Q: Bloated Red Zebra…not looking too well. Help appriciated.

Hi Auspetian,

It's important to watch the fishes behavior very closely. It could be that the fish is just getting to more of the food than the rest of its tank mates and has become chubby. You should also check the belly area closely for pine cone like ridges which could mean your fish has contracted a disease. Frozen bloodworms are great for african cichlids, and will not harm them at all. Everybody can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think I've seen a cichlid get fat before laying eggs. Anyways, from the pick, the little guy seems healthy, let us know...

Hooben

 

I saw you post yesterday but I have not kept fish like yours before. I bit my tounge yesterday, but just in case I have to mention Dropsy. I had a fish die of it not too long ago. He quickly gained weight and I thought he was a she and so did others I spoke with. However on day three or four of the bulge it died :cry: :cry: ! I have a picture of it on my computer but I'm not sure how to post it here. Mine was a rosey barb. It's abdomen became lighter and lighter almost white. I will try to figure out how to post it so people can see it. I wish we could all be more help to you. Hopefully your cichlid is just pleasantly plump! :y_the_best:

 

There's a couple possibilities here:

If it's constipation, you could try fasting her for a few days or feeing her some shelled peas (nuke frozen peas in the microwave for a few seconds and remove the outer shell). Peas are a natural laxative so that should help clear out her system. Has she had any bowel movements since becoming fat?

If it's dropsy, there's not a whole lot you can do. Some people have had moderate luck using antibiotics like Tetracycline or Kanacyn. Personally, I've only seen dropsy in a betta, so I can't really say for certain that your fish has it or not.

It could also be Malawi bloat which can be brought on by eating high protein foods like blood worms (most african cichlids are actually more herbivorous than carnivorous). Here's a good article on Malawi bloat: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/malawi_bloat.php

Or she could be egg bound. When my females get ready to spawn, they will get pretty fat, then about 24 hours before they spawn, their ovipositor will start showing a little. It will look like a white/translucent bump just behind the bulge. However, getting fat before spawning is generally a very graual process, not something that happens in just 2 days.

So at this point my 2 best guesses are Malawi bloat or constipation.

-Chelle

 

Is Malawi Bloat a disease that could affect other fish? I'm just curious about it. I read the report you posted a link for. I have a couple of blood parott cichlids and I want to know basically if they could ever get such a disease?

 

Malawi bloat isn't really a disease per se, it's more of a symptom of a intestinal infection. And when african cichlids (but not specifically those from lake Malawi) get an infection and become bloated it's simply called Malawi bloat even though it's really a intestinal infection.

It's also possible for other fish to get infections and become bloated, it's just not called Malawi bloat. So to answer your question, I'm sure it's possible for parrots to get infections similar to Malawi bloat, but african cichlids seem to be more prone to it.

-Chelle

 

I hope the peas help Auspetian! We will all keep our fingers crossed for you and you fish! :cry:

 

About 2 or 3 days before spawning, my male cichlids will start chasing & dancing for the females ("dancing" looks like he's having a seizure). And as far as I know, with africans, digging holes isn't part of the mating ritual (with egg laying cichlids it is, but not with mouthbrooders).

-Chelle

 

i am very sorry to hear that auspet
Very sorry
Fish Addict

 

I'm so sorry.

-Chelle

 

:cry: I hope that you and your other fish are o.k. :cry: I am sooo sorry to hear that. So do we know for sure if it was Malawi bloat or not? Take good care! :wink: