Help... Wag Male Bloated
- Thread starter Asilab
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Circulation won't cause (or cure) this.
I'm going to have to ask you a lot of questions, sorry!
How big is your tank, how long has it been set up, was it cycled and how many and what kinds of fish do you have?
Have you tested the water (and if so, what were the results), done a water change, done anything to your filter?
I'm afraid to say, once fish are that badly bloated, they usually don't survive, but you could try a salt bath (2 tablespoons of aquarium salt; not normal table salt in a gallon of water taken from your tank; leave the fish in for 20 minutes).
I'm going to have to ask you a lot of questions, sorry!
How big is your tank, how long has it been set up, was it cycled and how many and what kinds of fish do you have?
Have you tested the water (and if so, what were the results), done a water change, done anything to your filter?
I'm afraid to say, once fish are that badly bloated, they usually don't survive, but you could try a salt bath (2 tablespoons of aquarium salt; not normal table salt in a gallon of water taken from your tank; leave the fish in for 20 minutes).
It's ok I need help my fish have me stressed out. 30 gallon tank has been set up since Aug 2012 was cycled for a week prior to adding fish. I have guppies, wag platys and a placo. 2 of the guppies also have swollen bellies. Filter was replaced 3 weeks ago because my other filter died. One of the female guppies has bloated belly and a white spot on her side and white discharge.
I tested the water and it was 7.6. When I put in the new filter it was not cycled without fish in tank.
I tested the water and it was 7.6. When I put in the new filter it was not cycled without fish in tank.
Did you put any of the 'media' (that's all the stuff that lives inside your filter, probably sponges or little 'rocks' or ceramic rings) from your old filter into the new one?
I know; it's hard as newcomer to the hobby; so many things to learn!
In what we call a 'cycled' tank, there will be good bacteria living in your filter that eat the fish's wastes and stop the water becoming poisonous.
When you changed your filter, you will have lost all those good bacteria, so the toxins (ammonia and nitrite) from the fish's poo will be building up in the water and making them sick.
You need to do a big water change, making sure your new water is warm and dechlorinated. Try and change at least 95% of the water right now; leave just enough water for the fish to swim upright (don't forget to switch your heater/filter off first!) before refiling.
If you can get some test kits, for ammonia and nitrite, that would be great, so you'll know how bad the water is and how much you need to change. If you get your fish shop to test the water for you, get them to write down the actual numbers for you.
Until you can get your water tested, you should change at least half the water every day.
I feel I ought to tell you that some of these fish might die, as they might have been poisoned too badly to recover, but lots of fresh clean water is the best thing you can do
How big is your tank?
In what we call a 'cycled' tank, there will be good bacteria living in your filter that eat the fish's wastes and stop the water becoming poisonous.
When you changed your filter, you will have lost all those good bacteria, so the toxins (ammonia and nitrite) from the fish's poo will be building up in the water and making them sick.
You need to do a big water change, making sure your new water is warm and dechlorinated. Try and change at least 95% of the water right now; leave just enough water for the fish to swim upright (don't forget to switch your heater/filter off first!) before refiling.
If you can get some test kits, for ammonia and nitrite, that would be great, so you'll know how bad the water is and how much you need to change. If you get your fish shop to test the water for you, get them to write down the actual numbers for you.
Until you can get your water tested, you should change at least half the water every day.
I feel I ought to tell you that some of these fish might die, as they might have been poisoned too badly to recover, but lots of fresh clean water is the best thing you can do
How big is your tank?
That's good, but don't forget the water changes; that is the most important thing, followed by getting your water tested.
A variety of food is always good, but getting the water right is going to have to be your first priority.
As we can't know how much ammonia or nitrite there is in the water without testing, I would be doing a bigger water change to start with (that's why I said 95%; just enough for the fish to swim upright) to get the levels of any toxins right down.
After that, then you can do 50 or 60% a day.
As we can't know how much ammonia or nitrite there is in the water without testing, I would be doing a bigger water change to start with (that's why I said 95%; just enough for the fish to swim upright) to get the levels of any toxins right down.
After that, then you can do 50 or 60% a day.
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