Sick Golden Pufferfish

dyno · Dec 13, 2023

#fishmedic #fishmedics @Jay Hemdal

I have a 12" Golden Pufferfish that has been doing great in my tank for 10 months, recently he has stopped eating but still has good energy. He is constantly swimming into the powerhead stream. I am thinking it could be a parasite but am not sure. There are no visual signs of any parasite on the pufferfish body or fins. Can I add Copper Power? What levels and rev-up time would you suggest?

Aquarium Parameters:
Fish Only Tank
150 gallon
Live Rock
2 year old aquarium

Temperature - 78F
pH: 8.1
Salinity / specific gravity - 1.015
Ammonia -0
Nitrite -0
Nitrate - 80-100
Copper - None

Thanks!

Sploot · Dec 13, 2023

Have you added anything new to the system? Not only fish, but parasites can come in through other means as well

dyno · Dec 13, 2023

Yes, this is my cousins tank and I am posting for him but yeah he added 5 little blue hippo tangs with some disease and none made it.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 13, 2023

dyno said:
Yes, this is my cousins tank and I am posting for him but yeah he added 5 little blue hippo tangs with some disease and none made it.

Can you post a video of the puffer?
Does it teeth look overgrown?

Copper Power would be a shotgun approach to possible protozoans that the tangs might have brought in, but they could have brought in flukes, and that takes a different medication.

Jay

dyno · Dec 13, 2023

Jay Hemdal said:
Can you post a video of the puffer?
Does it teeth look overgrown?

Copper Power would be a shotgun approach to possible protozoans that the tangs might have brought in, but they could have brought in flukes, and that takes a different medication.

Jay

Teeth are absolutely fine. My cousin will post video soon

npats · Dec 13, 2023

Here is a current video of the puffer. He just has been Infront of the wave maker. Still not interested in any food. Still need to try live crabs

npats · Dec 13, 2023

One more video

npats · Dec 13, 2023

And a photo

Gill the 3rd · Dec 13, 2023

Im not saying this is what you have without more data, but when my fish had velvet many of them were swimming directly in the powerheads. The fact that the tank had 5 blue hippo tangs that all died from disease is concerning. They are one of those fish who seem to have more prevalent ich and velvet problems.

dyno · Dec 13, 2023

Gill the 3rd said:
Im not saying this is what you have without more data, but when my fish had velvet many of them were swimming directly in the powerheads. The fact that the tank had 5 blue hippo tangs that all died from disease is concerning. They are one of those fish who seem to have more prevalent ich and velvet problems.

Yes, I am sure that fish are trying to ease the irritation. How did you end up beating your velvet outbreak?

Gill the 3rd · Dec 13, 2023

dyno said:
Yes, I am sure that fish are trying to ease the irritation. How did you end up beating your velvet outbreak?

I put my fish in a separate qt tank with copper power at 2.5 ppm for 30 days. I used a hanna checker to make sure I was at 2.5 ppm. I actually had a 6" porcupine puffer in that copper qt, but it was not handling the copper well. I ended up having to use a hybrid tank transfer method which worked well. That's going to be issue for you since you have a 12" puffer, the tank transfer method is not going to be very easy.

If this were me, since the tank is a fish only (assuming no inverts as well), I would treat with copper power at min 2.0 ppm and monitor the puffer to see how it is reacting to the treatment. The live rock and sand will absorb some of the copper so you will need to test often to ensure you are at a minimum 2.0 ppm.

npats · Dec 13, 2023

One big issue I have with keeping copper to high is I have a zebra eel in the tank. So I have to keep copper levels at a lower level than 2.5 I believe. No other fish are showing signs of issues. What would be a good copper level to start off with

Gill the 3rd · Dec 13, 2023

You might want to look into using hypo salinity then. Copper or the hybrid tank transfer method is going to be challenging with these size fish. Puffers and eels don’t like copper.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 13, 2023

Thanks, those videos help.

The puffer isn't breathing quite as fast as fish with Amyloodinium/velvet will. Either the velvet infection is just starting, or the issue is something else....the skin and fins look a bit congested. I think this is flukes......

Jay

npats · Dec 14, 2023

What's the chances of a piece of rock getting stuck in him. Possibly when he's trimming his teeth down

Jay Hemdal · Dec 14, 2023

npats said:
What's the chances of a piece of rock getting stuck in him. Possibly when he's trimming his teeth down

Could be - but fish that do that will usually show interest in food, following it, but not eating it.

Jay

dyno · Dec 15, 2023

HI @Jay Hemdal

It turned out to be velvet as all other fish are showing symptoms now. Since it is a FOWLR we are treating display by lowering temperature to 75, sg to 1.015, and copper to 2.0. Anything else we should do?

Also, when you have to treat the main display for velvet, would you prefer treating the whole tank with Ruby Reef Acriflavin or sticking with copper? I know we cannot mix but was curious on your thoughts.

Thank you so much for your help!

Jay Hemdal · Dec 15, 2023

dyno said:
HI @Jay Hemdal

It turned out to be velvet as all other fish are showing symptoms now. Since it is a FOWLR we are treating display by lowering temperature to 75, sg to 1.015, and copper to 2.0. Anything else we should do?

Also, when you have to treat the main display for velvet, would you prefer treating the whole tank with Ruby Reef Acriflavin or sticking with copper? I know we cannot mix but was curious on your thoughts.

Thank you so much for your help!

true Velvet is pretty rare, if you see salt sized spots on the fish, it is more likely a bad case of ich. If the fish are not really showing skin issues, but are breathing fast, then it is more likely velvet.

Lowering the water temperature to 75 to 78 is good. There is no reason to run a specific gravity of 1.015, that does not control ich or velvet. If you want to reduce osmotic stress on the fish, then 1.018 is a better target.

I presume you are using coppersafe or copper power? If so, the full dose is 2.25 ppm. If the disease is severe (fish are dying) then you need to get to 2.5 ppm ASAP and hope for the best.

Jay

dyno · Dec 15, 2023

Yes copper power @Jay Hemdal . Please see attached video.

Jay Hemdal · Dec 16, 2023

dyno said:
Yes copper power @Jay Hemdal . Please see attached video.

That's not velvet - the fish are breathing too slowly for that. It still looks like flukes to me, or it could be chronic ich. The copper at 2.25 will handle the issue if it is ich, but flukes will require you either got to a specific gravity of 1.009 or you use praziquantel. Normally, a specific gravity of 1.012 works for flukes, but since you are already at 1.015, the flukes might be adjusted to the lower salinity.

Jay