Pleco with anal prolapse...

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

Orthopod

Dovii
MFK Member
Feb 22, 2010
553
385
102
Seattle
I have a Pleco with anal prolapse. Currently, the fish looks healthy and is still defecating and aggressively eating. Any suggestions? He's a large hypostomus species.

Long ago when I was an intern at a veterans hospital I got called for an emergency to a room where a man had herniated/ prolapsed his stoma and a fair amount of his intestines were sitting on his abdomen. I had never seen this and called my chief who directed me calmly to find a box of sugar (not easy in a hospital) and dump it on the prolapse and place a wet towel on it and come back and reassess it. The sugar served as solute drawing the water out of the intestines and sent them back into the abdomen and the patient was no worse for the wear.

Long story short, I was wondering if no one has a more tried and true solution, if I could do this with the fish with salt or epsom salt?
 
I've had this happen in the past. I've always treated the same and have been successful in all cases except for one. I raised temps to to 82-84 and used a mild dose of epsom salt. Most cleared up in a couple days.

I believe this happens to a lot of plecos and stems from a diet too high in protein, IMO. I've made the switch from Massivore/Sinking Carnivore to Sinking Cichlid Excel as a staple diet. The lower protein content and higher green component have done wonders for my plecos. I haven't had an issue since making the switch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Orthopod
shookONES said:
I've had this happen in the past. I've always treated the same and have been successful in all cases except for one. I raised temps to to 82-84 and used a mild dose of epsom salt. Most cleared up in a couple days.

I believe this happens to a lot of plecos and stems from a diet too high in protein, IMO. I've made the switch from Massivore/Sinking Carnivore to Sinking Cichlid Excel as a staple diet. The lower protein content and higher green component have done wonders for my plecos. I haven't had an issue since making the switch.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the advice.

What dose of epsom salt do you use and do you hold feedings during this time?

Thanks.
 
I've always been a fan of taking a mild approach. I don't measure out exactly, but it works out to roughly a teaspoon per 50 gallons water volume. During treatment, I don't stop feedings entirely, but I do cut WAY back.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom