Bloated Praecox

flowerslegacy

Looks like I'm getting ready to lose another Praecox. I posted another thread titled, "Dropsy?Bloated? Upside down w/pic" but he died within 15 minutes of him showing any signs of sickness. He was only slightly bloated. He hid a lot, but I assumed it was because he was not the alpha male. I couldn't tell if he was gasping because it wasn't overly obvious. Praecox have a natural mouth movement anyway. I assumed it was because I overfed brine shrimp. My gobies on the bottom won't eat peas.

Now I have a female who is completely bloated and starting to gasp. So I fasted the tank for 2 days and fed peas. She's active and eating but I haven't seen her poop at all. She appears to have a slight orange spot on her side, which I can only assume is internal bleeding? She's in QT and I'm starting epsom. Should I treat the tank for bacteria? If so, what should I use? Does anyone have any suggestions on what is going on with my Praecox? Thanks.


1. Size of tank? 25 gal

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? 0
b. Nitrite? 0
c. Nitrate? 10
d. pH, KH and GH? 8.0
e. Test kit? API Master Kit

3. Temperature? 80

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? FW

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? 5 mo.

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them? 3 bumblebee gobies and 6 praecox rainbows. Gobies are adults, praecox are teens. I've had the gobies for 5 mo's and the praecox for 2 mos.

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)? No.

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants? All fake
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom? Gravel
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors? Nothing fancy. 1 cave, 1 cichlid stone (that's never used), lots of fake plants.

9. a. Filtration? Yes. Two: one Aquaclear and one Aqueon
b. Heater? Yes

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? Lights on at 8:30a, off at 9:00p. Standard flourescent lighting that came with tank set up.
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? Indirect sun from the curtains being open all day.

11. a. Water change schedule? Weekly
b. Volume of water changed? 50%
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? Tap water
d. Water conditioner used? Prime
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? Every time

12. Foods? Brine Shrimp, occasionally Spectrum
How often are they fed? 2x day

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms? Suddenly upside down, appears bloated, pineconing
b. Appearance of poop? Haven't seen it yet
c. Appearance of gills? Starting to gasp

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? No, just noticed it
b. What meds were used? n/a

15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.

Attached Images

000_3440.jpg (90.8 KB, 14 views)

GwenInNM

I'm reading that a good overall med for many bacterial infections is metronidazole, which you can find in API General Cure. Though I just lost a fish, and like you, saw symptoms and he was dead that quick, despite quickly putting him in a QT tank with the meds. I'm beginning to think some fish just have weak genetics and will never make it long, no matter what great water quality you have.

I started with five of the neon dwarf rainbows, lost 2 females for no apparent reason, within a month of the other, and like you I have very good water parameters. Your tank is a bit small for rainbows however. I have live plants. Now my male dwarf rainbow has a tumor, but he is doing okay.

Just the luck of the draw on fish stock, I'm beginning to think.

Gwen

flowerslegacy

Thank you Gwen. I don't feel so alone! I agree that my tank is too small. I ended up with a shoal of praecox "by accident". I purchased my male first, being told by the LFS that they were a solitary fish. Immediate research taught me otherwise. I purchased the smallest amount advisable so he would at least have a shoal to live alongside. I'll do one dose of Genereal Cure just to be safe, as I'm hoping I don't lose anymore. All of my betta tanks are planted and my next project is my praecox tank - if they'll stay alive! I'm certain this bloated female won't make it, but of course I have to try. Thanks again for the reponse. I appreciate it!