# My bruno pleco looks bloated and...



## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

So I noticed today that my Bruno Pleco belly is swollen and his anus is also swollen and appears to have ?some of his intestines outside...? best way to describe that... what is on the outside is red and fluffy looking.

Water results are as follows:
55 gal, 60% water change last night, I use Aquarium salt, Prime

PH 7.6
ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Any help would be great as I've had him awhile and he's beautiful!!! He looks uncomfortable!!


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Here is a photo that I was just able to get of him....Belly looks full....


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Ouch- thanks for the picture, although I could use some eye bleach now.  It's so much easier to diagnose with pictures, but it's distubring to see our pets sick.

Your pleco has an infection and probably an intestinal blockage. I don't know if it's too late or not, but you can try to treat him.

What other fish are in the tank? What size tank, what do you have for filtration, and what is the temperature, pH, NH3, NO2, NO3?

Stop feeding, and remove food sources for the pleco. Do a large water change (50%). I recommend starting with an antibiotic- Metronidazole might be your best bet. Maracyn II could be used instead, I don't know if it's as effective on intestinal issues.

We do need to know your pH in order to dose the metro...


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Temp I just raised to 82 this am, as in my first post PH is 7.6, Ammonia is 0ppm, don't know how to meausre NO2, Nitrate 0ppm

I have the test kit that has the vials but the card to read them doesnt break it up it goes 0ppm to 5ppm.... So I'm sure there is some Nitrate but not much...not up to the next level.

I started treating with Maracyn two last night as I have some on hand....I just did a 60-70 water change on Sunday night so the tank is clean and I don't have live plants so he has really nothing to eat....

The other fish are OB, red zebras, melanchromis Auratus, rusty, bumble bee's, hap.... 55 gal

Thanks!


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Sounds like you are doing the right things. As long as nitrates are below 20ppm, you're doing fine. I'd expect them to be low (less than 10ppm) after large water changes.

NO2- nitrite: if the tank is well established, this shouldn't be a problem. You will need to be careful after the AB treatment, as the ABs will affect the good bacteria in your filters. I would start measuring ammonia every day or two after you start feeding again.

I'm not sure raising the temp is going to be useful right now, but 82 degrees isn't going to harm the fish. Make sure you have adequate surface agitation to increase the amount of oxygen that diffuses into the water.

I would add Epsom salt at this point. Magnesium sulfate acts as a laxative, and could help the pleco pass what's currently in his system. Dissolve about 1 TBS for 5 gallons, and add incrementally. So, for a 55 gallon tank, add 1/3 cup on the first day (dissolved), and 1/3 cup on day two. Replace any salt removed by water changes at the same rate of 1 TBS per 5 gallons.

Don't feed the tank for a few days... let the meds and salt get to work.


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

NO2 is 0 sorry didn't really realize it was Nitrites.... 

I will monitor the ammonia I don't want to go thru that one again once it took me a month to get that down!! what a giant pain.

I added the first 1/3 cup epsom salt this evening. Either what ever portion it was that looked like a pom pom has "broken" off or the others have gross to say "nipped" at it????? But it looks a bit better this evening.. He is still very swollen and the portion that is still outside of his body is red and inflamed. I hope that he makes it thru this!! Don't know what "ruptured" but hope he can heal.

So let me understand your statement Replace any salt removed by water changes at the same rate..... So does that mean do water changes along with the addition of the epsom salt??

Won't be feeding them for a bit anyhow... I feed every other day and they are nice and plump so it will be good to "fast" them a bit....


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Well once again he is out on the tank wall so I could get a picture sorry for the bit of reflection but it works... It looks a ton better but like I said not sure if it broke off or what......










he is swollen and looks like he's got some internal bleeding that happened because he has some redness inside along his belly.... but seems to be acting normally.... Guess time will tell


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

I just meant that if you do a water change later this week (part of the Maracyn II instructions?), just make sure to add 1TBS Epsom salts for each 5 gallons you replace.

Clean water, no food, and a laxative will help let the ABs do their work. Look into getting metronidazole- it's good to have on hand, and may come in useful here if the maracyn doesn't work.


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Gotcha.... knew about the H2O change with the AB's just never used epsom salt before....

I'm just pleased to see some signs of it getting better just hope it is actually getting better.... ya know. Still could go either way at this point. Would be a shame he is about 6" long and perfect!! I think he gorged himself on the cuc I put in there over the weekend! Never happened before but... Just heard that zuc's are better roughage is that true?


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Sometimes we don't know why our fish get sick. My "armchair expert" guess is that it wouldn't have mattered what the pleco ate- something got stuck inside, and now we're trying to get it out. The next sign you are looking for is for him to poop. If he can get things, uhh, flowing again, the swelling and irritation should subside. The redness on his belly is probably from the distended belly, it doesn't look like a rupture to me. So, that's good news.

Did you get the metro?


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

the good news!! Not only does it look less red and swollen but I woke to look at him and he's got a long strand of poop! Gross to say but I was very glad to see him passing waste.
Hopefully this continues.
Thanks for all the help!!

Have not found metro but will look at my lfs.


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Well "Rex" is alive and doing well!! He shows no problems since his issue.... Yea!! Strong pleco!!


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## PsYcHoTiC_MaDmAn (Dec 26, 2005)

glad to hear hes better.


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

HDrydr said:


> Well "Rex" is alive and doing well!! He shows no problems since his issue.... Yea!! Strong pleco!!


Excellent- can you please share what you did exactly? So many times we don't the full scoop on the success stories. :thumb:


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Sure thing I'm just still surprised that "Rex" made it thru!!

The re-cap:

When I first noticed it over that weekend I was doing a water change It looked swollen not red just weird looking... Didn't think much of it... Then the next day it was red and parts of him looked like it was coming out and he was bloated... So I started treating with Maracyn-two and increased the temp.. Per advice from you triscuit I added epsom salt that evening then the remaining the next morning, and stopped feeding the tank. (I dissolved the epsom salt but wasn't sure how much water to use.....1 TBS per 5 gals 1/3 cup each time is what you said) since it was hard to dissolve...guess I should have used warmer water...hindsight.

Everyday I looked at him wondering if I was going to find him gone...there he was doing what he does hanging on the tank...

The redness got worse and more insides came out but then they started to disappear... I am still not sure if they fell off or the other fish nipped at them???

I kept up with the maracyn-two and kept the tank clean I did 1 other 50% water change.. I noticed that after a day of the epsom salt I saw a long strand of poop!! I knew then that he would pull thru!!

I still have not fed him like I was thinking he's still healing. 10 days since it all happened and all that remains is a slightly enlarged anus, he acts normal, he eats, he still is the boss of the tank and can be where-ever he want's to be!!

When I can catch him on the wall I'll snap a picture....

I do think that the best thing was the epsom salt!! I had no idea that acts as a laxative!! So do you use epsom salt every once and awhile?? as a preventative??

Whatever it was I am glad it worked!! And I'm glad that he is as strong as he is to pull thru what I thought was for sure a death sentence!! I hope that my experience can help someone else..

Much thanks!!!


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

As promised here is the all healed up picture... Not the greatest but it's like he knows I've been trying to snap a photo... And just as I did he went to his hideout.... But he looks normal now like it never happened!!


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

HDrydr said:


> I do think that the best thing was the epsom salt!! I had no idea that acts as a laxative!! So do you use epsom salt every once and awhile?? as a preventative??


I use Epsom salt a lot in my tanks. I use about 1 TBS per 20 gallons with water changes to increase the hardness of my water, and I'll use a higher concentration with metro when "delousing" new fish during their quarantine. So, maintenance, bloat, wasting.... Epsom salt is my go to tool.

I'm glad your guy is looking good again. Good job in treating him! :thumb:


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Thanks but I think it was you're suggestion to use epsom salt that did the trick... So I thank you that I still have "Rex" I will use it for maintenance myself..

:fish: :dancing:


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## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

Well sad update....

Rex passed away last night!! I've been noticing that he would get a bit bloated then he would look skinny and it appeared that the top of his nose looked like it was sinking in... Almost like he wasn't getting enough food. Even though I fed him supplements

My suspicion is that his "rupture" awhile back did more damage than we all thought.. I think even though he appeared to have made it through ok he really didn't. When I took him out of the tank last night he smelled bad!!! He had just passed away I had been watching him so he wasn't in there long. Ok sorry if I offend anyone but I did a mini autopsy on him and from what I could tell is that his intestines were not working well and I think he was "leaking" into his belly.. The smell was horrid..

R.I.P. Rex


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Dang, what a roller-coaster of a thread.

Sorry about your fish.


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