cottony substance on puffer

[OrandaMan]

Okay, so I'm fairly certain it's not ich. Doesn't look at all like salt. It's a new Amazon puffer and honestly looks like he has white mold on his back. The puffer itself seems okay and seems pretty eager to join the tank I was acclimating it for. You can understand my hesitation, however.

Any ideas?

[OrandaMan]

Okay, so I found this:

http://www.mypets.net.au/flex/articles/126/fungal-fish-diseases.cfm

The question is, are the solutions mentioned suitable for a puffer?

[Mzungu]

The question is, are the solutions mentioned suitable for a puffer?

I would bet not.

For fungus, a good treatment is to add salt. There is also PimaFix. I'll wait for the puffer people to add their expertise, but you are right in being hesitant to treat your puffer with heavy-duty meds. :)

[Mzungu]

On another note, if you can keep him in quarantine, that would be best. A lot of the times fungus grows because it takes advantage of an open wound or sore. It could be completely benign, but it could also be caused by something to which you don't want your other fish exposed.

Of course, it's always great to have a puffer in his own tank.

[OrandaMan]

Yeah. I've become a risk taker since starting this hobby, though. I read commonly that Amazon puffers will actually school together. A few places have suggested that they can do well in a community tank. Well, that's the challenge I'd like to take on. I've been very lucky with all my decisions - let's hope my streak continues.

As far as quarantine, he's currently in a five gallon bucket with a Tom Aquatics (a cheapie brand I'm really coming to like) 5 gallon filter - one of a few I have in a larger, cycled tank for emergency use. I've looked him over very carefully and he seems in really good shape aside from the fungus. I dropped in a snail for him, but he's still nervously swimming up and down the side, ignoring it (he's had a rough day and needs some relaxation time).

Anyway, his tail fin has a minor nip (something I expect from a newly bought puffer... in fact, much worse than what he has) but everything else looks very nice. His colors are bright and his eyes are clear. No trouble swimming. Very active. Nice size - doesn't seem under- or overfed. Teeth aren't overgrown. He looks like a very nice little puffer. He just has that fungus on his back.

Now, someone might come along with more informed advice, but thank you thank you thank you for advocating the salt. I'd thought about it but hesitated. When you said it, though, it really gave me something to do, which is always better than just sitting there.

But you know, I'm really hoping someone comes by and suggests something like that link suggested - that I can gently rub some of it off with a cotton swab or something and maybe some household item I already have. I doubt I'll get that, but I'm still hoping. Of course, if someone told me to do that, I'd worry about keeping him from puffing.

[fishlady]

pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee......don't put him in the tank yet.....

go to this website and ask the experts about this problem......
get someone to snap a picture of it for you that helps the most.....



www.pufferforum.com

don't put eenie and meenie in peril just for "experimental" sake........:furious:

[Complexity]

Absolutely do not put him in the main tank. He needs a H/T (hospital tank). Not only for his sake, but for the sake of the fish in the main tank.

He also needs to get out of the bucket. Get a cheap 10g tank for him. Since you already have a filter, just the plain tank is all you need to buy. Put something on the bottom, sides and back to block his vision which will help to calm him.

It is in his 10g tank that you will medicate him with whatever those with puffer experience recommend. Expect him to stay in the 10g for at least 2 weeks, maybe longer. Do not put him in the main tank until all signs of disease are gone for at least 3 days (1-2 weeks would be better).

While he is not showing any behavioral changes due to the fungus, he will soon. Do not attempt to scrape the fungus off. Do not stress him. He needs to be as calm as possible so his immune system can help fend off the fungus. Otherwise, he could go downhill very fast.

[fishboyt]

Does this sound like it? http://houstonfishbox.com/vforums/sh...ad.php?t=29886

[imagirlgeek]

Can you get a picture of it? Sometimes fungus is actually bacteria, and vice versa.

I have about 18 SA Puffers because they were not doing well at the LFS where I found them. Each time I went in, I ended up getting a couple to nurse at home. So...by the end, I had them all.

The problem with mine started as ich, and nips due to sever overcrowding, which in turn became secondary infections. Some of them were in such bad shape that they looked like little cotton balls instead of puffers. Some were even head-standing and panting.

Ich-Attack is awesome for puffers. Totally organic. And also treats fungal infections <--Bonus! It smells horrible, but that's the only bad thing I can say about it.

If it's a bacterial infection, you might want to go with an antibiotic. But try to figure out what it is before treating him. Puffers are so sensitive.

[Darbex]

I would QT him and do a salt treatment with Primafix and Melafix and make sure you have plenty of O2 going in the water as Prima and Mela creates a oil slick on the surface. I would use both Prima and Mela because bacteria can cause the fungus cottony growth as well so you may treat for fungus and it ended up being a bacterial infection so your treatment didnt do anything.

[Darbex]

Oh but I will preface my statement in that I have never had puffers so this is the treatment I give to my discus and angels.

[OrandaMan]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

fishlady: I would never put a three inch puffer that will grow another inch, however friendly, in a 10 gallon tank with one inch puffers that are full size. I ain't gonna let anything happen to those cuties. :) My intent for the Amazon was a 29 gallon in which the other fish are approaching his size or larger. For the dwarfs, their tank was very carefully prepared as per advice at www.dwarfpuffers.com and it's done well and I'm not messing with it.

Complexity: the reason for the bucket instead of the empty tank I have (it's a 15) is that the tank still needed a serious cleaning, which I had to wait until daylight to do. I currently have it a little more than half full with two cycled 5 gallon filters in it and I have a 15 gallon filter added to another tank (it'll probably take too long to actually populate with bacteria though, right?).

fishboyt: At first glance, it does. However, in this case, it does look fibrous. It honestly looks like litte bitty pieces of cotton stuck to him. Also, when I checked the bag he came in, I found little tiny pieces of the same material that must have been floating around in there with him.

imagirlgeek: I'm waiting on a camera to arrive in the mail. This time, no one touches it but me. I'll ask our neighbor upstairs if she has one in a bit. When the car gets back, I'm off for some Ich-Attack. In this instance, I'm fairly certain it's fungus considering what I found in the bag.

Darbex: Reading about it now. If all is kosher to use those on Puffers, I'll start with small doses of those, too. I'll also add my two air pumps. They're small, but I figure one on each side should help.

Interestingly, I put a plant in with him. One of the leaves is flush against the glass but for a small space between. Occasionally, he'll swim up under that, scraping his back against the leaf. Fungus, bacteria or both, I'm guessing it's itching. Anyone know of something to help with that?

Thanks again, guys.