Loose Skin?

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benzjamin13

benzjamin13

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Sep 12, 2005
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Alrighty Poly Peeps...
Thought I had it figured out, but I'm starting to second guess myself now. One of my Ornates is a fatty...I mean FATTY (maybe you've seen pics already). So I decided to separate him to see if his swollen stomach would go down if I put him in a diet. Acts fine, definitely hungry, pretty normal on the behavioral side. It's just looks like it has some looseness/lump around it's abdomen area. Any ideas?
 
No redness. Sorry for the crappy pics, but it's hard to get a direct frontal shot of him, but if you look head on, it's belly kind of just hangs there and looks loose...kind of like a Pelican's lower bill pouch.

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I want to say soft. It'll swim over the spray bar (which I have pointed up) and the water will definitely make an impression in it's belly.
 
Hey Ben,

I'm sorry to hear your ornate has some belly swelling, I hope we can save it.


I've never experienced a polypterus with pliable swelling before. Usually swelling in polypterus causes tension on the skin and it seems 'solid'.

This makes me think that instead of internal bacterial infection, you may actually have a blockage. I think you keep your bichirs over sand, right? So impaction isn't likely, but, perhaps something food related.

What do you feed?

Here's an idea I have, put the ornate in a large clear plastic bag, like a freezer size food storage bag, and hold it in front of a light, with a paper towel between the bag and the light (to soften the light, so that your eyes can see better, and the camera can get a good image if you decide to take one).

We should be able to see some opaqueness to the belly of the ornate.

If the bulge is also opaque, it is likely bacterial swelling (fluids, or inflamed tissue). But if the bulge is dark and solid inside, then it is likely blockage, and the size/shape if discernible, should give us clues as to what caused it.
 
Hey Serg,

Yup...kept in sand. I usually feed Hikari Sinking Pellets and frozen Ghost Shrimp whenever I get time to go and get them.

I'll try to get some pics using your method and post it up as soon as I can.
 
Sorry guys...pics aren't working out. I want to say it looks solid, but it's a big dark mass, unless I was looking at it's guts, lol.
 
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