Bloat

[Jacqueline]

What can I do for a pleco that is bloated???

I think it's a male not a female. And I think he can't poo. He's getting fatter and fatter, nearly completely round. He's been like this for a few months.

Has some one had this before? What can I do for him?
Any tips are welcome :cry:

 

[D-MAC]

If the fish is not eating shelled peas then you need to try something else...I have used Epsom salt baths at 1 tablespoon per gall plus Interpet No9 anti internal bacteria and had some success...It will all depend on how far advanced the fish is.
Heres a link to some treatments.
http://www.oscarfish.com/article-home/healthdisease/119-fish-bloat.html

 

[Lornek8]

What type of plec is it? In some plecs, Clowns for instance, all get pretty rolly-polly.
If its been months it may be something besides bloat.

 

[bigbird]

i would try and remove him into a Q tank so you can monitor easy and look at the feeding. Shelled peas usually help. What kind of plec is he and what size ? Otherwise does his colour look good or pale ? cheers jk :thumbup:

 

[Jacqueline]

Thanks all. It is a L174 and about 7cm and 2,5 years old.
I'll try and make a picture of him. It just looks like a big balloon :cry:
They won't eat any greens....

Is salt really safe to use for plecs?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I had a Black Neon Tetra that went like this, to the extent that it could swim properly, but carried on behaving "normally" and never lost colour. I used to work with a vet, and when I eventually had to euthanase it, he autopsied for me, and it had a very large tumour.

Cheers Darrel

 

[Rey]

I've had luck once with fasting a bristlenose for a week that had bloat and I used 5 or 10ml (can't remember exactly) of epsom salt for a 38L tank. Dissolve the epsom salt first in warm water. I added another 5ml after doing water change. I did try the shelled peas don't know if he ate I also used a lot of garlic in the tank.If it is not bloat and it is bacterial infection then you have to go the meds route from what I have been told. Good Luck.

 

[Jacqueline]

Didn't manage to get a good picture yet.... Will try again tomorrow.
When I looked at him when I caught them few weeks ago, I noticed that he was slightly deformed. maybe he has an internal problem :dk:

As I said, I'll try again soon to make a picture.
Thanks for all your reply's so far

 

[Jacqueline]

Well what do you know :whistle: I went to the fishroom to try and take more pictures of the fish. As I spotted him, I was amazed. He didn't have the ballon anymore :dk: I disappeared :thumbup: He has had this condition for months, maybe 6 months. And now it has gone....
Maybe it was a she after all :dk: Can't see anything to proof that... Very strange but I'm happy with this outcome :clap::clap:

So thank you all!! This tread can be closed :whistle:

 

[ccole]

wow jac you are one lucky pleco owner! when you said he/she was the size of a ballon i had flash backs of losing my bn a few months back and thought you had no chance! great news am really happy for you both

 

[Jacqueline]

Well, not good news I'm afraid :cry:
He's balloon-ed up again. Think it's a internal defect :cry:

 

[Brengun]

Oh bummer.

 

[Jacqueline]

Made some pictures today... I don't want to catch him and cause more damage. He's been like this for about 6 months now :dk: Couple of days ago he suddenly reduced in size but now he's back to square 1

Picture from last week: he's in the middle left cave (notice his pattern on his back or 2 dots on his tail)

And from today: now he's in the bottom left

 

[Brengun]

Might have to move him out to a veges only tank for a year?