Community Tank And Feeding

[PrairieSunflower]

Right... so I posted in the species specific section about my really fat female neon tetra. I had been worried about her size until I realized she had learned to top feed along side my guppies whereas not a single other neon has figured that out and waits for leftovers to drop...

I think my tank needs to go on a bit of a fasting to help her out... at least that is my thought.

My stocking is 6 female guppies, 2 female platies, 13 neon tetras (all fish are of adult age) and various ages of cherry shrimp.

What would be an advisable time period of a fasting? 1-2 days and observe if there is a difference?

When I say she is getting fat, I really mean it... unfortunately my display screen has broken on my camera and I am unable to take a picture.

There is no sign of this being anything such as dropsy and she is not unwell in any way.

 

[Mikey1]

there is no harm in not feeding for 2 days if thats what your asking,
 
fish are constantly picking at crap on the bottom of the tank anyway,
 
2 days is nothing, no worries
 
although i dont really see what this is going to accomplish

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Well... I am hoping in the case that maybe there is something else going on besides that girl really likes to eat.. like constipation or something like that... that not eating may clear her system.

On a weird note... I've never seen a neon poop... any of them! LOL

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Thought I'd add a couple photos of my fat neon... sorry they are lousy as I had to use my phone since my digital camera is broken.

 

[lee420]

i feed mime twice a day but dont give them too much so they still nibble at things around the tank to keep it clean

 

[PrairieSunflower]

I feed my tank twice too and just little bits... I've even started substituting some meals with algae wafers as part of a diet.

The picture doesn't do her justice... she is literally round.

 

[Mikey1]

that is not from over eating.....if shes not preggo (which isnt likely) i wouldnt expect her to live much longer

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Hmmm... I am wondering, though, if it is all of the above and something else too.

I do have a lot of courting activity in the tank, she does eat from the surface as well as more than the others... I did read something online about being egg bound and that causing decomposition and bloating... hope its not that.

 

[PrairieSunflower]

A little update.

I have been feeding the tank algae wafers for 2 days then regular feeding for 1 day then repeat and my one neon has gone down slightly in side. She is still easy to tell from the other females but not looking like she will burst. She has mostly lost weight towards the front, around and just behind her gills.