Fat Otto Or Something Else?

[mikster]

I have just noticed one of my otocinclus is very fat, the other two are normal sized and this one looks veyr odd in comparison, is it ill in some way? egg laden perhaps, although i heae they are very hard to breed which is why im concerned its illness.

The tank is a 5 gallon cube tank with 3 ottos and a dwarf puffer, been running over a year, externally filtered, change at least 1/3 of the water weekly, heavily planted. i have enclosed some pictures.

Normal sized one for comparison

 

[mikster]

Ok from doing more research i now believe this fish is heavily egg laden as it appears perfectly healthy and active and its ovipositer seems to be extruded. Emergency over i think...

 

[WILDER]

It looks very bloated to me.
Do you feed any veg to the oto.

 

[mikster]

The tank is heavily algaefied (sp?) so they just eat that, ive since come to the opinion that is it carrying eggs as it is very active still and on closer inspection its ovipositor is sticking out, i just hope the males hurry up and do the business as i would be well chuffed if i managed to breed otocinclus, ive already bred corydoras sterbai and they are supposed to be hard.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Some peas woundn't go amiss.

 

[Saedcantas]

To be quite honest, I think this looks like latter stages of dropsy, the fish has popeyes and it's gills appear very red in the picture.

What are your water parameters? There may be an underlying problem here.

 

[CarbonDreams]

I agree, I would be a little worried. even a egg laden otto shouldnt have eyes bulging out of its head like that. keep us posted.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry didn't notice the eyes was worried how bloated the fish looked.

Popeye and dropsy go hand in hand as its a build up of fluids.

 

[aaronnorth]

Thats definatley dropsy/ popeye. Does its scales protrude at all? It is very hard to cure and very infectious, get it in a quarintine asap if possible, it is easier to cure in earlier stages

 

[mikster]

Yeah i have now realised its not eggs as it is far too fat, it still seems ok but im definately going to quarantine it tomorrow, my water stats are ok, all my tanks are zero ammonia and nitrite and my nitrates are usally around 15, all my tanks are heavily planted with 30% weekly water changes and the small ones have nano external filters on. I will have to re set up my small tank tomorrow, any ideas on treatment?

EDIT: Just tested the water again since youve highlighted the illness of the fish and they are exactly as i thought they were ammonia and nitrite read 0 and nitrate is somewhere between 10 and 20.

 

[WILDER]

You will need anti internal bacteria med by interpet, but looking at the fish it could be to late.
Good luck.

 

[mikster]

Well the fish is still alive, ive put it in a quarantine tank with a small matured filter from another tank and ive added an air stone and dosed with tetra medica general tonic as its the only suitable medication i have right now and im at work all day tomorrow so it will have to do and as you say its not looking too good for the little fellow, wish i had seen it sooner, the tank is heavily planted and they can be quite elusive.

 

[WILDER]

A tonic no good but keeping fingers crossed.