Help with tropheus bloat please

[Poekin]

I have a 75 gallon with 6 frontosa, 5 yellow labs, 3 white calvus, 3 synodontis catfish and 1 tropheus duboisi.

I believe the tropheus is in the early stages of bloat. His appetite has gone down in the past few days. He still eats on occasion, but he isn't acting himself at all. He has begun to hide and only pecks at the food, whereas he used to go nuts at feeding time.

The poor little guy is only about 1.5". Last week our power shut off and the tank was without airation for a few hours, i think that this may have stressed him and caused the bloat.

This is my first experience with this disease, and i want to cure this poor little fish. I am in an apartment with no other tanks, otherwise i would quarantine him. Is there a possibility that this disease can spread to my other fish???

I would like to treat him without removing him from the tank if at all possible. I was reading that clout was an effective medication, but that it shouldn't be used with bottom-feeders, and since i have syno cats that kinda rules that out unless i run out and get him a little 10 gallon quarantine.

Are there any effective treatments that i can add to my main tank to help cure him and any other possibly infected fish? Or is my best bet to run out and get him a little tank and dose it with clout? Epsom salt? I feel like i've been reading all day without a clear answer.

Any help is very appreciated!

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

besides not eating alot, is there any other sign of a problem.---I would not med the tank until you know you have a problem. It sounds like the fish is stressed. The most common things that stress a fish is a bully tank mate and water problems. Test your water for ammonia and nitrite and temperature atleast. And see if that is not the source of the problem. Also adding some salt to the tank will help with stress and also help with any nitrite poisoning that may be happening.

 

[Poekin]

Thanks for the info.

His symptoms:

- He has become noticeably more shy. He hides way more
- Barely eats
- He is breathing very heavy

The other tankmates aren't showing any signs of stress. I will test the tank's parameters again but i think they are all fine.

I am nervous to add any kind of salt, because ive been reading different/conflicting information on that. Some say to add salt, some say aquarium salt only increases the bloat affect and that only epson salt should be used.

 

[sterling_mcdaniel]

that sounds like he is being picked on.

 

[Poekin]

I really haven't noticed any signs of aggression towards him. I will try to keep a closer eye on it but... the tank if very tame.

 

[BioG]

this site has a great flow chart for diagnosis http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/fish_diseases/
Heavy breathing sounds like toxicity or lack of oxygen. Are his eye at all swollen? What do you feed this tank? in any case get the temp up to 80-82 degrees. If he stops eating it's pretty much over unless you break out the big guns. It's also an option to quarantine in a bucket or a rubbermaid tub. Add new (pre-treated) water, aeration and stabilize a high temp. Put your fish in the bucket and treat with whatever med you prescribe for the symptoms. The medicine will no doubt be anti-biotic so filtration, other then aeration is irrelevant. Most meds require daily doses and water changes so follow the directions carefully. Of he is still eating you can either soak his food in an antibiotic/anti-parasitic or there are some pre-prepared, medicated foods available. When they are done eating they're usually done! Though there is a big difference between not eating at all and eating poorly so watch closely. Are his eyes swollen? Bloat is actually kind of a broad description for a few fish diseases. Hopefully he has one of the milder forms. If his eyes swell and are not cloudy this could indicate kidney failure and he is probably on his way to the light. It could also be ammonia or nitite though for some reason it never is! Sorry, I hope this helps