# Metriaclima estherae bloat?



## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

My male Metriaclima estherae has had an enlarged body for a couple weeks now. At first, I didn't make much of it, but now, he isn't coloring up anymore and his egg spots are fading. It looks like he has a butt plug that prevents anything from coming out. I haven't seen any white stringy poo and he is still eating, but his behavior isn't as active as it used to be. He reacts to me approaching the tank if he thinks I'm going to feed them

What do you guys suggest I do? He's in a 55g with about 25 others between 2 and 3 inches. I do have a spare 20g long that I could use as hospital tank if that's required...

I feed them mostly NLS with a bit of Hikari cichlid excel once a day, sometimes twice...


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## gverde (Mar 3, 2010)

You could start a metro medicating in the spare 20G. Since he's eating I would also soak the food with metro. I would also use epson salts at 1-2 tablespoons/10 gallons to help the bloating.


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## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

Welp, I went to get some meds at the LFS, but apparently, they aren't allowed to sell anything anymore... so no Metro, no Clout, no Octozin 

Kinda frustrating, feeling powerless here...


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

If he is eating, its not really "bloat disease".

Really, treating fish is very crude. Hard to know what will help and what will hurt. The Epsom salt idea is a good one... can't really hurt and it is a laxative so it might loosen up some sort of blockage. You can find easily at the grocery or drug store.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

TheJ0kerrr said:


> It looks like he has a butt plug that prevents anything from coming out.


Are you sure this fish is a male? What you are describing could easily be a female's ovipositor tube


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## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

I put Epsom salt in with every water change, it's part of my water buffer with baking soda (keeps my GH around 22 and KH around 12). You think I should increase the dosing?

As for the gender, well, it's a Metriaclima estherae minos reef... I have 4 females which are orange and this one which is blue...but is more like greyish now

Here is a picture of him while he was still healthy :









Here's are 2 from today...


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

OK, so definitely male - that 2nd picture is quite striking. Could be bloat but I haven't had much experience diagnosing it. Can you mail order some metro or clout?


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## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

I can...but it's $24 + $15 for shipping... Need to find something else to order to crank the order to $100 and get free shipping...hehe.


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## master chi (Jan 3, 2010)

I think this male has been overfed. I saw the exact same symptoms in a Kenyi tank I had a while back. One of my kenyi got all fat,and it looked like she was ready to lay eggs,but really she was just better at snatching up all the NLS pellets I was feeding the tank. I decided to try fastng,and within a couple days I noticed a difference. I would try fasting them a day or so,and see if you notice any changes. I'm sure the other fish should be fine a day or so without food.If he's the only male in the tank,you could hospitalize him,and just fast him separately instead.


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## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

He's the only male of his kind... Should I isolate him? The others in the tank and Saulosi's with one dominant male (colored up) and a bunch of Cynotilapia white top hara with no dominant males to my knowledge (none has colored up).

What's the risk of isolating him for a while? To get bullied once I reintroduce him back to the tank later?

It is possible that he's getting more of the floating Hikari pellets, but I'm spreading the NLS pellets around and didn't notice him getting more.

Let's hope it's just a case of accidental overfeeding...


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## master chi (Jan 3, 2010)

Yes,the risk is if he is separated he will be bullied once you place him back in with the other fish. 
On the other hand,there isn't any real risk to fasting the whole tank,so go with that option. 
Hopefully after a couple days he slims down enough to notice,then you will have a better idea if that's the issue.also maybe hold off on feeding the hikari a while longer,once you begin feeding them again try using just NLS for a week. 
There's plenty of nutrition in the NLS,and maybe giving them both is a possible cause to overfeeding.I'm gonna guess it's more him overeating,than you overfeeding,since he's the only fish showing those signs. I do hope this is the issue,because it's the easiest to remedy.


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## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

Well, he isn't doing any better now, his left side has scales damage and it's so swollen I'm almost afraid it's going to bust wide open...

Guess I should remove him before that happens and he spreads the disease around?


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Did you increase your epsom salt content? How much do you add as a buffer? Are you feeding the tank and if so does he eat or is he in a hospital tank now? I'd still continue to fast for at least a week. Epsom salt mixed and added gradually over a few hours, 2 tbsp per 10g.
You may be forced to euthanize the fish should his condition continue to deteriorate.


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## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

I increased a little bit the Epsom salt, I usually add 1 tablespoon per 10g. Added another 2 to 55g. I put him in a hospital tank yesterday and started a Clout treatment. He was eating until I stopped feeding them (obviously). And I haven't fed him in the hospital tank at all.

Even if it isn't bloat, it's clear he has some kind of parasite inside and I read Clout will cure many of them. Not sure what else I can do for now. He doesn't seem to poop, but he still looks alright for now I guess.


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## GABBA (Jun 3, 2011)

My Sulphur Crested Libobate looks exactly the same, except my one has stopped eating. It has been about 2-3 weeks now. About 2 weeks ago I saw long white feces.

Metro is no good once they stop eating and clout isn't avaliable in my country (Australia).
I have isolated him and am adding one tablespoon (approx) of epsome salt each day (2 days one day off). But to be honest, I think he is on borrowed time.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

GABBA said:


> My Sulphur Crested Libobate looks exactly the same, except my one has stopped eating. It has been about 2-3 weeks now. About 2 weeks ago I saw long white feces.
> 
> Metro is no good once they stop eating and clout isn't avaliable in my country (Australia).
> I have isolated him and am adding one tablespoon (approx) of epsome salt each day (2 days one day off). But to be honest, I think he is on borrowed time.


You're doing water changes as well I assume, not just building epsom salt levels?


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## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

Alright, i'm on day 6 of this clout treatment : http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=24132

I think he has slimmed down a little bit...he just needs to take a huge dump I think and he'll be fine...His color isn't exactly one of a healthy fish, but since Clout is so powerful, I suppose it's normal for him to be banged up a little.

My question is what do I do now? I just did an 80% water change, so almost no medication is left in there. Should I start another 6 days treatment or let him rest for a few days and hope for a full recovery without further meds?

One thing for sure, I'll make water changes every day or 2nd day...that can't hurt.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I'd wait 24-48 hours before starting another course of treatment.


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## TheJ0kerrr (Aug 14, 2012)

Well, the poor thing died last night... I found him barely breathing on his side on the bottom of the tank, so I had to finish him 

I'll never know for sure what he actually had I guess, I just hope it didn't spread to any of my other fishes in the 55g (so far, everyone looking normal). Now I need to find a new male for the 4 females I have in there.


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## master chi (Jan 3, 2010)

:fish: he's now swimming in fishy heaven. sorry for your loss. I always take fish deaths harder than I think I would.


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