puffer problem

[marktg]

It seems to be a happy new year for all except my Valentini Puffer. He's developed a red patch near his mouth which I noticed on the 31st. This patch appears to be a bruise (for lack of a better word) under the skin. He's in a tank with a yellow tang, coral beauty, 2 damsals, and a CBS, and some snails. I've never seen any fish pick on him. He's behaving and eating normally. Water tested yesterday was ammonia=0, nitrates and nitrites=0, pH=9.2, temp=77. Food is mysis (which he loves), brine shrimp, and some frozen veggie/shrimp mix. Zoe has been added to food within the last couple weeks (to help out my coral beauty's torn fin...
Thanks in advance for your insights and suggestions.

 

[marktg]

Before anyone yells at me, the pH was 8.2.

 

[beth]

I figured that was a typo. Or I was hoping at least.
What does that puffer eat? Are you feeding him hard shelled foods? How do his teeth look? Can you get a close up of the mouth, that diseased area and of the teeth?
Also, do you have live rock in your tank? What size tank?
Has this "bruise" remained the same, gotten bigger over time, or just suddenly appeared and hasn't changed? Is it fading since you first noticed it. Could he have stuck his mouth in some rock trying to get a snail, or something? [BTW: Snails and puffers are not too compatible...food for puffs.].
Try looking at your tank for awhile without your fish noticing that you're looking and see if you notice any aggression from fish.

 

[marktg]

Hi Beth-
I'm not feeding the puffer hard shelled foods. He eats Mysis and brind shrimp. Could you suggest a better food? The "bruise" appeared overnight and I noticed it on the 31st. It remained unchanged until today when it is noticably less red.
I've spent A LOT of time just watching--no aggression.
I can't see the puffer's teeth--he's only 2 inches long at the most.
I do have live rock, about 30 pounds in my 55 gallon tank. I've never seen the puffer nip at the rock, though.
I'm thinking it was just an injury of some type...

 

[beth]

Yes, lets hope that it is just a bruise. He may have gotten his snout stuck in a rock crevis nosing around. Keep and eye on it and report back.
In the meantime, try to add hard shelled foods to the puffer's diet. This is the only way to keep the puffer's teeth filed down. Otherwise, the teeth will grow right into his head, and he will die.
Try posting up in the Agressive Forum for food suggestions. But, do not make give him just krill....a single diet of grill just is not going to cut it nutritionally. You may need to get some foods from the seafood market.