Help!!

[Sophie1213]

My Valentini puffer has started looking weird. He's always been a round little guy that acts like a begging dog. Recently he's started looking thin, and instead of his lighter color he's kinda dark brown. His attitude became sluggish yesterday and I put a half shelled clam in his cave so no one would steal his food but I'm not sure what's wrong with him. He has a nip at one of his fins, but all my water parameters are normal

 

[SynDen]

Is he still eating at all but still getting thinner? Also what are your params, normal doesnt tell us much?

 

[zombie]

Probably got in a fight with something. Look up the signs of marine velvet, brooknella, amd marine ich and monitor for signs of those just in case.

 

[Sophie1213]

Yeah he always eats the shrimp and clams. And sorry everything is good, my nitrates are at 5ppm according to my test, seems I can never get it to 0, but ammonia 0, nitrites 0, and ph is 8.2.

 

[zombie]

Look in its mouth. Could be a parasitic isopod if its still eating normal. It would look like a tiny horseshoe crab inside its mouth if it has one.

 

[SynDen]

If he still eating but losing weight, sounds like a possible parasite infection. Did you add anything new to the tank in the last few months? What about the other params, like temp, sal, alk, mag and calc? What else is in the tank with him? How big of a tank?

 

[CRW Reef]

Not sure I could help much in this department however I do know that Keys Island off Oxford and Santa Fe have some really nice acrylic acclimation boxes you could put the puffer in for better observation if you dont have a qt tank to put him in and monitor closely that way.

 

[Sophie1213]

The only recent addition is a carpet mushroom I got. Everything else is the same. I'd have to test alk, calc, and mag, but my tank's at 82, and sal is at 1.026. He acted more excited today, after sulking by a rock.

 

[sethsolomon]

I would recomend Dr.G's anti parasitic food. Definitely seems like an internal parasite.

 

[SynDen]

I would recomend Dr.G's anti parasitic food. Definitely seems like an internal parasite.

+1

 

[Sophie1213]

Is that something I can get locally?

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Is that something I can get locally?

Great white aquatics in Fort Collins has it

 

[Sophie1213]

Thank you!!

 

[SynDen]

Elite, Aquatic Art or Aquamart all might have some, I'd call them and see

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Thank you!!

I hope it helps!

 

[Sophie1213]

Well thanks for the tips guys, I had him quarantined and being medicated but he didn't survive the night.

 

[sethsolomon]

Well thanks for the tips guys, I had him quarantined and being medicated but he didn't survive the night.

That stinks. Sorry to hear that.

 

[SynDen]

Sorry to hear that. Well at least you know a bit more to watchout for if it shows up on other fish. I'd keep an eye on the rest of the fish in the tank too, wouldn't hurt to feed them the medicated food as well just to be sure