Sick Puffer Diagnosis

[mortikahn]

Subject: Green Spotted Puffer ~ 2"

Symptoms: "heavy panting", left side gill opening held way open, possible swelling in the area around the gill slit. Left pectoral fin held tight against the body. Brushing/scraping against decorations.

Water conditions: within API master freshwater test kit specifications

I have made my novice diagnosis as possible gill flukes, and wish to hear what the experts have to say.

 

[mortikahn]

forgot the rest of the info, as per the "read this first"

3~ 20Gal Long, set up since January/February
4~Fluval 205
5~Fish in the tank are 1 GSP, 3 neon Tetras, 2 Swordtails, 1 Sailfin Pleco, 1 Red tail black shark, 4 red claw crabs (yes I know its overstocked, hence the larger filtration system)
6~10% water change every week w/ gravel vac & 15-20% water change done once a month when filter is cleaned
7~Fish has been in the tank for ~ 1-1 1/2 months
8~Nothing new added to tank
9~Food alternates daily between
1 pond snail or 1 crushed MTS from snail breeding tank
10-12 blood worms
1/2 a jumbo krill shrimp
in addition to the normal omega flakes, algae wafer, and shrimp pellets for his buddies (he doesn't eat this stuff)

Hopefully I have covered everything.

 

[Zagz]

Sorry I took so long to read this. I would suspect a parasite as well. I would first start with an additional water change of 25-50%. With your bioload you should be doing a min of 50% per week. GSP's are a brackish fish by nature. Many lfs's sell them as freshwater but they aren't. Your puffer should have his own tank and it should be brackish. He will continue to get ill from being in freshwater. They can survive in FW but not thrive. Try soaking some of his blood worms in some geltek for parasites. I'm not sure you could get him to eat a medicated food directly. Geltek is made to soak their food in.