Valentini puffer heaving breathing and not swimming.

Jordi Posner

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Woke up this morning to find my Valentini puffer that I’ve had for around 2 months rather motionless sitting around but breathing heavily. Usually he’s awake and swimming around the tank at this point but just keeps landing on the rock. I tried to feed him which he’d usually go mad for but he just stayed put. Hasn’t moved for a few hours now but is still breathing heavily and moving his fins. Water parameters are all good, no odd behaviour in any fish, coral or inverts, seems fat and fully coloured with no signs of infection. I’ve done a water change and I’m continuing to monitor his behaviour. My only clue is that he puffed up very randomly and brifley yesterday but he seemed fine after. Any ideas?
 

KingTideCorals

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Woke up this morning to find my Valentini puffer that I’ve had for around 2 months rather motionless sitting around but breathing heavily. Usually he’s awake and swimming around the tank at this point but just keeps landing on the rock. I tried to feed him which he’d usually go mad for but he just stayed put. Hasn’t moved for a few hours now but is still breathing heavily and moving his fins. Water parameters are all good, no odd behaviour in any fish, coral or inverts, seems fat and fully coloured with no signs of infection. I’ve done a water change and I’m continuing to monitor his behaviour. My only clue is that he puffed up very randomly and brifley yesterday but he seemed fine after. Any ideas?
If you can post a video it will be easier to possibly see what is going on!

I am going to call in the expert in this category too! Best of luck with the puffer!

@Jay Hemdal
 
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Jordi Posner

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Jay Hemdal

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Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Yes, a video would help. Here is the issue though, a fish that has stopped feeding, is not swimming and is breathing fast is sometimes too far gone to treat effectively. I don’t think that inflating is a direct cause of this issue, but sometimes, a puffer sick with another issue will inflate due to stress. Just to confirm all of the other fish are fine?
Jay
 
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Jordi Posner

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Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Yes, a video would help. Here is the issue though, a fish that has stopped feeding, is not swimming and is breathing fast is sometimes too far gone to treat effectively. I don’t think that inflating is a direct cause of this issue, but sometimes, a puffer sick with another issue will inflate due to stress. Just to confirm all of the other fish are fine?
Jay
Trying to get a video attached at the moment. Yeah all the other fish are completely fine. It’s just so strange how he’s switched like that overnight.
 
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Jordi Posner

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Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Yes, a video would help. Here is the issue though, a fish that has stopped feeding, is not swimming and is breathing fast is sometimes too far gone to treat effectively. I don’t think that inflating is a direct cause of this issue, but sometimes, a puffer sick with another issue will inflate due to stress. Just to confirm all of the other fish are fine?
Jay
Tried to upload a video but it’s not working. He’s still sitting on the rock, upright but breathing heavily. He has moved a few times today, only short distances to find another rock to lay on but when he does he’s still able to swim against the current and doesn’t seem to be blown around the tank like I would expect an unwell fish to.
 
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Jordi Posner

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Trying to upload some Video but it a still not letting me. He’s started to swim up around the top of the tank but he looks like he keeps twitching almost like he’s got something stuck in his mouth? I tried to take some photos but I don’t know if this is any help.
C9280240-915A-4472-9A03-AB364805FFF0.jpeg
 
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Jay Hemdal

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Trying to get a video attached at the moment. Yeah all the other fish are completely fine. It’s just so strange how he’s switched like that overnight.
Looks like your video posted right after I sent my message. Unfortunately, it didn't really give me any additional clues. The fish's color is good, good body condition, just lethargic and breathing fast. It is probably too late now in the UK, but if it is still alive in the morning,. you might consider giving it a five minute freshwater dip. There is of course some risk in doing that, but it also may provide temporary relief if this is a parasite issue.

Jay
 

Jay Hemdal

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Trying to upload some Video but it a still not letting me. He’s started to swim up around the top of the tank but he looks like he keeps twitching almost like he’s got something stuck in his mouth? I tried to take some photos but I don’t know if this is any help.
C9280240-915A-4472-9A03-AB364805FFF0.jpeg
Puffers have been known to get small rocks stuck in their mouths. I didn't see evidence of that in your video, but maybe? The treatment for that is only if you can reach whatever it is with a pair of tweezers and manually remove it.

