I'm Absolutely Devastated!

[iSnail]

I was watching "Little Pea" my Dwarf Puffer wandering around looking for food this morning before the tank lights came on. Then she disappeared to the back of the tank. A few minutes later I saw her thrashing about. Had a quick look (still no tank lights) , she had what looked like a snail in her mouth. I was thinking that she had tackled a snail a little too big for her mouth as usual and I laughed. However, she kept thrashing and seemed struggling and beginning to puff up. Then I thought that she might have stuffed a piece of gravel into her mouth by accident so I quickly went and got a net and hoped to help her release it from her mouth. To my horror, it wasn't a snail nor a piece of gravel but something coming out from her inside (her stomach inverted out)

I didn't know what to do I put her into a breeder box and hoped that her stomach would go back in by itself. After..... I don't even remember how long, her stomach went back in but she seemed struggling with breathing then out came her stomach again. It broke my heart watching her struggle and I made the decision to put her to sleep

Little Pea was one of three of my first tank-bred dwarf puffers and she has been the soul of that tank. Her death completely changed the dynamics of that tank. I just can't get over what happened to her. I am absolutely devastated

Can anyone tell me what could have caused that? Was there anything I could have done to help her??

 

[Straydum]

crap that has to suck. sorry for your loss

 

[Colin_T]

it would be unusual for the stomach to come out. The intestine would have to snap and seperate from the stomach in order for that to happen. If that did happen then the fish was destined to die.

The other option would be the fish tried to eat a worm and it was too long. The worm would have been in the stomach and hanging out the mouth. This could have caused the fish some stress and it might have panicked. Marine puffers exude a poison when stressed, (not sure about the freshwater varieties) but if they do then the stress might have cause the fish to release toxins into the water, thus poisoning itself. Carbon removes the toxins from the water and water changes will dilute it out.
If there are other fishes in the tank then the poison should also affetc them. If you have other fish in the tank and they are fine then it won't be toxins released form the stressed fish.

 

[jennybugs]

Oh chicks! I am so sorry to hear about your little pea I know how attached you are to your DPs as I am to mine

I've never heard of a stomach prolapsing tbh, not to say that it couldn't happen, but the worm scenario could be feasible.

 

[liz2]

Oh that is awful. I have only ever had 2 little puffers, when the first one died I didnt have another for years. The last one I had just died for no reason and I have vowed never to have another. You did the right thing by your little fish, and I am sorry I have no explanation. hugs xx

 

[StormySkiez]

Very shocking experience for you and your DP. I can't imagine what would cause such a thing. Sorry to hear it.

 

[geo7x]

DPs often seem to die for no reason and it's always hard as they have so much personality

 

[Gill]

So Sorry for your Loss.

For little peas stomach to be protruding from her mouth would have to be something very seriuos.
Maybe Nmonks can shed some light on the subject.

 

[iSnail]

Thank you all for your kind words everyone

I have no clue to what happened to Little Pea. I did take a few pictures of her "internal" sticking out of her mouth. Still find it difficult to post the picture here but I will post and hopefully someone knows what caused it.

Warning!! These are not for the faint hearted.
Top view
Front view

Colin, thanks for the suggestions and info. I don't think my little puff released any toxins into the water. All the shrimps and other puffers have been fine from what I can see. Regarding the worm scenario, she was quite a fussy eater and preferred baby shrimps, snails and frozen brine shrimps and I doubt if there were any live bloodworms left from a few days before.

Jenny, you do know me I am very attached to my DPs. Little Pea was special since she was one of my first tank spawned puffs and also that she nearly got killed by her brother last year when I gave her sister away (when 3 became 2 in that tank). I nursed her back to health and now this She's only 20 months old. I still find myself looking for her when I go near the tank.

 

[BecciMac1987]

I wanna cry with you love. Ive got GSP's and am soppy as hell over them, my little Burt and Ernie sit in the kitchen with me and we have proper chats while I cook!! OK, maybe tooo much info but Im gutted for you xxx

 

[iSnail]

I wanna cry with you love. Ive got GSP's and am soppy as hell over them, my little Burt and Ernie sit in the kitchen with me and we have proper chats while I cook!! OK, maybe tooo much info but Im gutted for you xxx

I am the same if not worst Thanks for the consolation.

 

[Colin_T]

The pics don't look like a stomach. I am not sure what it is but if it was the stomach the fish would have a sunken belly and it appears to have a nice rounded belly region.
The pink thing looks like some sort of meat product, maybe a large snail that got crushed up but it doesn't look like the foot of a snail and is the wrong colour for most snails. It looks a lot like a large earthworm. Sometimes you get aquatic worms (different from tubifex & blackworms) in the tank that look like earthworms and they live in the gravel. They often come in with potted plants that have been in ponds. The fish might have found one and tried to eat it. Disappointing tho, the fish looks like a real character.

 

[iSnail]

It's definitely not an earthworm nor a snail. If you look at the front view picture, she did have a sunken belly. Her belly was nice and round only moments before this happened. I only assumed that it was her stomach since it came from inside of her mouth. It looks more raspberry shaped if you look closely.

 

[Colin_T]

She might have regurgitated something she ate earlier. Then whatever it was got stuck and she choked on it. Very bizarre. If you still have her you could take her to a fish vet and get an autopsy done. It won't help the fish but might tell you what happened.

 

[iSnail]

Yes, that sounds quite plausible. Perhaps she had an allergic reaction to something she ate. It did cross my mind about opening her up but just couldn't do it. She's now buried in one of my flower pots outside the house.