Treating a Pea Puffer with a Bite Wound

[Kristy]

Hello, I'm Kristy! First post here. I had a pair of Pea Puffers given to me by a staff member at my lfs who was looking to rehome them, One male, one female, and they had been getting along just fine but the male had taken to bullying the female to the point where I saw her "puff" for the first time as he bit her.  I separated them and put the male into a time out tank but he appeared depressed, he wouldn't eat, and hid all day.  I put them back together and they were fine for a bit but he of course started chasing her all over again.  She normally has a voracious appetite but she would not eat for me yesterday and started appearing very disoriented. She does appear to have a spot where he bit her on her side.  

I've separated them again but what do I do to treat her?  I don't have a quarantine tank set up and I just dismantled another tank to redo it but it's not cycled yet.  Is there anything I can treat her with to prevent an infection?  She is in a planted tank with my ember tetras and a single endlers livebearer and large nerite snails at the moment.  The male is in another planted tank solo.  My third "time out tank" that the male was in previously I just dumped out to redo so I don't have a cycled tank to keep her in solo at the moment.  :(  Mama Puff is my favorite fish with so much personality I'd do whatever I could to help her. I'm ready to kick Puff Daddy to the curb. Any advice appreciated.  Thank you.

[Bill Smith]

I would use EM Erythromycin or Maracyn (they're the same thing) to prevent infection. I've found them to be effective.

Good luck!

Edited September 12, 2020 by Bill Smith

[ADMWNDSR83]

10 hours ago, Kristy said:

Hello, I'm Kristy! First post here. I had a pair of Pea Puffers given to me by a staff member at my lfs who was looking to rehome them, One male, one female, and they had been getting along just fine but the male had taken to bullying the female to the point where I saw her "puff" for the first time as he bit her.  I separated them and put the male into a time out tank but he appeared depressed, he wouldn't eat, and hid all day.  I put them back together and they were fine for a bit but he of course started chasing her all over again.  She normally has a voracious appetite but she would not eat for me yesterday and started appearing very disoriented. She does appear to have a spot where he bit her on her side.  

I've separated them again but what do I do to treat her?  I don't have a quarantine tank set up and I just dismantled another tank to redo it but it's not cycled yet.  Is there anything I can treat her with to prevent an infection?  She is in a planted tank with my ember tetras and a single endlers livebearer and large nerite snails at the moment.  The male is in another planted tank solo.  My third "time out tank" that the male was in previously I just dumped out to redo so I don't have a cycled tank to keep her in solo at the moment.  😞  Mama Puff is my favorite fish with so much personality I'd do whatever I could to help her. I'm ready to kick Puff Daddy to the curb. Any advice appreciated.  Thank you.

I don't have any suggestions, just wanted to say I'm loving the names!