Bloat

[goalieman59]

My yellow labs look like they have bloat, they have been laying around on the bottom of the tank, all water parameters are normal except for nitrates which were like 80 ppm so I did a water change and will check the water tomorrow. so now my about the fish, no scales sticking out, and eating normal. I feed them once in the morning, and once in the evening. So can so one give me any idea on what it might be, by the way the are active once the lights are turned off, I just looked at them and they only looked bloated from the side.

:cry:

Ok so my big yellow lab my male, does not look like this and the two small ones do which I think are females. Then today for the first time ever one of the small ones dug a hole under on of the rocks. Does this mean I might have fry soon?

[ibr3ak]

Do you have any pics? Mouthbrooders don't get big bellies when they spawn or about to spawn.

[goalieman59]

I will get pictures asap, but i think the fish just eat to much because they are swimming just fine this morning.

[goalieman59]

here are some of the pics, sorry for the quality. I will try to get some more later.

[wataugachicken]

what are you feeding them?

[goalieman59]

flakes, algae tabs for the plecos, fresh veggies, and cichlid pellets, frozen brine shrimp, not all at once but i change daily.

[pinkertd]

What you describe sounds like they are just eating to the point of belly bulge. My loaches and younger discus do that all the time, but I'm happy when they do that, they're all still growing and I can relax when I see they've managed to eat their fair share (or more than their fair share!). They only time you really have to be careful is with dry algae tablets and larger pellets. If they ingest them before they are fully water soaked, the food can expand too much in the fish's stomach and cause a severe case of bloat to the point the fish has no ability to balance itself. I don't see any evidence of real bloat from the pics you posted.

[Preeths]

In case it is bloat, Use metrodinazole at a concentration of 6 to 8 mg per liter of water. the temperature should be 30 degree centigrade. maintain this for 3 days. do daily WC and replace the lost medication. do not feed during this time. I have done this and it has worked a few times now. the important thing is to start treatment early. If the fish has been suffering for more than 2 days then recovery becomes difficult.

Heavily areate the water using an air stone as higher temperature will reduce the amount of oxygen in water.

[goalieman59]

What you describe sounds like they are just eating to the point of belly bulge. My loaches and younger discus do that all the time, but I'm happy when they do that, they're all still growing and I can relax when I see they've managed to eat their fair share (or more than their fair share!). They only time you really have to be careful is with dry algae tablets and larger pellets. If they ingest them before they are fully water soaked, the food can expand too much in the fish's stomach and cause a severe case of bloat to the point the fish has no ability to balance itself. I don't see any evidence of real bloat from the pics you posted.


Thanks I just wanted to make sure they are fine, I am finding out they are very shy also so when you go up to the tank they run and hide unlike my peacocks that come to the front of the tank.