Need Help With Extremely Bloated Parrot Fish

[dml52186]

I adopted this guy about 2 months ago from a fish store that I buy all of my fish from. He was found in an abandoned house, floating upside down in a tank with just a few inches of water. I assume his diet consisted of what ever fell in the tank. He had been in the store for about 2 weeks before I got him and he was on a all-pea diet. They gave me some swim-bladder disease medication to help him but it seems like it's done nothing. He's also been on a diet of nothing but peas for 2 months. He's gone 10 days without food before and the problem still remained. I just put him in his own 20 gallon so he could eat his peas with out the other fish getting to them first. As time goes on his side is getting bigger and bigger. When I put pressure on his side it feels like he's full of air. I'm getting really desperate and thinking about taking him to a vet that performs surgery on fish. Does anyone have any advice? Thank you!

 

[tropic_john]

I think it might be dropsy [most unlikely due to the scales not sticking out] Wilder, we need your help!

_TJ

 

[dml52186]

I think it might be dropsy [most unlikely due to the scales not sticking out] Wilder, we need your help!

_TJ

Thank you! I just cranked the heat up in his private tank to 86 degrees Fahrenheit and will be picking up some Epsom Salt tomorrow. Is there anything else I can do that will help his chances of survival?

 

[WILDER]

Bless him. Never seen anything like it before.


Epson salt baths to help draw the fluids out.
What your location for a bacterial med.
is his anus enlarged or red and inflamed.

What does it look like when he goes to the toilet.

Peas are good but its not constipation.
Feed him some other foods but not bloodworms as they can bloat fish up. He need some vitamin.
Soak his food in garlic juice to boost his immune system.
Try some frozen daphnia is helps the fish digest its food.

Does the lump on his back look hard of soft like filled with fluid.

 

[dml52186]

Bless him. Never seen anything like it before.


Epson salt baths to help draw the fluids out.
What your location for a bacterial med.
is his anus enlarged or red and inflamed.

What does it look like when he goes to the toilet.

Peas are good but its not constipation.
Feed him some other foods but not bloodworms as they can bloat fish up. He need some vitamin.
Soak his food in garlic juice to boost his immune system.
Try some frozen daphnia is helps the fish digest its food.

Does the lump on his back look hard of soft like filled with fluid.

I'll go pick up some bacterial medication and garlic juice from the store right now. His anus is very large and red. When he goes to the bathroom the food comes out looking like it was never digested. The lump is not hard at all and feels like it's filled with fluid. Thank you so much for your help!

 

[divegirl]

No advice...but bless you for helping him

Poor baby....he looks like you could pop him with a pin Definatley go with the Epsom salts.

Wilder...what are the red spots in the second pic....the start of scepticimia [sp]?

Lisa x

 

[lalo99]

I doubt its dropsy. The fish would never have lasted that long. Once a fish starts to show the pinecone look, there is nothing you could do for it. Also if it were bloat it would be dead already. With bloat once a fish starts to show the signs of bloat ( by getting larger) its also too late. It is believed bloat is cause by internal parasites. The bloating come when the parasites penetrate the intestine walls and enter the body cavity. Once that happens nothing can be done. My guess is a swim bladder problem. That’s why its upside down. Due to teh poor conditions the fish ewas kept in, it's probably a number of problems. The chances of you saving this fish are slim to none. I know this is tough to hear. The best thing you could do for it is to euthanize the fish. Clove oil will work well. Also putting the fish in a freezer will work. The fish will go to sleep as the temp drops and never wake up.

 

[lalo99]

One thing to try before euthanizing the fish is to check out a condition called float. An air bubble getting caught in a fish causes this. Its more common in Frontosas, but it is possible with other fish. A needle is inserted into the abdomen and the air is drawn out. Look it up. The may even be a video on youtube.com about getting the air out.

 

[WILDER]

Tiny red pin prick marks on fish can be parasites to septicemia.
Red inflamed anus can be dropsy to internal parasites.

Poor thing never seen anything like it. His body dosn't look right either.

It could be internal parasites with a bacterial infection on top.