Help! Bloating!

[superoscar]

Hi, my Oscar became very bloated about two weeks ago. Thinking that he is constipated I stopped feeding him a week ago and have been trying to get him to eat green peas but he just chews them up and spits them out. His stomach is still bloated and he really wants to eat but I don't want to give him normal food and make it worse. Its been so long since he ate I'm getting worried...aside from the peas is there anything else I can do? I've heard some suggest a salt bath...he's a big fish (12 inches) I'd rather leave this as a last resort. Any ideas?

 

[Tolak]

Use epsom salt, it's nothing drastic at all. Start with 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons, increase by a teaspoon per 10 gallons daily for a couple of days for a maximum of 3 teaspoons per 10 gallons. I used it, along with metronidazole when my oscar was tiny & had an internal parasite problem. I've used epsom with angels countless times, it's a good thing to have around when dealing with cichlids.

Bloating is usually caused by an improper diet. What are you feeding him?

 

[superoscar]

Yeah it was definately a result of a poor diet. He grew picky and would only eat cichlid pellets and freeze dried Krill. Doesn't sound too bad but thats all he ate for months so it obviously caught up to him. Are Epsum salts safe to add to his main tank or do I have to move him? There are no other fish in the tank.

 

[Tolak]

Epsom salt is safe for catfish & other scaleless fish, unlike aquarium salt. It's fine to add to the main tank.

Oscars do need some veggies in their diet, mine gets zuccini on a regular basis, as it's what I feed my plecs. He also likes algae tabs & veggie pellets, along with the usual oscar fare such as cichlid pellets, beefheart, & bloodworms.

 

[superoscar]

Great advice, I'll see if I can find some Epsom salt at my lfs. I'll experiment with some various types of veggies as well and see if I can break him out of his junk food habits. Thanks for your help!

 

[morgan]

Cooked, shelled peas are good too. Clears them out (sorry! but it does). Don't give them too often, I give them once a week.

 

[Tolak]

Pretty any veggie except corn is good. I feed my plecs quite a variety, depending on what we are eating, & always try different veggies on my fish.

 

[superoscar]

I've been trying to feed him veggies but he's way too picky. He wants nothing to do with them. He didn't eat for a week and still wouldn't touch them...now thats stubborn