# Help - Extremely Bloated Catfish!



## mchapoton (Dec 8, 2010)

This catfish of mine has some kind of extreme bloat. He's been like this for over a week and I'm not sure I can save him. I've treated the tank with 2 doses of Metronidazole, but he doesn't seem to be getting any better. I do not have a quarantine tank to move him too. He is huge and hasn't eaten in days.

Looking at the poor guy, is it too late to really do anything for him? I've had him for over 7 years and this is very unfortunate.

Any suggestions are welcome.

55 gallon tank, mostly Mbuna


----------



## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

Wow- that's bloated. 

My guess is that there's a bowel obstruction, and the best treatment I know is epsom salt. Epsom salt is a very effective laxative.

Stop feeding, do a very large water change, and with the new water, add 1 tablespoon of dissolved Epsom salt for every 5 gallons. Metro is a good drug for intestinal infections, but typically needs to be applied for 5 days or so in conjunction with salt and fasting.

If you are brave, you may wish to try massaging the fish belly to see if you can get any feces out. I don't usually recommend this, but it has worked in the past. Make sure your hands are very clean and free of any soap or lotion. While holding the fish upside down in one hand, take two fingers on the other hand and GENTLY press with your fingertips at the gills and trace to the anus. It's best if you can do this under water, in a bucket, and then if anything comes out, throw away the water. You don't want to add that back to the tank.


----------



## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Wow, I've never seen bloat even half that bad before. Poor fishy. 

Definitely use the epsom, but if you go the massage route(if I had a fish for 7 years, I'd probably try it), let us know how it works.

Good luck!


----------



## jordanroda (May 4, 2006)

Wow!
I never seen that!
he looks like he ate another fish his size  
do what Triscuit said


----------



## HDrydr (Mar 22, 2010)

dang!!! bloated!!! epsom salt has worked for me in the past... I have lost a pleco to a bowel obstruction that ruptured... good luck beautiful cat!!


----------



## jchild40 (Mar 20, 2010)

How did you make out?


----------

