Sick puffer - Can’t seem to figure out what’s up

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Deadeye

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MFK Member
Aug 31, 2020
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Have you tested your water?
No
If I did not test my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.
Do you do water changes?
Yes
What percentage of water do you change?
61-70%
How frequently do you change your water?
Every two weeks
If I do not change my water...
  1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.
So this one has always been the thin puffer, but only recently (in the past few weeks) has it become sickly thin.
The fish still eats normally, but doesn’t really gain weight. I haven’t seen any white stringy poo. It swims rather slowly and wobbly compared to the other puffer. I’m seeing similar symptoms in my molly.
I’ve been treating with metro + focus at the moment, it seems to be helping some but not substantially. Internal parasites seems like it’s most likely the case, but wanted to post on here to confirm and for what you’d recommend treating with.
The molly:
CFEC580F-DB3A-437F-A832-B4DF5CEB868C.jpeg
The puffer, another thing to mention is what looks like black veins over by the anal fin - something I’ve only noticed in near-death Amazons I’ve had in the past:
F2D0F2C9-0963-447E-9311-715F0E1F87C2.jpeg
05945639-FA19-4A14-AB0C-B6633093990C.jpeg23909CEB-1E73-4B01-A832-45A12FF334B6.jpeg4AE43C97-32DA-43B3-A1A9-31517ACF9FD1.jpeg540EEFB8-B5F4-4622-A4F8-10547E32DB30.jpeg
Gotta clip those teeth soon but that doesn’t seem to be the main issue (the other guy has longer teeth and is healthier).
 
Dose some levamisole as well.
 
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Can I dose both (metro and levamisole) together?
Also best to qt, right?
 
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If neither levamisole or metrondazinole helps the puffer, there’s a good chance it’s infected with mycobacterium.
 
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Not related to the disease, but I'd suggest getting a test kit and upping the water replacements to 100%+ (with more being ideal of course) of tank volume per week. You can get an idea of your water quality that way, and a 100%+ replacement regime a week is best for riverine species like Amazon puffers.
 
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I just set up the qt, he will be moved over in the morning.
If neither levamisole or metrondazinole helps the puffer, there’s a good chance it’s infected with mycobacterium.
I will keep that in mind, thanks!
 
Good luck treating whatever this is by the way. Forgot to say that in my previous comment.
 
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Thank you! I did some thought on the myco and that definitely seems like a possibility. I’d assume antibiotics like Kanaplex is the go to?
 
Presumably. Just take care not to overdose those since puffers are pretty sensitive.
 
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