Hi well I will just get striaght to the point. My electric catfish (Malapterurus electricus) is extremely bloated and I think he may have swim bladder disease. I am sure he is not just fat becuase I have him on a predators diet and he hasnt been fed for a few days. He also seems to be floating a little becuase he isn't neutraly bouyant. He isnt floating at the top or anything so it isnt horrible but I can tell he is he is working a little harder just becuase of his breathing. I have already put salt in the water to help, but I cant find to much out about this diease with catfish. It seems its fairly uncommon with catfish. I am relucant to medicate the water with melafix and stuff becuase he is a scaleless fish. The water temp. is already very high (around 84-85°F) becuse I want his opmtimal growth rate, by the way he has been at this temp for over a year and doing extremely well until now. If anyone has any addtional info or help to offer it would be greatly appreiciated. I also just did a water change and I will be keeping up with those.
Electric Catfish Swim Bladder Disease/Bloat
- Thread starter CatfishLuver
- Start date
Anyone ever experienced anything like this? I think he might just be constipated and its affecting his swim bladder but I don't know. He seems to be breatheing normaly now and he is calm and has stopped floating as much. His stomach area is still twice the size of normal, its so big he is at a 45 degree angle whenhe is laying on the bottom, almost like a see-saw. I am not sure how he got like this beacuse he hasnt been fed for quite a few days. There really isnt anything in the tank for him to eat be accident (no subrate, pvc pipe cave, few floating java fern) it is possible that he might have gotten really hungry and eaten the java fern but I don't think so.
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0.0
Nitrate: 0.0
Just put on a new filter thats why its till going through cycle. I also just added Melafix and Pimafix. He eyes are a little cloudy today and is breathing heavy again. I have been doing water changes every day. The stomach is still the same size. Should I feed him? He hasnt been fed in over a week probably a week and a half. Anyone have anything to offer.
Nitrite: 0.0
Nitrate: 0.0
Just put on a new filter thats why its till going through cycle. I also just added Melafix and Pimafix. He eyes are a little cloudy today and is breathing heavy again. I have been doing water changes every day. The stomach is still the same size. Should I feed him? He hasnt been fed in over a week probably a week and a half. Anyone have anything to offer.
Hey, CatfishLuver, what was the resolution of your cat's problem? Mine is showing very similar symptoms (although the swelling is only caudal to the anal pore, so far), and I'm not finding any real specific answers, so I'd love to know what worked for your guy. If the outcome was bad, I'm sorry. If you wouldn't mind, though, I'd still like to know what you tried, and what results you saw.
Thanks!
Thanks!
That's an unusual place for a swelling. I'd suggest to post good photos, maybe in your own thread.
Also, please follow this protocol so we could help you better:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/fish-health-diagnostics-read-before-posting.210102/
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/to-help-you-we-need-a-little-help-please.671346/
Also, please follow this protocol so we could help you better:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/fish-health-diagnostics-read-before-posting.210102/
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/to-help-you-we-need-a-little-help-please.671346/
I figured it out, and tried to include all the info in the posting protocol. The thread is titled, "electric catfish with unusual swelling".
Yup. Here is the link to Margit's thread http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/electric-catfish-with-unusual-swelling.676782/