HELP! Bloated Jag. NOT Dropsy. Cant figure it out

[Ang]

Hi.
I have a seven'ish year old Jaguar.

He has been developing an unexplained huge belly.
I noticed it develop rather quickly over the span of a week, then its stayed this way, getting slightly larger over the last couple weeks.
Water is stable

125 Gallon - FX5, Aquaclear HOB
PH 7
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
He doesnt have Dropsy. His scales are not protruding.
He is the only fish in the tank.
He is eating normally. - Spectrum pellets.
He is pooping.
He is acting completely normal.

I have done water changes
I have given him food soaked in epsom salt a few times.... (but he seems to be pooping so... yeah)

THE ONLY THING I can think of is that I fed him a couple big grass hoppers before this started. But i've done that plenty of times. And they werent fed together. I caught one outside one day and another a few days later.... Could it be from that??

WTF is his deal? He looks egg bound!! But its a male.... at least that i'm aware of.
HELP

The first 2 pictures of from 2 weeks ago.
The last 2 pictures are from today.

 

[MrsE88]

Worms or tumor?

What does his poop look like?

 

[Ang]

Worms or tumor?

What does his poop look like?

It looks exactly the way it was when he ate it. Same color. Small little balls of poo. No white stringy stuff...
I'm thinking i need to try Metro or something? I've tried everything else already. I even tried shelled pees.
The only thing I havent done is an Epsom Salt bath, but if feeding him epsom salt didnt work i'm afraid to go the route of a bath with an angry 15" Jaguar...

 

[PYRU]

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/treating-hexamita-aka-spironucleus.523470/

Odd this is what I would do.

 

[MrsE88]

Yeah, I'm guessing he'll be hard to handle. Lol

I think giving metro a try couldn't hurt. Can you see any red thread like things coming from his anus when he poops?

 

[Ang]

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/treating-hexamita-aka-spironucleus.523470/

Odd this is what I would do.

Wow, this is great! Thanks. So maybe i just need to feed it to him more.

I think its bad enough now i may also do metro. Usually meds are a last resort for me, but he is so huge i swear he's going to explode!
Thanks for that link!

I'll get some API general cure at the store today and just treat once with that and continue feeding epsom salt.
I'll post updates.

 

[Wailua Boy]

I would start with a Epsom salt bath and then progress to metro, if needed; since there are toxicity concerns with metro.

 

[Ang]

could an internal bacterial issue be the cause?
Feeding epsom soaked pellets and metro hasnt yeilded any results yet.

he still acts normal and eats (which is great)

But his belly is still huge.

Should i continue feeding epsom soaked pellets and keep waiting?

I have seen no white stringy poop.
No listlessness
No flashing or darting
No constipation (he's pooping plenty)
No NOTHING.

This is so frustrating. Every time I get a fish with an issue, I can never seem to resolve it no matter how hard I try.

 

[Wailua Boy]

Internal bacterial infections are usually difficult to treat since once the fish are showing swelling the infection is usually far advanced.

Looking at your pics I would learn more towards GI issue like impaction. You could try worming with PraziPro or similar, if you havent already; just to elimimate that possibility.

Also be sure to be giving Epsom salt baths since food soaks will not have the same effect.

 

[Ang]

Internal bacterial infections are usually difficult to treat since once the fish are showing swelling the infection is usually far advanced.

Looking at your pics I would learn more towards GI issue like impaction. You could try worming with PraziPro or similar, if you havent already; just to elimimate that possibility.

Also be sure to be giving Epsom salt baths since food soaks will not have the same effect.

thanks!
I gave him Internal parasite guard. (metro, prazi)
I dont really want to dose again with that.

So a bath would be more beneficial then? Ugh. ok. lol
He's so big, but I'll give it a try! Should I just use the tank water that has the meds in it still for the bath, or do a water change, remove meds and then do a bath?