Bulging Blue Ram Female

windhopper

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Hey all, yesterday evening i was gazing into the depths of the tank (as i do most of my waking hours :D) and noticed that my female gbr is starting to "swell/bulge" out wards. Shes changed from flatish in shape to pear shaped. The bulge is even on both sides and its in the same area as the pink patch is. Could she be carrying eggs or is something more sinister at work :crazy:

Sorry the pictures arent so fantastic but i hope theres something you guys can make of it:

P1070724.jpg


P1070715.jpg


Hope someone can fill me in with info on this :)
Regards
Jorel
 
This is not normal.
Need some more information.

What are water test results.
Water chnage routine.
Size of tank and substrate
Other occupants.
Diet - what foods do you feed
Have you added anything new to the tank.

Are there any scales protruding

It looks like it may be Dropsy, the information will help.
 
This is not normal.
Need some more information.

What are water test results.
Water chnage routine.
Size of tank and substrate
Other occupants.
Diet - what foods do you feed
Have you added anything new to the tank.

Are there any scales protruding

It looks like it may be Dropsy, the information will help.

Water results: Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrates vary between 5 and 10

Waterchange: 25% per week
Tank size 30g
Substrate: Black flourite sand (eco complete below that)
Other occupants: Lamchop rasboras, guppies, pleco, Bronzeshoulder corys
Diet: Mostly flake (Tetrafin or something) with some of the tetrafin blood worms, daphnia or brineshrimp in jelly once a week or fortnight.
No scales protruding.

The only other change in her is that shes become more colourful.

:( guessing something sinister is at work






tank temp? feed a few peas too to see if it is bloat or constipation.

temp is 26 degrees - was told this is fine by lfs and other people who i know have kept them and bred them succesfully for years

What sort of peas? If i defrost ones from the freezer is that ok?
 
Really temp should be 28-30 degrees. Depending on you corries they may not handle that temp.

The fact she has become more colourful is not good, they often do this before dying.

The diet is not great, should have plenty of variety including live and frozen foods they are particularly fond of spirulina which is an algae based food that is full of vitamins and goodness.

How well do you vac and stir the substrate and has this been disturbed recently following a period where it has not.

My guess is it is probably dropsy, try the pea, but you may well need to treat.

I cook a few frozen peas for about 15-20 seconds in the microwave then take off the shell. Crush the inside with your finger as you put it in the tank. If it does not work do you have a quaranteen tank and are any oter fish showing any signs. Also are you in the US or UK.
 
My ram completely lost it's color before it passed =/
 
Really temp should be 28-30 degrees. Depending on you corries they may not handle that temp.

The fact she has become more colourful is not good, they often do this before dying.

The diet is not great, should have plenty of variety including live and frozen foods they are particularly fond of spirulina which is an algae based food that is full of vitamins and goodness.

How well do you vac and stir the substrate and has this been disturbed recently following a period where it has not.

My guess is it is probably dropsy, try the pea, but you may well need to treat.

I cook a few frozen peas for about 15-20 seconds in the microwave then take off the shell. Crush the inside with your finger as you put it in the tank. If it does not work do you have a quaranteen tank and are any oter fish showing any signs. Also are you in the US or UK.

OH yeah forgot about the sinking pellets for my pleco which has the algae stuff in the rams demolish them.

I make sure i vac everywhere i can possibly vac and get out anything and everything. Now that you mention it my brother got into my room and decided it was fun to play with my arrangements so a lot of substrate got kicked up, could it be this?

I have one other fish behaving oddly, a female yellow guppy, since the other day she has been hanging aroung the top of the tank near the filter. Everyone else is fine

Will try the peas now and keep an eye on here for any replys from you guys, thanks for everything so far btw.

Really temp should be 28-30 degrees. Depending on you corries they may not handle that temp.

The fact she has become more colourful is not good, they often do this before dying.

The diet is not great, should have plenty of variety including live and frozen foods they are particularly fond of spirulina which is an algae based food that is full of vitamins and goodness.

How well do you vac and stir the substrate and has this been disturbed recently following a period where it has not.

My guess is it is probably dropsy, try the pea, but you may well need to treat.

