imsweet Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 my smallest bristlenose has shown itself after hiding out for a month or so. as you can see the belly is huge and theres a bubble where its bum is. whats happening? is it constipated? should i chuck it in a seperate container an feed peas? help please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cichlid7 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 does it have clear bubbles on it aswell This is what happened to atleast 6 of mine males and females once i saw the bubbles within a week they were dead out of about 10 people i spoke too only 1 had ever seen it and they had no idea what it was or how to cure it either Its very strange if it dies get it out ASAP as i left one male in my guppy tank for about 4 hours after i noticed it was dead and over the next 24 hours i lost over 40 guppies aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 This is bizare.. My wife said to me yesterday she saw a bristlenose floating around dead in my tank bloated sure enough it was dead.. Now today have another one same sympoms big fat belly bubble for bum etc.. Tank is pefectly healthy had a recent water change has wood all other fish are sweet cockatoo's spawned today so don't think it is water quality related however haven't bothered getting out test kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted November 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 oh bummer, thanks for that, it has got a clear bubble at the butt end. it's not grazing either, just sitting there which is not right. Might seperate it so i can keep an eye on things in case it gets worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 Have you tried pressing a little on the fish to try and 'extrude' anything? What about popping it with a pin? Sounds like a case of desperate measures.... (is it just me or are a lot of people having fairly good-sized disasters and misc unfortunate events at the moment?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 They get it when they have digestive problems. There's nothing I've ever been able to do, and I've had a few get it. If they eat something bad, or don't have enough wood in their diet it occurs. Honestly I think the best thing you can do for it is to euthanise it. Thats probably not what you want to hear, sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 Yeah it sucks aye.. If I had noticed the second before it carked it I would have stuck it in a bucket with some epsoms salt and try to flush it out.. If yours is still alive imsweet maybe try that? The funny thing is I can keep and breed them in african tanks with no wood no pleco chips.. The second I stick them in a nice community tank with a reasonable ph and feed them properly have wood etc they cark it. lol Stupid fish is all I can say will have to add some more babies soon.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted November 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 yeah its still alive but i dont have epsom salts. will force feed a pea and see how it goes. not keen on popping anything tho. the only thing i have done different is added spirulina chips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 take a syringe and injection and withdraw the fluid / bubble. do it carefully and try not to shake your hand, lol. it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 Really? I'll have to try it if it happens again. imsweet, if you do it, let us know how it goes. phoenix, where do you put the needle bit, just in the middle of the bubble? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 no! lol dont pop the bubble that would rupture the skin. you have to insert the needle through the erm... *inserts polite word* hole. pays to know the anatomy of a fish by this stage, lol.. and have a dead steady hand. if all goes well you can relieve the pressure by sucking up air through the syringe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 if the bubble is well.....coming out of its butt then you can popit if you must. beware though - i have never popped the bubble as ive heard that it could be part of the intestine. i have no evidence of this being real or just a guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 Oh I see, so it's air in the intestines and the swelling stops it from coming out, so you want to suck it out through the syringe? You do use a needle for the sucking right? How do you do it? Take the fish out of the water and lay it on it's back? I've never picked a fish up before... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted November 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 No too keen on popping anything really. the bubble is on the outside for a reason. Will have a closer look tomorrow in the daylight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 It depends what the swelling is I wouldn't go and stick a needle anywhere near it unless you knew what it is.. My pick would be some sort of blockage which is why I would have gone down the epsoms salt route first.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 yes. i agree. dont go prodding your fish unless its a last resort try the salts and peas first. definitely try the salt first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 I agree too, but I've had it happen a few times and haven't been able to save them. If there's a remote chance that they can be saved doing this, I'd like to learn how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 yes you will have to pop the fish on its back. in a towel (i put stress coat on the towel) then insert the needle slowly but firmly you will know when to stop (i really hope so) then you withdraw the air from the cavity. its exactly like withdrawing fluid from a fish with dropsy. you may want to practice hand stability on a strawberry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsmith Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 Never withdrawn fluid for dropsy either! I have access to needles that are used for injecting insulin into animals - think they'd be ok? And where do you stick the needle when treating dropsy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 those will be perfect as insulin injections are finer than the normal ones.... usually. you need to insert the needle up the rectum and then slowly remove the air... have a look online at the anatomy of a fish and you will see how it all connects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 You say the only thing different was spirulina chips. I tried a new brand of these once and the fish didn't like them so left them lying on the substrate. I noted they swelled up a lot more, once in water, than the previous brand of chips had done. I wonder if a chip has expanded inside the fish and now has 'gone off' as it hasn't been able to pass it? I once had a BN swell up (no extra bubbles anywhere though) and it exploded and died. All other fish fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted November 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 20, 2008 I wonder if a chip has expanded inside the fish and now has 'gone off' as it hasn't been able to pass it? I once had a BN swell up (no extra bubbles anywhere though) and it exploded and died. All other fish fine. cripes........ i hope it doesnt explode i put it in a floating container last night but t was out this morning. seems to be grazing today. put peas in but cories have decided to spawn today so mega excitement in tank. just keeping an eye on it . or 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted November 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2008 ok,,, so its still alive. belly has gone down a bit but bubble still there. put peas in and theyre gone but no idea who ate them??? fingers crossed it'll pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imsweet Posted November 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 its still alive, i think the peas worked. Its a bit lighter in colour ?? but the bellys gone down and the bubbles gone. best thing is theres small bristles starting............. hopefully it's a boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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