Porcupine Puffer fin rot?

[pufferenthusiast]

Please help! Possible porc puffer fin rot?
Inhabitants:
1- Hawaiian Yellow Tang
1- Clarkii clown pair
1 - Domino clown
1 - Coral beauty
1 - Royal gramma basslet
1 - 3” porc puffer
1 - 5” porc puffer (possible fin rot)

Puffers show no aggression or intimidation behaviors towards each other, yellow tang is extremely docile and likes to follow larger puffer around (possible fin rot). I occasionally dose with copper (20mL) just to prevent ick, will do a water test and post results

 

[Arose231]

Cannot see the picture but You do not dose copper in a main tank let alone with puffers it’s not good for them they are scaleless fish. Would recommend api melafix or api erithomicyin.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Can you post photos? I can’t see the video!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Please post you tube video under white lighting and of st least 20 secs
Your video not playing on my device

 

[pufferenthusiast]

Please help! Possible porc puffer fin rot?
Inhabitants:
1- Hawaiian Yellow Tang
1- Clarkii clown pair
1 - Domino clown
1 - Coral beauty
1 - Royal gramma basslet
1 - 3” porc puffer
1 - 5” porc puffer (possible fin rot)

Puffers show no aggression or intimidation behaviors towards each other, yellow tang is extremely docile and likes to follow larger puffer around (possible fin rot). I occasionally dose with copper (20mL) just to prevent ick, will do a water test and post results

 

[pufferenthusiast]

Cannot see the picture but You do not dose copper in a main tank let alone with puffers it’s not good for them they are scaleless fish. Would recommend api melafix or api erithomicyin.

In low amounts which is what I dose doesn’t affect much, I dose once a month only 20mL in a 200+ gallon tank. My LFS which I bought both puffers from also keeps low amounts of copper in their tanks for prevention. These puffers are easily prone to ick so I use this as assistance since I had an ick outbreak before.

 

[AydenLincoln]

It’s still really hard to see. And the puffers won’t be compatible together longterm and are you sure no one is nipping at it? They are solitary creatures.

 

[Arose231]

In low amounts which is what I dose doesn’t affect much, I dose once a month only 20mL in a 200+ gallon tank. My LFS which I bought both puffers from also keeps low amounts of copper in their tanks for prevention. These puffers are easily prone to ick so I use this as assistance since I had an ick outbreak before.

But the problem is if you have live rock in your tank or even sand it will stay in the sand and rocks and keep building up even if you do water changes

 

[pufferenthusiast]

I’m absolutely sure. We are out in our living room more than 12 hours a day considering I’m taking care of my father since he just had surgery. He watches the tank non-stop. No nipping or picking
on. I’ve seen and heard of people not having a problem with cohabitating two porcs, as long as they’re both female. By the way these two act around each other I am assuming it it’s two females as they seem to want nothing to do with each other and don’t fight during feeding. One likes the left side of the tank and the other likes the right. I will get a better video.

 

[pufferenthusiast]

It’s still really hard to see. And the puffers won’t be compatible together longterm and are you sure no one is nipping at it? They are solitary creatures.

 

[pufferenthusiast]

But the problem is if you have live rock in your tank or even sand it will stay in the sand and rocks and keep building up even if you do water changes

I use cuprisorb and carbon to help with this, copper is not permanent (So I’ve been told) either way but it can be hard to get out like you said. I will test with my copper kit and check.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Maybe a little bit. In that case it would be bacterial also I notice some cloudy fins seems to be a common puffer issue mine gets it and it comes and goes. Make sure you are maintaining good water quality as they seem to be sensitive to it. A ruby rally bath or Maracyn Two would be good or Fin & Body cure depend on what you can get at a lfs. And how long have you had them? He looks really tiny/skinny they do come in like that a lot with internal parasites.

