Brackish Puffer - Figure 8 Swollen Eye

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Experienced Reefer, but new to the brackish puffer world. I have a Figure 8 Puffer alone in a 14 gallon tank - plans to upgrade in the future, but so far he seems content and I have been able to maintain stable water parameters. He has been in that tank for around 9 months now and just recently developed an issue with his eye. I need some help with options for treating him...

What I have done already -
Discovered the issue a little over a week ago and completed a 50% water change upon discovery. Then, removed Chemi pure from filter and began treatment with Melafix (assumed he had popeye). After 7 days of treatment, there is no improvement. It doesn't appear to be getting worse, but it isn't getting better either.

About his tank:

14 gallon tank - regular maintenance includes weekly water changes 20%, plus freshwater top off.
Artificial silk plants + Spider Wood
aragonite substrate
11-13 ppt salinity with Tropic Marin Pro Salt
Ammonia - Always 0
Nitrites - Always 0
Nitrates - Always Below 20

He is fed frozen bloodworms and pond snails regularly. Also fed 1/2 clam once a week. He is still actively eating - normal behavior - always hungry! LOL!

His behavior is normal and his eye is functioning (I don't know how, but it is).

There are no other habitants in the tank with him.

I completed a 50% water change this morning and stopped the melafix treatments because they weren't doing anything anyway. I'm wondering if someone might have a suggestion on what I can try next? Do I need to run carbon for a couple of days to remove the melafix before using your recommendation?

I have on hand-
Melafix
Pimafix
Ruby Rally Pro
Coopersafe
Kanaplex

Obviously, I can get whatever is recommended, just wanted to list what I have on hand.

Picture and Video attached. I took the picture immediately following a water change, so there is some sand clouding up the water. I'm not sure what the issue could be, but because he is fed live food (pond snails) it could be anything. I was hoping the salinity was high enough to avoid any kind of parasite with the live feedings. Puffer Picture 1.jpg
 

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Jay Hemdal

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Experienced Reefer, but new to the brackish puffer world. I have a Figure 8 Puffer alone in a 14 gallon tank - plans to upgrade in the future, but so far he seems content and I have been able to maintain stable water parameters. He has been in that tank for around 9 months now and just recently developed an issue with his eye. I need some help with options for treating him...

What I have done already -
Discovered the issue a little over a week ago and completed a 50% water change upon discovery. Then, removed Chemi pure from filter and began treatment with Melafix (assumed he had popeye). After 7 days of treatment, there is no improvement. It doesn't appear to be getting worse, but it isn't getting better either.

About his tank:

14 gallon tank - regular maintenance includes weekly water changes 20%, plus freshwater top off.
Artificial silk plants + Spider Wood
aragonite substrate
11-13 ppt salinity with Tropic Marin Pro Salt
Ammonia - Always 0
Nitrites - Always 0
Nitrates - Always Below 20

He is fed frozen bloodworms and pond snails regularly. Also fed 1/2 clam once a week. He is still actively eating - normal behavior - always hungry! LOL!

His behavior is normal and his eye is functioning (I don't know how, but it is).

There are no other habitants in the tank with him.

I completed a 50% water change this morning and stopped the melafix treatments because they weren't doing anything anyway. I'm wondering if someone might have a suggestion on what I can try next? Do I need to run carbon for a couple of days to remove the melafix before using your recommendation?

I have on hand-
Melafix
Pimafix
Ruby Rally Pro
Coopersafe
Kanaplex

Obviously, I can get whatever is recommended, just wanted to list what I have on hand.

Picture and Video attached. I took the picture immediately following a water change, so there is some sand clouding up the water. I'm not sure what the issue could be, but because he is fed live food (pond snails) it could be anything. I was hoping the salinity was high enough to avoid any kind of parasite with the live feedings. Puffer Picture 1.jpg

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Melafix is really just an herbal tonic with little proven efficacy in the literature, I wouldn't use it.

This eye is extremely swollen, and swollen deeper down than I usually see. Many eye swelling issues are due to mechanical trauma, but in this case, I wonder because puffers don't swim very fast so it is tough to see how it could have hit something fast enough to cause that much trauma.

Of the medications you have listed, I would try Kanamycin. If you can get to a LFS, you could try Erythromycin (Maracyn 1) - that seems to work a bit better on eye diseases.

Jay


As a side note - are the silk plants ones designed for aquarium use? I've run into issues with general silk plants being treated with flame retardants and those should not be used in aquariums.
 
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Thank you Jay!

The silk plants I have in the tank are aquatic plants. I will try the maracyn.

On a side note, I agree puffers don’t move nearly as fast as most fish. However, He’s faster than you would think when he gets spooked. It doesn’t happen often, but I have seen him jump out of the water with quite a bit of height when startled. It’s possible he injured himself.

Should I run carbon for a day to remove the melafix? Or is it okay to start treatment with the maracyn right away? I did a 50 percent water change this morning and have not treated with anything since the water change.
 

Jay Hemdal

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Thank you Jay!

The silk plants I have in the tank are aquatic plants. I will try the maracyn.

On a side note, I agree puffers don’t move nearly as fast as most fish. However, He’s faster than you would think when he gets spooked. It doesn’t happen often, but I have seen him jump out of the water with quite a bit of height when startled. It’s possible he injured himself.

Should I run carbon for a day to remove the melafix? Or is it okay to start treatment with the maracyn right away? I did a 50 percent water change this morning and have not treated with anything since the water change.
I don't think you need to do anything more than the 50% change you've already done....but you could run some carbon just to be safe.

Jay
 

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