Malawi bloat malady

[Chickleta]

Another newbie here, I set my tank up in Jan. I have a 46g. bowfront w/ Rena XP2 canister and aragonite substrate. All were fine until I added black substrate and perhaps stirring the tank up caused one of my afras to become bloated. She has been like this for about 10 days. I feed them mini pellets on occasion, but Spirulina flakes are their staple. First, I did a major water change and a heavy dosing of epsom salt, waited 24 hrs and started Metra, finishing the second treatment yesterday. Is it ok to continue repeating the Metra until she is improved? The tablets I have are 250mg, 1 per 10g. I didn't isolate because I want to all the "bugs" in the tank, I have removed the carbon. My other fish seem fine and I'm feeding them lightly with metra treated pellets. I perform frequent water changes probably 25% every 10 days or so. The water parameters are safe with nothing alarming there. Is there a better approach? I prefer not to use Clout as I don't want to kill my Syno. Also, can anyone explain what gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria are?

3 Cynotilapia afra Jalo reef
3 Haplochromis Zebra Obliquiden
1 Labeotropheous trewavasae tumbi reef

3 Labidochromis caeruleus
1 Labidchromis sp. Srtk
2 Hemichromis bimaculatus
1 Melanochromis exasperatus
1 Metriaclima estherae
1 Metriaclima callainos;estherae
1 Metriclima Fainzilberi lundu
2 Neolamprologus Daffodil Brichardi
1 Synodontis Ocellifer catfish

I really appreciate any information to help my little fishy.

 

[Weezer]

Welcome to AC, I do 30% changes at least once a week,sometimes twice and maybe a light vac. it could be bloat or somthing minor..any way of getting a pic..Nice tank by the way, looks like our's.............:dance2:

 

[Aislinn]

I've only ever had one fish with bloat. It was a very elderly, geriatric tiger barb. I isolated him, treated him with salt and fasted him for four days, and then fed him blanched peas for three days. He recovered, but none of my mbuna have ever gotten sick, so I have no idea if this would work for them. I wish I could be more helpful.

 

[liv2padl]

The water parameters are safe with nothing alarming there

. what does that mean? actual numbers would help us help you.

 

[Chickleta]

Ok, I use test strips and they read as follows; nitrates under 20, nitrites 0, GH 200, Chlorine 0, KH250 approx, PH 8.2. I'll change water more frequently, siphon the sand surface and feed them peas is a few days.

My afra looks a though she swallowed a small marble and one eye has a very small round film on it. I changed about 30% of the water tonite and added epsom salt and cichlid buffer but haven't added additional Metra. I'm not sure if it'll harm the syno and wonderif it will continue to work on her "problem". I ordered 500mg Metra online today and should be getting it next week. I was using API General Cure but it is not as strong.

I didn't realize there was a different section to post photos. Leave it to a newbie.:huh: