Constipated Fish And Going On Vication

[Mikaila31]

In two days i'm living for vacation and i have a male molly that is consipated. He's been constipated for 5 days now and refuses to eat peas. I have him in a large net breeder and i know he is hungary because he goes crazy when i feed the other fish. Is there anythimg else i can feed him besides peas(i can't get any cod liver oil). and we will have people coming once every day to feed the animals and they probably have no experience with fish. So when we leave should i let him out of the net breeder(i will be gone for 4-5 days) or will he be fine in there.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

When you say he is constipated what exactly are his symtoms and what are all the foods you have tried to feed him over the last 2 weeks? Are his scale sticking out/pine coning at all or does he just look very fat/bloated? Waht does his poop look like? Does he have any lumps on his body and are there any other symtoms he is displaying and how are the other fish?

 

[Mikaila31]

He just looks very bloated and he hasn't pooped in around 5 days. I've tried to get him to eat peas and a medicated food but refuses to eat them. I've fed my other fish their normal food(tetracolor flakes, frezze dried blood worms, and alge pills) but when the dalmation molly got sick i started feeding them peas and the medicated food, and they all look OK.

 

[WILDER]

If the fish isn't eating you might have to try the cod liver oil method.

http/www.bobstropicalfish.com/constipation.html

 

[Mikaila31]

yeah i want to do the cod liver method but i'm leaving for vacation tommarow. The people who r going to care for our animal are coming in a few hours. I'm supose to tell them what they r going to do while we r gone. So what should i do with the constipated fish should i leave him in the net breeder or let him out. And should i try to do the cod liver method before i leave?

 

[WILDER]

If you do the cod liver oil method the fish must be issolated as he not able to eat for two days.

 

[Tolak]

Try epsom salt in the water, start with 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons. Increase by 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons for 3 days to 3 teaspoons per gallon.

Add a dose now, leave instructions to add the proper amount for a couple of days. Mix the epsom in a cup of tank water before adding to the tank. You can treat the whole tank, letting the ill fish out of the breeder net.

Tolak

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Try epsom salt in the water, start with 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons. Increase by 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons for 3 days to 3 teaspoons per gallon.

Add a dose now, leave instructions to add the proper amount for a couple of days. Mix the epsom in a cup of tank water before adding to the tank. You can treat the whole tank, letting the ill fish out of the breeder net.

Tolak

He has catfish and danios who are intolerant of the salt so it won't do the tank any good, salt is not realy a constipation med anyways. I would take him out of the breeding net as well, mollys are too big for them and he's been in there for way too long anyways, he will not get better anytime if he is stressed out- personally i would just tell who ever is looking after your fish while you are gone to under feed them for a bit, fish like mollys can go for up to 2weeks without food so they won't starve or anything .

 

[Tolak]

Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, totally different from aquarium salt, which is sodium chloride. I've used it with a variety of fish, including plecs, corys & danios, with no ill effect. It's a natural medication, and a good starting point before trying more serious medications such as antibiotics. It can be used along with just about any medication I can think of in a freshwater setup.

Tolak