Toby dying?

[reef.geek]

Hi everyone,

I’m really worried about my blue spotted toby puffer and hoping for urgent advice.
I’ve had him for about 2 weeks. Up until yesterday he was active, swimming normally, and eating well. Today I found him laying on the sand, breathing but barely moving. When he tries to swim, he seems unbalanced and quickly goes back down like he has no strength.

All my other fish are doing completely fine normal behavior and eating.

Current tank parameters (stable now):
- Ammonia: 0
- Nitrate: under control
- Phosphate: 0.1
- pH: 8.0
- Calcium & Magnesium: corrected and stable
- Temperature: stable

Additional notes:
- No recent tank move during the time I’ve had the puffer
- 20% water change done yesterday
- Diet includes shrimp and mussels
- Since I got him, he has occasionally been bumping into rocks

Current symptoms:
- Laying on sand
- Very lethargic
- Breathing, but not gasping at the surface
- Appears unbalanced when swimming

No visible aggression from other fish.

Has anyone experienced this with a toby puffer? Could this be something internal, neurological, toxin-related, or a swim bladder issue?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

#fishmedics

 

[Privateye]

Definitely wait for input from others, but unfortunately this doesn't look good to me. IME when a fish loses its sense of balance they rarely recover.

It indicates a neurological issue, but the cause is unknown at this point. It could be due to toxic collection methods, an internal infection, or head trauma. I doubt it was head trauma with the puffer unless he really nailed it on something. I had that happen with a flasher wrasse that jumped into the lid once.

Most of the time with freshwater fish it's due to an internal infection that reaches the nervous system, but you can kind of rule out toxic collection methods with freshwater. There could be other sources of neurotoxic chemicals (e.g. environmental pollution) but they're really tough to elucidate.

 

[W31Olds]

Your Puffer looks like he may have Flukes. I see a Cloudy Eye and the Top Fin also has a problem.
@Jay Hemdal
@vetteguy53081

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi everyone,

I’m really worried about my blue spotted toby puffer and hoping for urgent advice.
I’ve had him for about 2 weeks. Up until yesterday he was active, swimming normally, and eating well. Today I found him laying on the sand, breathing but barely moving. When he tries to swim, he seems unbalanced and quickly goes back down like he has no strength.

All my other fish are doing completely fine normal behavior and eating.

Current tank parameters (stable now):
- Ammonia: 0
- Nitrate: under control
- Phosphate: 0.1
- pH: 8.0
- Calcium & Magnesium: corrected and stable
- Temperature: stable

Additional notes:
- No recent tank move during the time I’ve had the puffer
- 20% water change done yesterday
- Diet includes shrimp and mussels
- Since I got him, he has occasionally been bumping into rocks

Current symptoms:
- Laying on sand
- Very lethargic
- Breathing, but not gasping at the surface
- Appears unbalanced when swimming

No visible aggression from other fish.

Has anyone experienced this with a toby puffer? Could this be something internal, neurological, toxin-related, or a swim bladder issue?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

This is not a neurological issue and fish seems moribund . Like cowfish, these fish can identify in captivity and adding an airstone may help
Can’t see fish clearly as lightning is dark and best using bright white intensity

 

[reef.geek]

This is not a neurological issue and fish seems moribund . Like cowfish, these fish can identify in captivity and adding an airstone may help
Can’t see fish clearly as lightning is dark and best using bright white intensity

Should i place it in a breeder box?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Should i place it in a breeder box?

While you can…. Fish is distressed and may or may not recover

 

[reef.geek]

Your Puffer looks like he may have Flukes. I see a Cloudy Eye and the Top Fin also has a problem.
@Jay Hemdal
@vetteguy53081

Should i assume it may have flukes and buy medication?

While you can…. Fish is distressed and may or may not recover

it may not recover, but to be hopeful i placed it in a breeder box and try to treat it for parasites.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Should i assume it may have flukes and buy medication?

it may not recover, but to be hopeful i placed it in a breeder box and try to treat it for parasites.

I dont believe flukes. Need clearer video under white lights to see if anything sticks out as to cause

 

[reef.geek]

I dont believe flukes. Need clearer video under white lights to see if anything sticks out as to cause

 

[vetteguy53081]

CLAMPED FINS SUGGEST FLUKES BUT FISH HAS ROUGH LOOK TO SKIN WHICH TOO CAN BE FROM SCRATCHING FROM FLUKES. SUGGESTED TREATMENT (OOPs on Cap lock) is PraziPro applied at 85% for one time treatment lasting 8 days, do a water change and apply one more treatment lasting 8 days. Add air stone as Prazi reduces oxygen slightly

 

[reef.geek]

CLAMPED FINS SUGGEST FLUKES BUT FISH HAS ROUGH LOOK TO SKIN WHICH TOO CAN BE FROM SCRATCHING FROM FLUKES. SUGGESTED TREATMENT (OOPs on Cap lock) is PraziPro applied at 85% for one time treatment lasting 8 days, do a water change and apply one more treatment lasting 8 days. Add air stone as Prazi reduces oxygen slightly

Thank you, i already started medicating the tank
All the signs are definitely there i bought him anout 2 weeks ago and noticed day 1 odd behavior because it was rubbing itself against the rocks but i thought this was due to stress.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you, i already started medicating the tank
All the signs are definitely there i bought him anout 2 weeks ago and noticed day 1 odd behavior because it was rubbing itself against the rocks but i thought this was due to stress.

Other signs will be itching, scratching, sudden darting, loss of color, loss of appetite and elevated breathing rate

 

[reef.geek]

all of the above seems to be happening indeed