# One Of My Yellow Labs Has a Sunken Stomach



## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

I can take a picture shortly, but I think one of my labs is on his/her last leg. 

I got them several months ago and I noticed that one was much smaller than the others, but didn't seem unhealthy at the time. Just yesterday, I saw it hiding in one of my plants. All the fish hide from time to time, but it seems like it is resting in there. Upon further inspection, I noticed the concave stomach.

This fish rarely hides, never gets picked on and still when it's time to feed, it's right up there in the thick of things, so I know it isn't starving.

I currently don't have a QT tank to put it in, because it's being used by two bullies.

Is there anything I can do to save it?

What are the chances of it surviving?

(I'm going to go take a picture of it now)


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Hi,

no real need of a picture. Either your lab has internal parasites or an internal bacterial infection. No way of knowing which over the internet so let's treat for the more likely of the two: internal parasites.

First do a partial water change of 30% using a good quality dechlorinator. Siphon the gravel. 
Treat the entire tank with Jungle Parasite Clear. It's okay to treat your other fish, since they've been exposed they need to be treated, too.

If after treating for the maximum time recommended on the JPC package the fish does not show some improvement then we may need to treat for an internal bacterial infection which means antibiotics.

Let me know how it goes. It's a good sign that the fish is still eating but you really need to move ahead on this ASAP.

Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Robin said:


> Hi,
> 
> no real need of a picture. Either your lab has internal parasites or an internal bacterial infection. No way of knowing which over the internet so let's treat for the more likely of the two: internal parasites.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much, I'm heading to the LFS right this second.

BTW, how long before I know if it is working(ie, when will it's belly start filling back out)?

I just did a 40% water change and used Prime yesterday...Do I need to do another one today? I just realized recently that my nitrates were a bit high, so I've been doing more water changes than usual, this may be what has been keeping the poor fella alive; he's been skinny for a long time, but I just now noticed it's belly.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

OK, I just went to the pet store that's about 30 seconds from my house and they didn't have anything for parasites. :roll:

I'm getting ready to head to Wal-Mart to get some JPC...This tank has HOBs with the all-in-one filter cartridges. Do I need to remove them because of the carbon?

I know carbon isn't all that important, so 2 of the 4 cartridges are old enough to where the carbon isn't even activated anymore.


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

It was added a couple hours ago...Nice greenish tint to the water. :?

Do I just do this one treatment or should I do it again tomorrow? The back of the box says I can treat up to 2 times in 48 hours, but is it necessary?


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

If the carbon is less than a few months old then I would cut the filter and shake the carbon out--that way you don't lose the beneficial bacteria on the filter media.

I would just follow the package recommendations on using the JPC. If there is no improvement after one treatment, follow the package directions for doing a second.

The only way to lower nitrates is via water changes. High nitrates aren't as lethal as high ammonia or high nitrite however they will make it more difficult for your fish to recover. I would fit in as many partial water changes during the JPC treatment as possible.

Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Robin said:


> If the carbon is less than a few months old then I would cut the filter and shake the carbon out--that way you don't lose the beneficial bacteria on the filter media.
> 
> I would just follow the package recommendations on using the JPC. If there is no improvement after one treatment, follow the package directions for doing a second.
> 
> ...


I shook out all of the carbon last night.

It has been a little over 18 hours since I added the meds...What sort of "improvement" should I be looking for? He/she still has bulgy eyes and a sunken stomach, but that's obviously not going to change overnight is it? It still swims to the front, top, center waiting for food when I walk over to the tank, but that never really changed.

The box says I can treat up to 2 times with 48 hours between treatments and a 25% water change...Should I wait on the water change and do it right before I add more meds tomorrow night or do one today and another tomorrow? I have no idea how long the meds need to be in the tank, so I don't want to remove them too early.

I checked the nitrates the other day and they were somewhere between 10-20 ppm.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

If after you do the second treatment you don't start to see improvement within a week then we'll switch to a different med. The fish should start to not look so skinny and just overall look more healthy. But its not going to happen overnight and as I said, it may be we need to be treating with an antibiotic.

Do the water change between treatments but make it a 40% partial water change instead of 25. Along with the medication you're also trying to lower the nitrates.

Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

I was planning on doing the WC "between" treatments, but I was wondering if I should do one tonight(24 hours after 1st round of meds) or tomorrow night(48 hours after 1st round of meds)


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

To tell you the truth I don't know how long the med needs to be in the water, either. Better stay with the package directions and wait the 48 hours. And make it a good 50% water change and siphon the gravel, too.

Let me know how it goes
Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

I don't know what changed over the last few hours, but the fish looks...BETTER!!!

His/her eyes don't look as bulgy, the dark stripes have disappeared and it's swimming better.

