Puffer parasite ID?

SaltySteve · Aug 1, 2017

Here I am kicking myself for not investing the time to quarantine my Leopard puffer (Canthigaster leoparda). Lesson learned.

I've had him in the tank for about 2 months now, eats like a pig (mysis soaked in Selcon, PE pellets, and Hikari pellets).

He is still very active, constantly picking at rocks, swimming fine, no head shaking/ abnormal behaviors.

So.. I first noticed that there was a clear worm-like poo a few weeks ago, but more alarmingly I spotted a lump near his mouth that is oval shaped, and has been growing in size (right side if facing him head on). It is somewhat hard to make out with the photos, but you can see a lump protruding from his 'snout' on one side. I can't help but think that this might be one of those parasitic isopods.

I just started a treatment of PraziPro in the display tank today, slightly above suggested dose. All fish and inverts seem fine so far (3 hours after dosing).

Could the lump be a goiter? Anyone have experience with symptoms regarding this ailment, or with other parasites that could be causing this?

Thanks for any insights!

Humblefish · Aug 1, 2017

Could just be an abscess.

Has any of the stringy poop turned white?

SaltySteve · Aug 1, 2017

Thanks for the reply! I'm really hoping it's an abscess. Since the treatment, I spotted a long white stringy (parasite?) floating around the aquarium! It looks just like what I saw hanging out from the puffer's backside a week ago, so good so far with the prazipro.

SaltySteve · Aug 1, 2017

The puffer was originally just eating mysis for the first 2 weeks I had him- so the poo was white and stringy due to that as well. Now that he is eating mostly New Life Spectrum Marine pellets I'm curious to see what comes out when he's ready.

Humblefish · Aug 1, 2017

The white stringy poop is a symptom of intestinal worms: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/internal-parasites-intestinal-worms.267419/

melypr1985 · Aug 1, 2017

White stringy poop isn't something that is caused by eating primarily mysis. I feed all the fish at the shop mysis as a mainstay in their diet and none have white stringy poop unless they have intestinal worms. Metro + focus in the food will help with that.

SaltySteve · Aug 2, 2017

Thank you for the information!

SaltySteve · Aug 3, 2017

Anyone aware of identifying a parasitic isopod versus an abscess on fish? Are there any preferred treatments for these?

Humblefish · Aug 3, 2017

SaltySteve said:
Anyone aware of identifying a parasitic isopod versus an abscess on fish? Are there any preferred treatments for these?

An isopod would leave (red) bite marks - look at any yellow fish. And they can crawl pretty fast.

An abscess is a fluid filled area of skin. So it will protrude outward and look like a bubble or growth (see below).

SaltySteve · Aug 3, 2017

Ok thanks!

4FordFamily · Aug 4, 2017

If white stringy poop feed metroplex and focus. The advice was also strong regarding the abscess versus ugpod (Ugly pod) as I call them.

SaltySteve · Aug 6, 2017

Again, thanks for the info. At this point I haven't been able to witness any white or stringy poo from the puffer. I'm relieved to see it pass the intestinal worm with the Prazi treatment.

The lump on it's snout seems to keep growing, and is keeping an ovoid-shaped appearance (reminiscent of a body shape of an isopod). As I've heard in the past- an efficient parasite is one that doesn't kill its host (readily), and I cannot seem to find a safe treatment to deal with an "ugpod" if it is internal and in a place that I can't access to extract. So I will continue to observe and hope it's something that will resolve itself.

He hasn't shown any signs of degenerated health, in fact he seems to be more and more healthy since I've had him. So for now I will keep monitoring and treat accordingly- metro seems like a good option to cover all my basis but I can't justify it at this point (don't want to cause unnecessary stress).

SaltySteve · Aug 6, 2017

He definitely has shown ich symptoms (small white bumps that disappear and reappear on the body). The clownfish I have had (4 years old now) had dealt with ich before, but naturally seemed to build their own immunity/resistance to it- from continuous tank maintenance and proper feeding without any treatments. No other fish (sapphire damsel, yellow watchman, starry blenny) have ever shown symptoms of ich. So again, I guess I will keep observing till evident spreading/ deterioration of fish is observed.