sunken belly

[Dred]

Hi all

I bought two new fish at the weekend, two swordtails. One is not looking too good. She sits at the bottom of the tank or under a rock for most of the day and looking at her her belly looks sunken. I've looked at the pinned topics and it suggests it may be internal papasites or fish TB or bacterial infection.

I've checked the water parameters and all is OK - Nitrite and ammonia zero, Nitrate 12.5mg/l, pH 8.5 (same as our tap water). She is eating although she does not swim to the surface with the rest of her buddies but waits mid tank for bits to fall past her.

Has anyone had a similar experience, what can I do for her?

Thanks

 

[Toadfish]

Well it's one of two things, either it's good or it's bad. If it's good "she" is pregnent and is sticking to herself because she is an easy target to be attacked, the fact that she is eating is a good sign. If it's bad it's either Dropsy or in the rare case it might be TB (in my experience this is rare and usually found in gouramis) and if this is the case theres no real treatment. So you opptions are to raise the temperature and do water changes and hope for the best or sadly euthenize the fish. Personally I 'd stick it out and if it gets worse and she stops eating for a couple days then euthenize her.

 

[Dred]

Thanks Toadfish!

oh how thick am I! I lost one of my other swordtails a week ago to Dropsy (pine cone scales gave it away). I had had her for several months and just didn't make the connection. I didn't think dropsy was contagious, but perhaps it is. I didn't know that they went thin with dropsy before they swell but then I,m quite a newbie to this game.

May be its poor diet, I feed dried fish flakes, algae flakes, sinking pellets and occasionally shelled peas (which they all love). I will get some daphnia tomorrow.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Toadfish]

No more suggestions, food sounds like a good diet, but I would suggest don't add more fish for a couple weeks until the dropsy is definitly gone. The stressed new comers are suceptable to diseases so it's best to wait. In the mean time do water changes every other day to amke sure you get rid of the dropsy.

 

[Dred]

New development.

She is 'playing' in the bubbles at the back of the tank and looks like she is 'flashing' against the pebbles, plants and ornaments. Could this be ich too?

Should I just bite the bullet and euthinase her?

Any suggestions welcome.

 

[WILDER]

Sunken in bellys is internal parasites just lost a plec to internal parasites and that had a sunken in tummy, what colour is the poo.

 

[Dred]

Hi Wilder

I haven't seen her poo recently, but all our other fish seem OK, normal brown poo.
She didn't eat the peas I dropped in last night, she wasn't that interested but our other fish gobbled them up in no time.

What meds do you recommend for internal parasites? I can go to our fish store this afternoon. Would raising the temp or adding salt help?

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

there isn't one I had to use cat worming tablets, pig worming tablets if you can get your hands on them, some other members might no a good remedy for internal parasites, you will have to medicate the whole tank, make sure it is internal parasites first, good luck.

 

[Dred]

Hi guys
thanks for all your help. I think the problem may have solved itself. She is looking much better all of a sudden and has started to fill out and get a better fishy shape.

May be the blood worm did the trick, and may be she is just settling in to her new environment.

Any way thanks for taking the trouble to reply to my plea for help!

 

[WILDER]

Glad to hear that just keep an eye on her.