Jay
 
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Jordi Posner

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Tried to upload a video but it’s not working. He’s still sitting on the rock, upright but breathing heavily. He has moved a few times today, only short distances to find another rock to lay on but when he does he’s still able to swim against the current and doesn’t seem to be blown around the tank like I would expect an unwell fish to.
Tried to upload a video but it’s not working. He’s still sitting on the rock, upright but breathing heavily. He has moved a few times today, only short distances to find another rock to lay on but when he does he’s still able to swim against the current and doesn’t seem to be blown around the tank like I would expect an unwell fish
Welcome to Reef2Reef!

Yes, a video would help. Here is the issue though, a fish that has stopped feeding, is not swimming and is breathing fast is sometimes too far gone to treat effectively. I don’t think that inflating is a direct cause of this issue, but sometimes, a puffer sick with another issue will inflate due to stress. Just to confirm all of the other fish are fine?
Jay
Trying to upload some Video but it a still not letting me. He’s started to swim up around the top of the tank but he looks like he keeps twitching almost like he’s got something stuck in his mouth? I tried to take some photos but I don’t know if this is any help.
Puffers have been known to get small rocks stuck in their mouths. I didn't see evidence of that in your video, but maybe? The treatment for that is only if you can reach whatever it is with a pair of tweezers and manually remove it.

Ja
Puffers have been known to get small rocks stuck in their mouths. I didn't see evidence of that in your video, but maybe? The treatment for that is only if you can reach whatever it is with a pair of tweezers and manually remove it.

Jay
Hiya, unfortunately he passed away last night. Had a look once I got him out but couldn’t find anything blocking his mouth but I guess it could have easily gone inside. I assume this is more likely what caused it because before he died it almost looked like he was choking.
 

Andreas' Reef

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Hiya, unfortunately he passed away last night. Had a look once I got him out but couldn’t find anything blocking his mouth but I guess it could have easily gone inside. I assume this is more likely what caused it because before he died it almost looked like he was choking.
That's too bad, he was cute, and seemed like a good pet.
 

ChristineRider86

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I have a Valentini puffer for 2 mths added fire fish to his tank. And now he never swims around he sits wherever the fire fish is like he guarding it on the bottom of the tank. N changed where he always nest at night on the high part of my rock decor to nesting at the bottom tank right next to fire fish is this normal he hasn’t really been going after his fav foods either like normal. I did move my tank to a higher location due to my baby girl. Just worried however I did find what look like a small fish size my finger nail floating at top tank took pict of it have no clue where it came from
 

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Jay Hemdal

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I have a Valentini puffer for 2 mths added fire fish to his tank. And now he never swims around he sits wherever the fire fish is like he guarding it on the bottom of the tank. N changed where he always nest at night on the high part of my rock decor to nesting at the bottom tank right next to fire fish is this normal he hasn’t really been going after his fav foods either like normal. I did move my tank to a higher location due to my baby girl. Just worried however I did find what look like a small fish size my finger nail floating at top tank took pict of it have no clue where it came from
Hi! Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That little fish looks like it is dead, or at least close to it....

For your pufferfish, take a look at this link and try and answer as many questions as you can about it and your tank, then post it as a message here.


Thanks,

Jay
 

ChristineRider86

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Hi! Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That little fish looks like it is dead, or at least close to it....

For your pufferfish, take a look at this link and try and answer as many questions as you can about it and your tank, then post it as a message here.


Thanks,

Jay
Nitrate levels all are good cl level good carbohydrate between 40-80 range ph level is good salinity.023 started my saltwater tank end March first of April. First saltwater tank lady at pet store helped me start it using domino damsel s which I removed after tank was cycled I don’t have reef tank not sure how to care for all that yet.
 

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ChristineRider86

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Thinking the fire fish because had the puffer for couple months now n when I got a new addition to my tank is when I started not seeing no fish swim no more then had the floaty thing In my tank but since that my fire fish has now started coming out I’ve had it now 1 1/2 weeks but still neither are swimming around they are just moving around the tank at the bottom which isn’t normal for my puffer
 

ChristineRider86

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This was my puffer before adding the firefish
 

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Jay Hemdal

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The little dead fish wasn’t born in the tank, both the puffer and fire fish lay tiny eggs. I can’t tell you how it got there.
Have you tested the ammonia in the tank?
The water looks a bit cloudy in the tank, is that just from the photograph or does it look that way in person?
Is the fire fish eating ok?

I don’t see any signs of external disease on the puffer...

Jay
 

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