I cook a few frozen peas for about 15-20 seconds in the microwave then take off the shell. Crush the inside with your finger as you put it in the tank. If it does not work do you have a quaranteen tank and are any oter fish showing any signs. Also are you in the US or UK.

OH yeah forgot about the sinking pellets for my pleco which has the algae stuff in the rams demolish them.

I make sure i vac everywhere i can possibly vac and get out anything and everything. Now that you mention it my brother got into my room and decided it was fun to play with my arrangements so a lot of substrate got kicked up, could it be this?

I have one other fish behaving oddly, a female yellow guppy, since the other day she has been hanging aroung the top of the tank near the filter. Everyone else is fine

Will try the peas now and keep an eye on here for any replys from you guys, thanks for everything so far btw.
 
There are two differnt observations Bagu before a ram dies. First when something is very wrong the colours intensify, they can also do this with Nitrite poisoning (not the case here as Nitrites 0). Just before they die they do lose all colour.
Does not mean they cannot be saved, is an indication something is very wrong.

The substrate being messed with could be the cause but it could not. Dropsy is usually Aeromonas sp. whereas if it was from the substrate it would be anaerobic, however if some oxygen is available this environment would support Aeromonas.

Usually you see drospy is an indication of bad water quality or poor maintenance, your tests and WC schedule seem fine.

I am definately thinking there may be bacterial infection there, particularly in combination with the guppy.


What country are you in Windhopper, will affect which meds you use.
 
I just had my girl Ram die of internal parasites.
She was particularly beautiful the day before she died, so I can definitely back up the color-intensification. =(
 
There are two differnt observations Bagu before a ram dies. First when something is very wrong the colours intensify, they can also do this with Nitrite poisoning (not the case here as Nitrites 0). Just before they die they do lose all colour.
Does not mean they cannot be saved, is an indication something is very wrong.

The substrate being messed with could be the cause but it could not. Dropsy is usually Aeromonas sp. whereas if it was from the substrate it would be anaerobic, however if some oxygen is available this environment would support Aeromonas.

Usually you see drospy is an indication of bad water quality or poor maintenance, your tests and WC schedule seem fine.

I am definately thinking there may be bacterial infection there, particularly in combination with the guppy.


What country are you in Windhopper, will affect which meds you use.

Im in the UK.

Just fed some peas to tank inhabitants - I have NEVER in my life seen such a feeding frenzy. The female ram is gobbling up the peas like theyre going out of fashion so that should help shouldnt it if its constipation?
 
If its constipation it will help. Peas are an excellent source of roughage for fish and they all usually like them.

UK is easier for me as I am here too.

See how they are tommorrow and get back to us (you won't be able to buy meds tommorrow being Easter with the trading laws for Easter Sunday) so monday is the earliest you will get them unless you know anyone with some.

There will be one thing you could possibly do if you can get some. If it is dropsy, a bath in Epsom salts can help a great deal with the bloating. If you need dosage for this get back to me tommorrow, will be around late morning - afternoon.
 
If its constipation it will help. Peas are an excellent source of roughage for fish and they all usually like them.

UK is easier for me as I am here too.

See how they are tommorrow and get back to us (you won't be able to buy meds tommorrow being Easter with the trading laws for Easter Sunday) so monday is the earliest you will get them unless you know anyone with some.

There will be one thing you could possibly do if you can get some. If it is dropsy, a bath in Epsom salts can help a great deal with the bloating. If you need dosage for this get back to me tommorrow, will be around late morning - afternoon.

Hey the bulging has gone down quite a bit, and the yellow guppy is swimming around again. I noticed though today that there are some fish that are flicking on leaves and have long white stringy poos. What would help get rid of this? I have to be careful though as i have apple snails in the tank which i would rather not kill off, would an epsom salt bath help with internal and external nasties?
 
Have PM'd Wilder to have a look.

She is good with meds and seeing as you have Invertebrates there may be problems treating.

Wilder may well ask for a lot more info first.

Don't go down the bath route, no need to now.
 
Have PM'd Wilder to have a look.

She is good with meds and seeing as you have Invertebrates there may be problems treating.

Wilder may well ask for a lot more info first.

Don't go down the bath route, no need to now.


OK thanks :)
 

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