantistoboggan]

Hi everyone,

I’ve noticed over the last few days the back half of my blue spot puffer has been looking different... I assumed it was natural since they turn different colors when they sleep. But he’s starting to not show interest in food. Any idea what’s going on in this picture?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I presume this is just on the fish's left side? What I see is a darker area of disturbed skin tissue, partially surrounded by a paler area, and then normal skin forward of that.

How long have you had the fish? What other tank mates are there? Although it isn't likely to be water quality-related, what are your most recent measured parameters? Is the puffer breathing normally?

Jay

 

[drmantistoboggan]

I presume this is just on the fish's left side? What I see is a darker area of disturbed skin tissue, partially surrounded by a paler area, and then normal skin forward of that.

How long have you had the fish? What other tank mates are there? Although it isn't likely to be water quality-related, what are your most recent measured parameters? Is the puffer breathing normally?

Jay

I’ve had the puffer since May. It does extend onto his other side but is much smaller there.

Tank mates are a foxface, tiny (1.5in) Picasso trigger, marine betta, yellow eye kole tang, red fin fairy wrasse, maroon clownfish and a coral beauty angel.

Parameters are salinity 1.024, ammonia 0, nitrate 0.25 temp 78 ph 7.84

 

[drmantistoboggan]

Sorry, replied above. For some reason when I refreshed the page it auto submitted a half out answer

 

[drmantistoboggan]

The tang is a new addition and the tang foxface and puffer were in the same cave this past week. It’s possible the puffer got hit in some type of territory dispute

 

[drmantistoboggan]

Now he’s on the ground. Heavy labored breathing. Idk if he’s going to make it he spiraled down pretty fast.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Wow - that is a very quick decline. I would say it is a systemic bacterial disease, but at this rate of decline, I don't hold out much hope for a workable treatment. One thing to do if it dies - give it a FW dip post-mortem. I always do this on the off-chance that the fish have flukes, and by identifying that, I can be proactive in treating the other fish.

Jay

 

[drmantistoboggan]

Wow - that is a very quick decline. I would say it is a systemic bacterial disease, but at this rate of decline, I don't hold out much hope for a workable treatment. One thing to do if it dies - give it a FW dip post-mortem. I always do this on the off-chance that the fish have flukes, and by identifying that, I can be proactive in treating the other fish.

Jay

So good news, went out around 1 to grab some food. Came back around 4 and he is swimming around again. It looks to me more like a wound or a sting

 

[drmantistoboggan]

So good news, went out around 1 to grab some food. Came back around 4 and he is swimming around again. It looks to me more like a wound or a sting

Back to laying down again. Think I’m going to put him in an acclimation box where nothing can bother him a while

 

[drmantistoboggan]

This morning he’s on his back, upside down, puffed and very heavy breathing.

 

[drmantistoboggan]

Hard to tell but almost looks like his skin is peeling. (Ignore the food, Just fed the tank, some food got into his box)

 

[LibertyL5]

mine has that same weird brown spot. He is acting fine, but that spot is very odd. I hope this doesn’t happen to mine. What is a FW dip? Should I try that?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

mine has that same weird brown spot. He is acting fine, but that spot is very odd. I hope this doesn’t happen to mine. What is a FW dip? Should I try that?

A FW dip is a way to screen for some parasites and to give temporary relief. Basically, you put the fish in a container of freshwater the same temp as the tank with an air stone. I just use tap water as it often has a pH close to seawater.
If you post a picture of your puffer I might be able to offer other advice.
Jay

 

[LibertyL5]

A FW dip is a way to screen for some parasites and to give temporary relief. Basically, you put the fish in a container of freshwater the same temp as the tank with an air stone. I just use tap water as it often has a pH close to seawater.
If you post a picture of your puffer I might be able to offer other advice.
Jay

 

[LibertyL5]

Thank you for your help. I’m not familiar with how to work this forum, yet, so sorry if I’m doing something wrong. When we brought him home from the local and trusted fish store yesterday, he did seem to have a funny bump on that side but it wasn’t discolored and didn’t look like anything more than something under his skin or maybe a part of his muscle? I don’t know….this morning it is a big brown patch. He’s eating like a champ and he looks fine swimming around and hanging with his pal, the trigger.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thank you for your help. I’m not familiar with how to work this forum, yet, so sorry if I’m doing something wrong. When we brought him home from the local and trusted fish store yesterday, he did seem to have a funny bump on that side but it wasn’t discolored and didn’t look like anything more than something under his skin or maybe a part of his muscle? I don’t know….this morning it is a big brown patch. He’s eating like a champ and he looks fine swimming around and hanging with his pal, the trigger.

If you don’t have any anemones or stinging corals in the tank, I would think this is likely a bacterial infection. Often, these heal on their own, but given how fast this developed, I’m worried it will continue to spread. Antibiotics really shouldn’t be dosed in your main tank, so that would mean using a treatment tank. Dosing with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic would be the treatment.
Since the fish has no other symptoms, it may be less serious and you could just wait it out - but there is really no way to say which way it could go.
Jay

 

[LibertyL5]

Thank you, Jay. Makes me sad. I just got him a few days ago. Should I be worried it will spread to the other fish? They all seem fine.

 

[LibertyL5]

It’s a fish only tank other than two urchins.

 

[LibertyL5]

This saltwater thing is heart wrenching. I’ve lost thousands trying this….but it isn’t the money. It is my heart seeing things suffer.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

This saltwater thing is heart wrenching. I’ve lost thousands trying this….but it isn’t the money. It is my heart seeing things suffer.

You will have much less heartache and save much more money if you learn and master the art of medicated quarantine before introducing any new livestock to your display tank.