Valentini Puffer with Lump in Neck Area
7/24/13
I hope you can help me. My Valentini Puffer showed up with this lump on
the left side of her neck 2 days ago. She is in a 30 gallon tank with 1
Lawn Mower Blenny. Initially, I thought it might be air or she picked at
a snail, but it has not gone away, nor has it increased in size. It is
the lump right under her chin. I tried the burping method (lightly
grasping her body with nose up) and was getting ready lightly run my
fingers down her torso, but she puffed up and I have never seen her do
this, so I released her quickly and then was not able to grab her again
without stressing her out.
1.025
PH - 8.2
Ammonia- 0
N02 - 0
N03 - 0
30-50% weekly water changes with Kent Reef Crystals and Prime. Tank has
been set up 8 months. Some SPS coral frags, frogspawn and a couple of
mushroom frags. Live rock & sand. Lots of Nassarius snails.
She still eats great ( homemade mixture of frozen squid, clams, muscles,
shrimp, scallops, silver slides, peas, Nori and vita Chem all blended up
and frozen). Once a week, I give her a clam or muscle on the half shell
to aid her teeth. Poop is normal and she is acting like she always has.
Any help would be most appreciated!
Thank you & Best Regards,
Robyn
<This looks like a common goiter... of times effectively treated w/
simple iodide/ate addition to foods. I'll mention the SeaChem product
here:
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/ReefIodide.html
And please do search on WWM w/ the simple term: goiter for more. Simply
lace/soak foods with a drop or two ahead of offering, and hopefully this
cyst will recede in a few weeks. There are other possibilities/causes;
but these call for more risky treatments. Bob Fenner>
