Swim Bladder - Blue Spotted Puffer

[borraborra]

Good evening!! Was hoping to find some answer on my blue spotted puffer who is experiencing what looks to be a swim bladder issue. Back story, he was introduced to the tank a couple months back. He was eating well in the acclamation box for 3 weeks, but once I free'd him to the tank, he was to scared to fight for his food as the rest of my fish are huge pigs. I also noticed one of his eyes is a little cloudy...kind seems like he has a hard time seeing the food as well. I noticed he was getting really skinny - so I captured him and put him back in the acclimation box in the hopes to train him and get him fat. He's been in the box for 3 days and is eating like a pig - loves his mysis shrimp...but now he's swimming funny. Video shows below. Should I just let him work this out? Any and all help is much appreciated!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good evening!! Was hoping to find some answer on my blue spotted puffer who is experiencing what looks to be a swim bladder issue. Back story, he was introduced to the tank a couple months back. He was eating well in the acclamation box for 3 weeks, but once I free'd him to the tank, he was to scared to fight for his food as the rest of my fish are huge pigs. I also noticed one of his eyes is a little cloudy...kind seems like he has a hard time seeing the food as well. I noticed he was getting really skinny - so I captured him and put him back in the acclimation box in the hopes to train him and get him fat. He's been in the box for 3 days and is eating like a pig - loves his mysis shrimp...but now he's swimming funny. Video shows below. Should I just let him work this out? Any and all help is much appreciated!

May be limited space in the box especially if it began with return to the box
It would be more bloated if bladder issue and noticeable boundary issues
I will try and look on a larger screen in an hour as we have heavy snow I’m working on

 

[borraborra]

May be limited space in the box especially if it began with return to the box
It would be more bloated if bladder issue and noticeable boundary issues
I will try and look on a larger screen in an hour as we have heavy snow I’m working on

Think he’s stressed because the box is too small? Should I take him out and try to feed him externally? Appreciate the help and good luck with the snow!!

 

[borraborra]

Think he’s stressed because the box is too small? Should I take him out and try to feed him externally? Appreciate the help and good luck with the snow!!

Here’s a better video - thank you!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here’s a better video - thank you!

Thanks for this. Unfortunatelky, the fish is very thin and weak and has become moribund in which it may not swim or eat normal from this point. It will do the same within tank due to weakness. You said, its still eating ?
Like a cowfish, being an omnivore, it needs a varied meaty diet (more than just mysis) and any aggression did not help as this is a fish for a well seeded tank and reef experienced owner

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Here’s a better video - thank you!

The puffer is very thin and is what we term moribund, or actively dying.
Swim bladder issues usually bloat the fish and make them gloat, while this fish is sinking. Puffers can also swallow air when you catch them to move them, but again, that makes them float. I’m really sorry, but I don’t see a good solution for this.

Jay

 

[borraborra]

The puffer is very thin and is what we term moribund, or actively dying.
Swim bladder issues usually bloat the fish and make them gloat, while this fish is sinking. Puffers can also swallow air when you catch them to move them, but again, that makes them float. I’m really sorry, but I don’t see a good solution for this.

Jay

That’s really sad!! Is there anything I can do? Just keep feeding him in the hopes he gets better?

 

[borraborra]

That’s really sad!! Is there anything I can do? Just keep feeding him in the hopes he gets better?

He sometimes will eat Krill but he doesn’t go after clams at all.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

He sometimes will eat Krill but he doesn’t go after clams at all.

If it is still eating, keep trying to feed it small pieces of krill multiple times a day, but I’m not thinking it will have a good outcome.

Jay

 

[borraborra]

If it is still eating, keep trying to feed it small pieces of krill multiple times a day, but I’m not thinking it will have a good outcome.

Jay

Thank you - I appreciate the help. Moving forward, I’ll try feeding krill. I’ll keep you updated.

 

[borraborra]

If it is still eating, keep trying to feed it small pieces of krill multiple times a day, but I’m not thinking it will have a good outcome.

Jay

Hi Jay, Unfortunately, the puffer died today. I was hoping you could review the timeline below and let me know what I did wrong, as I would love to get another in the future.

I adopted the puffer from an individual in NY about 2 months ago as they were having problems with him eating their zoas. From what I gathered, he had the puffer in a QT for 6 months on his own and would feed him flake food every day.

When I received the puffer, I put him in an acclimation box in my 90 gallon tank that has been up and running for 2.5 years. I tried feeding him a mix of pellets, mysis shrimp, krill, and clams...BUT...he only seems to like the mysis shrimp. After 3 weeks I released him into the tank. No one went after him, and I would see him eat mysis shrimp from time to time, but he was definitely shy during feeding time and getting skinnier. That's when I decided to put him back in the box and try feeding him directly. He looked good for a couple of days and was eating mysis, but he then started the odd behavior on the 3rd day from the videos above. Any and all help would be much appreciated.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi Jay, Unfortunately, the puffer died today. I was hoping you could review the timeline below and let me know what I did wrong, as I would love to get another in the future.

I adopted the puffer from an individual in NY about 2 months ago as they were having problems with him eating their zoas. From what I gathered, he had the puffer in a QT for 6 months on his own and would feed him flake food every day.

When I received the puffer, I put him in an acclimation box in my 90 gallon tank that has been up and running for 2.5 years. I tried feeding him a mix of pellets, mysis shrimp, krill, and clams...BUT...he only seems to like the mysis shrimp. After 3 weeks I released him into the tank. No one went after him, and I would see him eat mysis shrimp from time to time, but he was definitely shy during feeding time and getting skinnier. That's when I decided to put him back in the box and try feeding him directly. He looked good for a couple of days and was eating mysis, but he then started the odd behavior on the 3rd day from the videos above. Any and all help would be much appreciated.

Sorry. It’s really tough to know what’s going on inside a fish. It could be internal parasites, but in most of those cases, feeding more food will balance things out.
Fish can also get random viral or coccidean infections that can cause this, these can’t be treated or even diagnosed.
Finally, once a fish has gotten really thin, they use their liver for food energy. Then, even if they start eating again, the liver damage is fatal.
Jay

 

[borraborra]

Sorry. It’s really tough to know what’s going on inside a fish. It could be internal parasites, but in most of those cases, feeding more food will balance things out.
Fish can also get random viral or coccidean infections that can cause this, these can’t be treated or even diagnosed.
Finally, once a fish has gotten really thin, they use their liver for food energy. Then, even if they start eating again, the liver damage is fatal.
Jay

I appreciate it Jay! I’m going to hold off on getting another one for now.

Ryan