Puffer with flesh eating disease?

[friend4fugu]

I have a brackish water tank (salinity of 10, ph of about 8 ) with 1 scat, an archer, 4 waspfish a fiddler crab and 4 spotted green puffers. everyone appears healthy except for 1 puffer who looks like he has chucks of flesh ripped off of him. at first i thought it might just be hes the weak one and the others are just aggresive towards him but he doesnt seem to have a proble with anybody else, he even chases the others around now and then and despite what ive heard my puffers aren't as aggresive towards any of the other fish, no fin nipping. they even hang with the lucky guppies who survive the archer fish! I do partial water changes every week and have even gone as far bi weekly complete water changes before, but that just doesnt seem to help. like i said everyone else look 100% except for him. plz help id hate to lose him especially since ive had a good track record with this tank. I do have pics of him if anyone has ideas.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Any chance for a picture?

I don't think puffers are affected by antibitoics. I would use that (something such as Maracyn-Two) in a QT tank, as a first treatment. I'm guessing your fish likely has a flexibacter infection.

 

[friend4fugu]

threw the pics on

thanx for ur input, I checked, but its more like holes on his body than cottony puffs, this whole thing has me stymied!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Devilishturtles]

Hmm. If those pictures are holes and not just a ragged infection area, he may have Hole in the Head (HITH).

http://www.worldcichlids.com/diseases/Adamhith.html

Or google for more pictures. It's hard to tell from your pictures.

Also, can you give us water parameters? How long have you had this fish? How long have you noticed the sores and how quickly are they progressing?

 

[friend4fugu]

I've had all the same fish for almost 4 years, hes had them for about 3. they don't appear to be getting any worse, just staying the same, like i said b4 i keep a salinity of 10, ph of 8, nitrites always in the blue 0ppm, ammonia always in the clear 0ppm, and the little guy is always active and happy, he does some rock rubbing, but so do all the other puffers, i just assume that that is a territorial thing. sorry bout the grainy pics. I run a penn plax cascade 1000 canister filter(rated for a 100g, i have a 55g) and two ?350w? heaters always at 80 degrees, which stays constant. everything has stayed the same since I set up the tank with the exception of the filter which is new. I hope thats enough info!