Bn Pleco With Swollen Belly

[jstanton]

Hi, sorry for making my first post asking for help , but i'm not really sure what to make of my situation. I've had my bristlenose pleco for about a year now, he was very small when i first got him. I'm not sure if he's always had this problem, but a few weeks ago (maybe more..) i noticed that he had a very fat belly. I thought he was just a little piggy, so i fasted him a bit with no results. Then i considered constipation and began him on a fresh veg diet, he was on wafers before. I give him peas, zuchini, and yellow squash. I tried potatoe, but he wouldn't touch it. Now i feed peas every night. His belly's only gotten more swollen, and this morning i found him resting on some plants near the top of my aquarium. He's been there all day only switching spots or positions periodically, VERY unusual for him. Is his swollen belly maybe parasites or infection?

Thank you for all of your help.

*His belly looks much more round in person

 

[jstanton]

Well, i just discovered him to be dead. I guess i just waited too long.

 

[the biffster]

sorry to hear that

 

[jstanton]

Thank you. He was my favorite fish too . I'm thinking he was a victim to internal parasites. I just caught one of my angels doing her business. It wasn't exactly long, nor was it what i guess is considered "stringy", it was like a normal fish poop, just light greyish-white with only a couple barely noticeable clear sections...? Not quite sure how to explain it. I just fed them frozen glass worms (san francisco bay mosquito larvae) a day or so ago, but i figure it probably would've been excreted out by now. Does the color of their food affect the color of their feces?

Should i go ahead and treat the whole tank for internal parasites? The only fish i ever see eating anymore are my angels and what use to be my pleco. The others never eat nor are ever very active.

I have read about Metronidazole, Hexamita, and Flubendazole. I'm sure that's not all of the medications out there, what is recommended, or should i even medicate at all?

Thank you for any and all suggestions

edit: Hexamita by eSHa

 

[the biffster]

yes it can make there poop change color
your b/n might of been constipated or
had a blockage of some sorts
some of my fish like to eat java moss
they have big green poops lol

 

[jstanton]

So then the poop color could have just been the glass worms?
But should i medicate? My fish have been acting so shy and lethargic.

 

[the biffster]

i would check all your water parameters
i dont think it would have been brought
in with frozen glass worm as freezing it
would of killed it off

 

[jstanton]

Well, i've kind of forgotten about this thread until just now. I found one of my pearl gouramis dead He appears as though he has a bit of swelling in the ab region as well. I'll try to get some pictures up later. I tested my water, here are the results:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20 (a bit high)
pH: 6.4

I'm going to do a water change right now. I'll post test results afterword.