Treating Senegalus for Bloat

[johnnyberotten]

After learning from my "Fat Sen" post that my Senegalus has a condition called Bloat, I've started treating him and thought I'd keep everyone up to date on the ongoing treatment.
I've done lots of reading on the subject and learned there are many treatments and theories regarding this condition.

Symptoms were a extended stomach over a week with some difficulty swimming. No lose of appetite or activity. Because of this I don't feel that it is an infection but rather blocked digestive system or kidney failure causing increased stomach fluids.
I'm going to leave the antibiotic treatment as a last resort.(they cost more that the fish)

Nov. 25, 2012
Reduces feeding significantly, did a 50% water change, increased temp. to 80 and kept the tank's sea salt at 1 tbls per 5 gal.

Nov.28, 2012
Swimming better and belly slightly reduced
Tried to feed skinless cook peas to work as laxative but won't eat them.

Dec.2, 2012
Place in hospital tank with 50% tank water an 50% new with salt, water 82 degrees.
Stopped feeding completely.

Dec.4, 2012
50% water change and Epsom Salt bath (magnesium sulfate)
Sen placed in 2 liters water from tank with 1.25ml Epsom Salt for 30 minutes. Didn't seem to bother him. and put back in hospital tank.


No bowel movements noted.

I'll keep posting my treatment every couple of days good or bad.
This is my first experience with bloat and I welcome any advice.

 

[KiZZLe]

Sorry that happened to you man. Hopefully someone here can help you.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[johnnyberotten]

Dec.6,2012
48 hours after the first Epsom salt bath and he's looking a little thinner.


Gave him another Epson bath tonight with same concentration but 5 min longer than first. (20 min total).
Also fed in one carnivore pellet that soaked in Epson salt.

Looks to be getting a little better.

 

[johnnyberotten]

Dec.7,2012
12+ hours after second Epsom bath activity is high appears to have same amount of bloat..
Tank has lots of white gunk floating around in it, I'm hoping it is some of the toxins being expelled.
Did a 50% water change, and not going to feed him anything today.

Theoretical,Epsom salts should work as a laxative by creating an osmotic draw of the extracellular fluid that has build up in the body and draw it into the digestive system to be expelled.

 

[mzhantsche]

Thanks for the play by play with pictures. This thread might help someone else who is dealing with the same thing. Luckily i haven't had to deal with bloat yet but ive learned to never think i wont. Keep up the picks and good luck. Hes lucky to have a owner that will actually follow the advice to solve this problem.

Sent from my XT897 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[george09]

update pls

 

[johnnyberotten]

Dec.8,2012
Looking more lethargic today with a lot more particulate in tank.
Belly looks to be same size.
Decided to give him a small piece of smelt with Epson salt. I put four crystals in the flesh and he ate immediately.
Did another 50% waster change and got most of the particulate out of the tank.

 

[johnnyberotten]

Dec.11,2012
Feeding every other day a piece of fish with Epson crystals and been doing 50% water changes at the same time.
I've seen some bowel movements but nothing else new happening.
Belly has been the same size for a while now, activity is high and still has a veracious apatite.

Not sure where to go from here, I think antibiotic would be a waist of time. He seems fine other than the extended stomach.
Thinking of continuing for a couple more days and then putting him back in the main tank and hope for the best.

 

[johnnyberotten]

Dec.18,2012
I still have him in the hospital tank and have continued the epson salt and water changes every other day.
I've also given small piece of fish with epson crystal every other day as well.
The distention is definitely better from the start but still there. Seems to go up and down slightly from day to day.

Found some antibiotics today that were a little cheaper so I'm giving them a try. Erythromycin.
I placed 25mg per 10 liters. Waters going to get a 50% change every 24 hrs and a repeat dose of erythromycin at the same time for 4 days.
I also took the active charcoal filter out so it doesn't remove any of the antibiotics.

 

[rodger]

You have done a great job of documenting what is going on. Good luck.