I picked up 3 Pea Puffers to help with my snail problems. One of the little guys tail looks funny. He is pretty shy, so getting a picture of him would be tough. His tail is constantly curved and there is some white looking stuff on it. Thinking it could be ich? Should I set up a backup tank and get him out of my big tank?
Pe Puffer in trouble?
- Thread starter pmcsomething
- Start date
It's normal for them to have a curved tail in a new environment. However, the "white stuff" isn't normal. Can you describe the white stuff better? Is it fuzzy, smooth, round, oddly-shaped, what size is the spot, or is it multiple spots, etc.?
By the way, pea puffers/dwarf puffers aren't good fish for community tanks.
By the way, pea puffers/dwarf puffers aren't good fish for community tanks.
When you need to look at a fish, they always seems to hide. Compared to the other two puffers, his back fin appears to look like it was nibbled at. It looks like a salt crust on there, no coloration, just a crystally white look to it. He doesn't swim around much, which makes me think it could be in his gills too. He stays near the top of the tank. The other two puffers look fine and I see empty snail shells all over the tank.
Parts of his tail are missing, it is fuzzy and not smooth. I just noticed it this afternoon, so my 'hospital tank' it not setup yet. I have added water and aeration to my hospital tank, but have not added the fish. The temp is warm, and I have added some dechorinator. I went to Walmart and bought some fish supplies ( I do not buy fish from Walmart) and picked up some Wardley's Ich Away. I have not added it to the water yet. I also picked up some Melafix.
What should my next steps be for this little guy?
What should my next steps be for this little guy?
If it's fuzzy, it's not ich. So, do not use the Ich Away at all.
It sounds like a little fin rot. It's not uncommon after a tail injury. The Melafix should help.
As the hospital tank is uncycled, make sure you keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrites in there. A 50% water change before you do the daily dose of Melafix (if needed for the ammonia) won't affect the power of the Melafix.
It sounds like a little fin rot. It's not uncommon after a tail injury. The Melafix should help.
As the hospital tank is uncycled, make sure you keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrites in there. A 50% water change before you do the daily dose of Melafix (if needed for the ammonia) won't affect the power of the Melafix.
Should I keep in the hospital tank with and add Melafix?
I've also noticed that my Bolivians seem to be nipping at each others fin. I can see some small pieces missing at the tips.
This is the best picture I could get of him. Everything else was blurry.
Picasa Web Albums - Pat - pea puffer
I've also noticed that my Bolivians seem to be nipping at each others fin. I can see some small pieces missing at the tips.
This is the best picture I could get of him. Everything else was blurry.
Picasa Web Albums - Pat - pea puffer
Last edited:
This little guy is close to death. I thought he was dead, he did not swim around. So I removed him from the quarantine tank and was going to take a picture of him so I can find out what he did indeed have. I look closely at him and I can see his mouth moving. So I drop him back in the QT and then did a 25% water change. The water temp is 80-82 and I haven't check the other parameters. What can I do to save this little guy?
It sounds like he's pretty far gone. The best you can do is add Melafix in the hospital tank and hope for the best. Check the water parameters! If ammonia or nitrites are high, it's going to stress/kill and already sick fish. Do water changes as necessary.
If a fish is sick, try not to move it around too much... it stresses them. With puffers, wherever possible, do not net them out. Use a cup. If they puff up in air, they'll likely die.
If a fish is sick, try not to move it around too much... it stresses them. With puffers, wherever possible, do not net them out. Use a cup. If they puff up in air, they'll likely die.
Thank Lotus, I did not know that about puffers. Next time if he lives, I will try and get him with a cup. I think I might have sealed his fate already by sitting him down on my desk, which means he sucked in air. I will check the paras and post them up.
No Cl, ammonia is .25 ppm which is in the safe zone
Nitrate and Nitrite are both low.
He is not swimming at all.
I think what I may do, it is set up a 10 gal hospital tank down in my garage and let it properly cycle without fish and then just maintain it for when I need it.
No Cl, ammonia is .25 ppm which is in the safe zone
Nitrate and Nitrite are both low.
He is not swimming at all.
I think what I may do, it is set up a 10 gal hospital tank down in my garage and let it properly cycle without fish and then just maintain it for when I need it.
Last edited:
This little guy is putting up a fight. It seems he got worse when I put him in the QT tank. I will continue to add Melafix and change the water on him. He doesn't eat the flakes I put in there for him. I don't think he has the energy to hunt snails. Hopefully he makes it.
He has some thin, white string like thing coming off of his tail. I am not sure what that is. I want to put him back in the big tank, but I think the stress of what is ailing him along with the move might kill him. It might also kill my other fish as well.
I am out of ideas of what to do.
I will search for it, but I got the OK to setup a QT in the garage. So once that is cycled, I can have some place to put fish and grow some plants.
He has some thin, white string like thing coming off of his tail. I am not sure what that is. I want to put him back in the big tank, but I think the stress of what is ailing him along with the move might kill him. It might also kill my other fish as well.
I am out of ideas of what to do.
I will search for it, but I got the OK to setup a QT in the garage. So once that is cycled, I can have some place to put fish and grow some plants.
