Prolapse Or Parasite?

[Azaezl]

Hi,

My blue gourami has appeared constipated for a few days so I've tried to treat her(starved for a day and then tried pea), but it has done nothing, she nibbled the pea once but since she hasn't eaten. I'm getting very concerned as she hasn't eaten(to my knowledge) in 3 days, she's hanging at the surface alot (although at night she gets a bit more active) and looks bloated.

To my absolute horror I noticed today that she has some sort of black(with tiny whiteish spots) protrusion(sp?) at first I thought perhaps it was a huge poo and waited, then something started to come out which was absolutely awful. It's like a very wide clear yellow poo that has bits in, best way i can describe it is like clear yellow eggs stuck togther in a line. She seems slightly better since having this 'poo' as she's swimming around now and again.

I'm really worried about her, should I isolate her or would the stress of being moved do more harm than good. Is it a parasite, a prolapsed anus or really bad constipation?

Here's some pics, I've circled the black protrusion and the yellow poo so it can be seen more easily;

 

[paulf]

It looks like constipation caused by an internal bacteria from the description and the pics, I would try Flubenol 15 and interpet N0.9, it doesnt look good at all, I hope it gets better

 

[black angel]

is there a male in the tank?
usually when females get egg bound they can absorb them back, but sometimes they expel instead and wouldnt look like that.
i agree theres something wrong with her and maybe the eggs have become infected and now she has to try and clear them out. all you can do is watch and wait to see if the infection clears up. how long have you had her and has there been any new fish recently introduced that could be a parasite carrier?

 

[Azaezl]

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated

I've had her for about 5 weeks now, her previous owner did mention that they found eggs in the tank once before but didn't know who'd laid them. There's an opaline gourami in with her but I'm 90% positive that's a female anyway, wasn't sure how long they held on to eggs for.

I got 2 baby BN plecs 2 weeks ago but from a reliable source and they are fine, whatever the protrusion was it seems to have gone back inside her, you can just about still see it if you look at her from underneath. Reason I thought it might have been eggs is the opaline was nibbling whatever the yellow stuff was, YUK!, maybe it's just not a picky eater, plus it seemed far too wide to be poo but I am new to all this so I'm prob wrong about how big a poo a gourami can do.

 

[paulf]

What ever is wrong looks internal to me, if you have some numbr 9, I would suggest adding it and seeing how it goes

 

[black angel]

Its good shes looking better. If the same thing happens in a couple of weeks then its probably egg related, as thats usually the length of time for each lot of eggs to form.

 

[Azaezl]

Ok I've put some bacterial med in just to be safe but my husband forgot to tell me that he saw her force a few yellowy blobs out a week or so ago, could it be eggs? Didn't think she'd have any with her being the only blue gourami and I think the opaline is female so no chance of cross breeding. She's eaten a little food today and is swimming around a bit now, she seems alot better just not 100%, she still hangs at the surface for a few mins but then swims around. Fingers crossed she'll get better soon, thanks for all the help

 

[black angel]

female fish are continually making eggs and if theres no male around then she will either absorb them or release them.
it sounds like yours has an internal infection and you would need to add something to the food to help clear it, but i dont know of any bacterial med that fish can eat.

 

[paulf]

female fish are continually making eggs and if theres no male around then she will either absorb them or release them.
it sounds like yours has an internal infection and you would need to add something to the food to help clear it, but i dont know of any bacterial med that fish can eat.

As per my suggestions above theres definatly an internal parasite problem there wether the fish is full of eggs or constipated


using meds that you add to food are not the best as its usually the sick fish that doesnt eat or get the food.
Either try Interpet Number 9 on its own or use it with flubenol 15 to be sure of killing any internal parasite problems that might be harming the fish