I'm thinking about going ahead and doing a big water change tonight and if the fish doesn't look even better tomorrow, I'll throw some more meds in there.

I know it's too early to know, but I think this may just have worked. :thumb:

Thanks again.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Glad to hear it!

Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Well, he's still hiding in the plant a little bit when I'm not standing over the tank, but he's actually wading and not lying on the leaves.

I can't decide if I should do another treatment or not...He seems to be doing better, but I want to make sure the parasites are gone.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

It's not going to hurt to do the second round of treatment. After a large water change, of course.

Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

It's been almost two weeks and he/she is still kicking! :thumb:

The belly is still a bit concave, but it's definitely better and the fish's demeanor is almost back to normal...He/she barely hides anymore.

My only concern is I just looked at it's tail fin and it looks a bit nipped, but I'm pretty sure that happened when it was at it's weakest point.

To be safe, I did a second dose of meds last night and I'm going to leave them in the tank for ~48 hours this time, then do a big water change(50-60%) and put the carbon back in.


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## michelle_rutledge23 (Dec 5, 2010)

How's the sick lil guy doin? I read the thread now I gotta know =)


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

michelle_rutledge23 said:


> How's the sick lil guy doin? I read the thread now I gotta know =)


Well, he's still the smallest fish in the tank and his/her belly is still concave, but it's coloring looks a lot better and it's still the first fish to the top of the water for feeding.

It's been almost a month, so I'm assuming(***knock on wood***) that he's going to make it.

Does anyone know how long it takes for them to get their stomach back to normal? Should I try another med to make sure that fixed him?


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## VolForLife (Dec 7, 2010)

michelle_rutledge23 said:


> How's the sick lil guy doin? I read the thread now I gotta know =)


 lol me too. May want to try the antibiotics


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

OK, it's time to try the antibiotics now. It has been over a month and a half and while his/her temperament and eating habits are completely normal, it's stomach is still sunken in.

Where is a good place to buy them? Do most places that sell fish sell the meds?


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

Look for metronidazole. Comes in all forms. Years ago I had the same situation with a group of newly bought lab juvs. Fed them metronidazole soaked food for ten days and that took care of it.

You can make met soaked food yourself, (dissolve met powder in small amount of water and soak fish's food in it), or buy pre-made food with the metronidazole already in it.

Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

OK thanks...Is it OK to just feed all of them met soaked food or do I need to pull the sick fella out and feed him that way? That would be a huge pain if I did.

The sick lab is almost always the first one to the surface during feeding, so I would have no problem getting medicated food to him/her.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

You don't want to make a habit of it--treating fish that are not sick--but this one time is absolutely fine especially considering that your other fish have been exposed to the illness.

Let us know how you make out  
Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Bad news. 

What's even worse is I can't find it. :-?

It's in a 55g with lots of rocks...If I don't remove all of the rocks to find it, what is that going to do to my water chemistry?


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

You'll get an ammonia spike.

Try this to find the body  : 
take a **turkey baster** and blast water into and around the rocks, or if you have jet do the same thing. 
Otherwise I would do daily partial water change of 30% using a good quality dechlorinator for the next several weeks.

Robin

**turkey baster**
if you take the turkey baster from yours or someone else's kitchen, DON'T return it to the kitchen--it is now a permanent part of your aquarium equipment :thumb:


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

LOL, yeah if I use a turkey baster I'll be adding it to my aquarium stuff. :lol:

Actually, I need to go to the store anyway, so I'll pick up a baster tonight...I really hope I can find it, because I don't want to remove all of my rock to find it.

BTW, this is my first dead fish ever in this tank.


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## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

I've used a turkey baster for my fish way more than I ever did for a turkey.

Sorry you lost the fish. It happens. Still sad. 
How are the rest of the fish?

Robin


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## benny71 (Sep 30, 2010)

Robin said:


> I've used a turkey baster for my fish way more than I ever did for a turkey.
> 
> Sorry you lost the fish. It happens. Still sad.
> How are the rest of the fish?
> ...


The rest of the fish are completely fine...I started this thread some time ago now and none of their stomachs are even remotely sunken or anything. Every fish in the tank also comes "running" as soon as I walk by.

I hate that I lost the little guy, but now I don't know where I'm going to get decent sized labs to replace him/her...The only labs I see around here are really small and I think they may get picked on when I add them to my tank.(The tank houses flametail peacocks and labs)

I only had 4(I hear 5 is the magical number), but it was working. Now that that lab is gone, my dominant male is chasing the other two away; it was basically instantaneous after the sick lab died.

And yeah, this will be my first ever use of a turkey baster...If I'm cooking turkey, it's going on my smoker!


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