Help! Sick fish!

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danettem

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Jan 8, 2004
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We have a 75 gallon tank, that we bought used, with all the fish in it. We have a 4-5 inch dogface puffer, a clarkki, a tomato, a cleaner wrasse (I know, he came with the tank) and two diamond gobies. We lost several fish about 3 months ago when we crashed after switching from CC to a DSB. We saved these guys by throwing them into a 29 gal hospital tank and re-cycling the 75. Water parameters are Am 0, No2 0, No3 has spiked from 10 to 60, Ph 8.4, we've been adding buffer. My puffer is now covered in fuzz, looks like he has huge scratches on his back, and his eyes have clouded over. I'm attempting to attach pictures, which aren't great, I'm sorry but he is obviously in really bad shape. The tomato also has this fuzz, everyone else seems fine.

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Danette,
Is it possible to make the pictures bigger? They can be at least twice as big, in both pixel and byte size, and still be uploaded. It's just a little hard to see.

The fuzz may be mucus, secreted in response to some irritation. I have no real clue, though.
 
I would advise trying to get the Cleaner Wrasse out. Puffers do not have the skin to handle being cleaned by cleaner wrasses or cleaner shrimp or anything else so the Cleaner Wrasse could be trying to pester him because he is sick. Puffers can release their skin layer to get parasites and others off so they have their own self cleaning system. Or you could move the puff to his own tank, determine the problem then treat him with a type of antibacteria medicine and see if that works but a Cleaner Wrasse and Puff should never be in the same tank. Anyway, hope this helps and good luck.
 
We have decided it is probably a parasite, he has long black marks on his back, his eyes are clouded over, his white spots (on his face in the picture) are now covering most of his body. His stomach is also pinched looking, I think he's a gonner. The tomato has been laying on his side on the bottom since this morning. :sad
Could the gobies have stirred something up from the substrate?
I feel so awful, they are obviously uncomfortable. I wish I could do something...
 
The puffer had been acting a little funny for about two days. But all of the visible stuff on him, and the clown were today. The puffer is still hanging on, he looks awful, I've got him in a hospital with antibactirial stuff. I'm not even sure what it is, it is so awful to spend a day watching and hoping they will get better.
 
The puffer's back half seems to be paralyzed, now. He can't keep the powerhead from blowing him to the surface. He's such a trooper, he is still swimming around, but he obviously isn't going to make it much longer. The fish in my main tank, a clarkki, 2 diamond gobies, and a cleaner wrasse seem fine. Does anyone have any idea what this could be? Should I take all of the fish out of the tank in case whatever it is remains? I can't believe it happened this quickly. I will post another picture soon, maybe a little more obvious...Thanks for any replies. It is a sad day at our house.
 
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