Sudden Puffer Loss

[FYRSQL]

I had a porcupine puffer in my 180, he was happy as can be. No signs of any disease or stress. Very active eater, friendly, and always excited to see us when we came to check on the tank.

Completely normal one day, found him dead and wedged in my rock work the next day.

Any ideas?

 

[4FordFamily]

I had a porcupine puffer in my 180, he was happy as can be. No signs of any disease or stress. Very active eater, friendly, and always excited to see us when we came to check on the tank.

Completely normal one day, found him dead and wedged in my rock work the next day.

Any ideas?

Sorry for your loss. To help, we will need some more information:

1) do your quarantine your fish and treat them?
2) when was the last time you added something "wet" to your tank?
3) how long have you had this fish?
4) any changed behavior for the week leading up to this, but especially the last two or so days?
5) tankmates?
6) species of puffer?
7) how long has your tank been up and running?

#reefsquad will be more helpful with this information. :)

 

[jsker]

I think you pretty much hit it @4FordFamily :)

 

[lion king]

Man what a bummer. I have a friend that does necropsies, and almost everytime I hear something like this; she finds some type of organ damage. There are many theories as to how and why, but it would be the same for people. It's not always something you did.

 

[melypr1985]

I'd like to know the answers to those questions as well. I'm sorry for your loss :(

 

[4FordFamily]

Bump for answers so we can help :)

 

[FYRSQL]

Sorry for your loss. To help, we will need some more information:

1) do your quarantine your fish and treat them?
2) when was the last time you added something "wet" to your tank?
3) how long have you had this fish?
4) any changed behavior for the week leading up to this, but especially the last two or so days?
5) tankmates?
6) species of puffer?
7) how long has your tank been up and running?

#reefsquad will be more helpful with this information. :)

1) He was quarantined and treated. Originally had a little ich but ate aggressively the whole time and recovered nicely. When introduced he was looking really good.
2) I added 3 fire fish about two weeks before he died.
3) I've had him for about 6 months
4) No change. If anything he seemed happier. Completely "playful" like puffers can be, eating well, no signs of disease
5) Sailfin, 2 Clowns, 3 Firefish, Royal Gramma, Begaii Cardinals, Watchman Goby, Flame Angel
6) Porcupine
7) Running 4+ years. Has been very stable. All water params are good.

 

[FYRSQL]

Adding a watch to the thread...

 

[eatbreakfast]

What was his diet? And how much did he eat at a feeding?

 

[4FordFamily]

Porcupine are rather fragile puffers in my experience, did you quarantine and treat all of these fish?

Also, I wouldn't keep a porcupine with most of those tankmates, especially the firefish as it's likely it will get a taste for them and can and will easily consume them.

 

[Empress]

I had a porcupine puffer in my 180, he was happy as can be. No signs of any disease or stress. Very active eater, friendly, and always excited to see us when we came to check on the tank.

Completely normal one day, found him dead and wedged in my rock work the next day.

Any ideas?

Did he die because he got stuck in the rock work? Puffers are clumsy. Sorry for your loss.

 

[FYRSQL]

His diet was a variety of frozen meaty foods fed 1-2x a day. He ate a lot, always very happy. As soon as I hit the "feed mode" button on the powerbeads he would go crazy.

All were quarantined and treated, no signs of anything before or even after he died.

As for his tank mates.... all were happy and co-existing.