Sick Stars & Stripes Puffer

[Jasonanatal]

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Hello everyone, I have a Starry Puffer who has been under the weather for some time now. He is very inactive and has a very small appetite as well. He does not shows signs of any parasites. The only problem is that his skin has turned from bright green to grey. Has anyone every seen this or has any idea what is going on?

55 gallon tank
0 Ammonia
0 Nitrites
0 Nitrates
8.3 PH

 

[TCTFish]

How long have you had the puffer?

What is that the puffer is in (in the photos)?

What are you feeding the puffer?

What are the other fish in the tank?

How long has the tank been up and running with fish?

The puffer is showing signs of stress (when they patch out in color like that). If the puffer is new, it could be that it just hasn't gotten use to it's new environment yet. For now, till more is known, try some garlic soaked food (Seachem, Kent Marine and H2O sell garlic soaks for fish food). Garlic is an appetite stimilator.

Oh...and test the salinity.

 

[StripesTheEel]

In all honestly I believe the stress' number 1 factor is the lack of space. It is in a 55gal which would be fine if it was by itself, but with a snowflake eel and a volitan lionfish there is no hope. There is no LR to provide it with hiding space. You can try soaking the food in garlic, but as in previous posts.. I believe the tank size is the problem..

Good luck

 

[StripesTheEel]

What is that the puffer is in (in the photos)?

yeah what is it in?

 

[Jasonanatal]

I have had the puffer for about 3 months now. I have him in a breeding tank within my 55 gallong because I had a QT tank setup but it did not have enough filtration and was causing him to get an infection on his mouth were he had a cut which was cause an area of live rock that he got stuck in. The salinity of my water is 1.024. I would let him wander in the tank but my Volitan Lionfish pics on him because he is big enough not to fit in her mouth but small enough to want to make her try to eat him.

 

[TCTFish]

I would let him wander in the tank but my Volitan Lionfish pics on him because he is big enough not to fit in her mouth but small enough to want to make her try to eat him.

I wouldn't doubt that this is a main reason for the puffer's stress. He's living with a natural predator up his butt. Whether that predator can successfully eat him is another story, but non the less it's like a cat hanging out in the bird cage so to speak. Kind of makes the potential prey very uneasy and puffers really show their moods. Lions are the few that can eat a puffer and get away with it. A lion will attempt to eat something that is about it's own size (minus the spines) and smaller.

Also, every animal needs somewhere to hide from everything. Keeping the puffer in the breeder container is causing more stress even though it's currently protecting the puffer. You may need to get another tank or give the puffer to someone who can house the fish. Given the size of the tank, it'll end up being too small anyway. Both those animals get big and are heavy waste producers which means a large water volume is required to keep the quality of the water manageable.

The photo of your avatar...is that your tank? where the puffer is living in?

 

[Jasonanatal]

That would definitely explain it. I feel like an idiot for overlooking the most obvious reason. The Avatar photograph was taken in their very first tank which is no longer in existance. I currently have them in a 55 gallong which for the moment has plenty of room and when the time comes the will eventually be moved to a 150 gallon and if needed 300 gallon after that. I'm a college student and trying to keep my love for fish and expenses of reality within their limits. I have plenty of filtration in this tank so waste production is not an issue.

 

[TCTFish]

stars and stripes puffer

Something you can do presently is partition the tank. Provide a nice cave or hiding area where he can mozzy along without feeling preyed upon. You can use fake plants in a marine tank. Granted it's not as great as the real stuff, but it does provide hiding space and does give a tank without any good green stuff a nicer look. I can't remember the name...might be SeaGarden??? who have silk replicas of marine plants. Look very nice too. We once had a tomato clown someone brought in that took to one of these fake plants as though it were an anemone...LOL. She would even try to 'feed' it by shoving food in it. So funny!!

The quicker you get him in a secured area, the quicker he'll come around. Puffers do very well in captivity once they are secured in their surroundings. It's not uncommon for puffers that are new to sort of 'pout'. Seriously. They have their tails tucked and they sit in a back corner with a puss on their face...LOL. Don't really blame them. Remember...they were abducted from their homes. Sort of a guilty way of looking at it, but the knowledge learned may very well save their environment and keep these fish (and all fish) from disappearing.

Your situation reminded me of these photos I took at the SuperZoo trade show in Vegas this year. The lion in the photos did not move out of that position for quite sometime and he'd go back...LOL. Mean while his thoughts of lunch is eating a dead shrimp. Though in this situation, the shrimp doesn't pay any attention to the lion. I don't think he would even without that sheet of glass between them...LOL. I just thought it was funny how this lion was just so wanting to get at this shrimp, but he couldn't, but oh was he wishing. The other lions in the tank paid absolute no attention to the shrimp. Just this one.