 

[pufferenthusiast]

I’ve had the larger one since July 20th or so of 2024, the smaller one since March 28 2025. I’ll try and find some fin & body meds at my LFS. He is usually a really good eater but with this fin issue he seemed to have slowed down some.

Maybe a little bit. In that case it would be bacterial also I notice some cloudy fins seems to be a common puffer issue mine gets it and it comes and goes. Make sure you are maintaining good water quality as they seem to be sensitive to it. A ruby rally bath or Maracyn Two would be good or Fin & Body cure depend on what you can get at a lfs. And how long have you had them? He looks really tiny/skinny they do come in like that a lot with internal parasites.

 

[pufferenthusiast]

Maybe a little bit. In that case it would be bacterial also I notice some cloudy fins seems to be a common puffer issue mine gets it and it comes and goes. Make sure you are maintaining good water quality as they seem to be sensitive to it. A ruby rally bath or Maracyn Two would be good or Fin & Body cure depend on what you can get at a lfs. And how long have you had them? He looks really tiny/skinny they do come in like that a lot with internal parasites.

Here is a video of feeding. He usually is a lot more active than this, just like the little one. I’m going to try what you suggested and stop at my LFS tomorrow.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Definitely follow the directions on whatever you decide to do. And add an air stone I assume you don’t have any inverts? If you do it’s best to quarantine and treat separately.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Please help! Possible porc puffer fin rot?
Inhabitants:
1- Hawaiian Yellow Tang
1- Clarkii clown pair
1 - Domino clown
1 - Coral beauty
1 - Royal gramma basslet
1 - 3” porc puffer
1 - 5” porc puffer (possible fin rot)

Puffers show no aggression or intimidation behaviors towards each other, yellow tang is extremely docile and likes to follow larger puffer around (possible fin rot). I occasionally dose with copper (20mL) just to prevent ick, will do a water test and post results

Lots of people have jumped in here, so I'll just add my thoughts, for what they are worth:

Never, ever use low doses of copper, especially long term. Doses less than around 75% of the treatment dose won't even be effective against protozoans, and as others said, there can be long term absorption of the copper into the rock. This goes unnoticed until there is a pH drop in the tank and then the copper comes back into solution. There is also unknown long term affects of chronic copper exposure, plus possible disease resistance.

The larger puffer is VERY thin. There is some food malabsorption or vitamin issue going here that is in turn, showing as poor condition (of the fins). This could be from it not being fed enough, being fed foods deficient in some nutrient, severe internal parasites or even Mycobacterium (fish TB).

I saw some aggression in the small puffer against the larger one when you were feeding - that needs to be monitored closely.

 

[pufferenthusiast]

Lots of people have jumped in here, so I'll just add my thoughts, for what they are worth:

Never, ever use low doses of copper, especially long term. Doses less than around 75% of the treatment dose won't even be effective against protozoans, and as others said, there can be long term absorption of the copper into the rock. This goes unnoticed until there is a pH drop in the tank and then the copper comes back into solution. There is also unknown long term affects of chronic copper exposure, plus possible disease resistance.

The larger puffer is VERY thin. There is some food malabsorption or vitamin issue going here that is in turn, showing as poor condition (of the fins). This could be from it not being fed enough, being fed foods deficient in some nutrient, severe internal parasites or even Mycobacterium (fish TB).

I saw some aggression in the small puffer against the larger one when you were feeding - that needs to be monitored closely.

I will watch by feeding, typically I have assistance while we feed, one person feeding on both ends of the tank to prevent fighting or aggression. I have noticed that since this “fin rot” has affected my larger puffer he has slowed down during feeding.

 

[Arose231]

I will watch by feeding, typically I have assistance while we feed, one person feeding on both ends of the tank to prevent fighting or aggression. I have noticed that since this “fin rot” has affected my larger puffer he has slowed down during feeding.

As said before do not dose anymore copper in main display you will not be able to have any inverts or plants as well it is not good for any of your fish long term. If you have to do it in a separate hospital/quarintine tank