Deja Vu

[sjcneedshelp123]

hi guys,
a couple of months ago i posted asking for advice for my harlequin which looked 'pregnant'
since then its condition deteriorated, we euthanised it because it couldnt swim/eat/looked very painful.

as i say its been around a month or two since this happened, now another harlequin is beginning to grow in size.

i feed these fish crushed cichlid pellets, this leads me to think it may be constipation.

is there anything i can do to solve this?

NB: ive had the fish 1.5-2 years, and are trying to ween them back onto tropical flakes.

cheers,
SJC


UPDATE: the situation is getting worse, the harlequin is growing in size and isnt feeding at all on the peas, even after a few days of no feeding. is there any kind of med that would sort the problem?

 

[smegforbrains]

I think 2 years is about the life expectancy of Harlequins.


However, for constipation, I would recommend peas. Boiled and left to cool. Shell them and squidge into the tank. One or two max in the tank twice a week should keep them regular

 

[Colin_T]

You could try an algae flake like spirulina, or add some fresh or partly cooked veges to their diet. Try peas, corn, pumpkin, zucchini, etc.
Harlequins only live for a couple of years normally so it is possible your fish are getting old and starting to suffer age related ailments. If you are concerned about them dieing from the same thing, you could get one autopsied by a fish vet. That would give you an accurate diagnosis but it does cost a bit of money.

 

[sjcneedshelp123]

sounds good, thanks guys.