Help! Red Tail Catfish with a bloated tummy.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
A

andy_helens

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 25, 2011
10
0
0
Davao, Philippines
Hi guys, it's my first time here posting at monster fish keeper and i'm also quite desperate. I have a 33-inch red tail catfish and it's been with me for 8 years and now i do believe there us something wrong with it. As you can see on the photo its belly has swollen up and its head is always hovering on top of the pond. The pond is quite big around 2 meters x 2.5 meters and is 2 feet deep and it is the only fish there. I have checked the ammonia(0.25ppm) and Ph(7.6) content and i do believe they are considered normal readings. We change the water about 50% of the water every week and clean all its excrement. I read about dropsy but i don't think its scales are the pine cone type. We do feed it frozen shrimp in small quantities every monday, wednesday & friday and I have read that bread isn't an ideal food for this catfish but for info i just want all of you to know we do feed it sometimes i estimate maybe once a week since it really is nice to look at it eating. I hope you guys can help and educate me about this guy since this is the first time i have encountered it being sick. I am currently blasting it with oxygen since it seems to always look for air and when i saw it it was swimming wildly but it has calmed down now.

IMG_2738.JPG

IMG_2739.JPG

IMG_2740.JPG
 
My sister and I keep channel cats and red tails. The most common problem with redtails is over eating. Based on a the frequency that you are feeding him I would say that he is supplementing his diet somehow. Is it possible that he ate something larger than he should have? I have seen them eat birds, turtles, etc... those all have sharp areas that could do damage to the intestines. If it were my fish I would use and oral syringe to force feed it a dose of antibiotics daily as a precaution until it passes whatever it is and would also mix a mild laxative for it to help it pass. Have you noticed any other fish missing?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
Beautiful catfish!!! The only thing i would say is have you put any decorations that arent there anymore, or have ur kids or friends dropped anything in the pond like a toy or something. Good luck and welcome to mfk


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
hi, I don't believe it has eaten anything since it is the only fish in the tank. A frog might be a possibility but if it ever swallowed a frog then this is my first time experiencing it. What kind of antibiotics do i apply? What is the dose for the antibiotic and laxative?
 
No toy since i really keep the place off limits except for a few visitors. For the decorations those are huge rocks so it's quite impossible for it to swallow them and we do feed it.
 
I have to go to my fish med closet to look... give me a minute as I'm not out of bed yet... I know... shame on me and my lazy day. Lol

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
The antibiotic I use is metronidazole from sea chem. I mix measure of it with 6ml of gel tek food for each 6" of my cat. As a laxative I use fresh boiled & skinned peas (none that would contain salt), and distilled water to thin it a bit. If I am really pressed for time I use an organic baby food pea that our local health store carries as its the only fresh one I have found without salt.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
That should read "1 measure" of the metro with 6ml gel tek. Sorry I missed a key.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
ok i'll these stuff tomorrow since all the stores are closed right now. Thanks! by the way, since its head is always sticking out of the water, would it be harmful if it dries up?
 
I would think that it would dunk its head occasionally to keep that from happening, but yes, it would be quite painful for him if it dried up and may allow bacteria or parasites to enter cracked skin. The movement of trying to stay close to the top of the water should help him dislodge whatever it is. I would also withhold any food that does not serve a medicinal purpose until it passes. You will start to notice the blackened area of the belly start to shrink from the outer edges once it has started working its way out.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom