Hey, Stop worrying your Ornate is probably fine, I have kept Ornates for several years and have found them all to have there own unique personality, Some ornates will act skittish in a new tank, tho i have introduced ornates that hide instantly and it's weeks before i see them again. Worrying leads to over feeding DONT do that! check your water parameters, do you add any salt to you setup? Polypturus dont like lot's of salt but a small amount, half a teaspoon per Gallon (aquatic salt) can help stop any internall parasites, Ornates mainly females for some reason are prone to internall parrasites, (BICHER BLOAT) is the term often used. if your ornate looks swollen but you feel he/she hasn't ate then this could be the problem... if this is the case then this is how you treat... you only need to do this if your ornate is extremely swollen and you know he/she has'nt ate.
Sounds like you may have just joined the bichir bloat club. Polys re prone to this if there's no salinity in their water and they don't get much plant matter in their diet. Here's a plan that works wonders, against bloat, in polys and lungfish (other african species as well):
1. Remove carbon/resins from filter.
2. Perform a 30-50% water change (reduces free-floating bacteria population)
3. Add salt (teaspoon to a tablespoon per gallon) to aid the fish's osmotic regulation processes.
4. Treat with 250mg/20gallons of Metronidazole (Flagyl)
5. Leave for 3 days and do not feed.
6. After 3 days, perform another large water change.
7. Replace the salt.
8. Add full dosage of Metronidazole.
9. Wait another 3 days. During this phase, the bloat should be decreasing in appearance. In large fish, the water may take on an ammonia odor from the high volume of urea the fish should now be producing due to reducing the bloat and recovering renal activity.
10. 3rd day, another water change. Also, replace the salt and redose the metronidazole (full dose). If the fish looks to be well on the road to recovery you can offer a small feeding each day.
11. Another water change. No meds but, I'd recommend the salt. You should be clear now.
This is the treatment I use on my africans, puffers, and my lungfishes/polypteridae. Knock on wood that it's worked every single time.
Good luck I'm sure it will be fine, hey keep us posted and good luck!
steve
Sounds like you may have just joined the bichir bloat club. Polys re prone to this if there's no salinity in their water and they don't get much plant matter in their diet. Here's a plan that works wonders, against bloat, in polys and lungfish (other african species as well):
1. Remove carbon/resins from filter.
2. Perform a 30-50% water change (reduces free-floating bacteria population)
3. Add salt (teaspoon to a tablespoon per gallon) to aid the fish's osmotic regulation processes.
4. Treat with 250mg/20gallons of Metronidazole (Flagyl)
5. Leave for 3 days and do not feed.
6. After 3 days, perform another large water change.
7. Replace the salt.
8. Add full dosage of Metronidazole.
9. Wait another 3 days. During this phase, the bloat should be decreasing in appearance. In large fish, the water may take on an ammonia odor from the high volume of urea the fish should now be producing due to reducing the bloat and recovering renal activity.
10. 3rd day, another water change. Also, replace the salt and redose the metronidazole (full dose). If the fish looks to be well on the road to recovery you can offer a small feeding each day.
11. Another water change. No meds but, I'd recommend the salt. You should be clear now.
This is the treatment I use on my africans, puffers, and my lungfishes/polypteridae. Knock on wood that it's worked every single time.
Good luck I'm sure it will be fine, hey keep us posted and good luck!
steve
