porky (diodon holacanthus) cut upper lip.

[julianp]

Hi all,

Three days ago, I puchased a 5" porcupine puffer. During the shipping process (to my to my LFS) he obtained a cut in his upper lip (similar to a "cleft lip"). It is about 1/8" wide by 1/8" high... so I can see the bottom of his beak. The wound had a little blood on it initially, but since looks much better.

I made sure to drip acclimate him and transferred him only in a filled contained to avoid the use of nets. My water quality is good (0's for nitrite/ammonia... pH 8.2, ~5ppm nitrates) and he seems to be doing okay... swimming all around.

However, he has not eaten yet beyond a small bite of frozen krill soaked in garlic on a skewer. Today, I'm going to pick up some live ghost shrimp to see if that helps his appetite.

My questions are:
#1: Will a wound like this eventually heal, or will he always have a missing chunk from his lip?

#2: Any other tips on getting him to eat? I know sometimes it takes up to a week or so, but I can't help but be stressed about it.

#3: Do you think the refusal to eat is related to the lip injury or the stress of moving?


Thank you in advance!

[crazedpuffer]

It should heal up but watch to make sure it doesn't get infected. It could be that eating hurts his mouth, but as long as he's interested in food I wouldn't worry.

[crazinezz978]

i would transfer him into a QT tank. could easily get infections with a wound like that. also, in a QT, it'll help him get feeding easier since any other tankmates wont stress him out.

[LionfishFinatic]

first off

[welcome]

He should be fine and as crazinezz978 said you should probably through him into a QT and watch him to make sure it doesn't get infected. If it does you can easily medicate him. It should heal up rather quickly though. He is probably not eating as it hurts to chew and is stell a little stressed out as well. just give him time and you will have a valuable member of the family in no time at all!!! Hope he gets better!!!

LFF

[Puffer Queen]

Adding beta glucan and vitamins to the diet will help boost the immune system and promote healing.

[julianp]

Thank you all for your replies. I just wanted to post a quick update on the little dude.

Initially, I attempted to move him into a quarantine tank, but he had already had such a rough travel (it was obvious he suffered some physical/emotional trauma during shipping to the LFS). During the time he was in the smaller quarantine tank, he puffed often, bit at the glass, and seemed extremely stressed -- so I opted to put him back in the display and he calmed down right away.

After about 1 1/2 weeks of refusing to eat frozen foods (soaked in garlic... offered on a skewer... etc) I began to get a little nervous that he would get too weak. So, I took a krill in one hand, gently held the puffer in the other and set the krill on his lips. Within seconds, he had slurped it up and was begging for more. Since that moment, his appetite is enormous and his stomach is a bottomless pit.

I was able to gradually progress over the last week from feeding from a skewer by placing it near his mouth to the point he is at now. As of last night, he follows me when I come up to the tank and readily swims up to my hand and eats out of it as soon as I place it in the water.


*** His lip as also almost entirely healed and he spends all night cruising the tank looking around the substrate and watching the other fish sleep.

*** I have been feeding him a mix of garlic soaked frozen shrimp, krill, scallops and squid. I have some selcon and garlicX on order from Drs. Foster/Smith that I'm going to be using from now on to keep his immune system in check.



Signed,
Happy diodon holocanthus owner