# Constipated or pregnant multie?



## greenbirds (Jul 30, 2007)

This is an adult multie that I'm fairly sure is a female. Her anal/vent area has become increasingly swollen for the past 10-12 days, but I assumed she was just getting ready to lay eggs, so I didn't pay too much attention. Tonight I noticed that it seemed much more pronounced and looked pink beneath her skin. She eats normally (I now know that I should probably stop feeding), and she seems to be very involved with the Stud of the colony. But my multies have bred many times, and I've never seen any of them this swollen. Any ideas?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

It looks like she's either being overfed, or has some sort of intestinal blockage...She may even be egg bound.

I would add epsom salt to the tank at 1 cup per 100G - dissolve it in tank water first. Fast the fish for a couple of days, and feed minimally when you resume feedings.


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## greenbirds (Jul 30, 2007)

Thought I would update. The growth (whatever it was) grew to about twice the size it was in those photos, so I removed her from the colony and put her in a 20gal quarantine with a few shells next to a sponge filter (and an old, senile gourami, who may or may not have been alert enough to detect the presence of another tank inhabitant :lol. I did not give it food for 2-3 weeks, and the growth did not really change during that time. I was worried it would starve, so I fed 2-3 NLS pellets approximately twice per week From late August or so until now. Over the last few weeks the growth slowly disappeared. I'm going to leave it in the Q tank for a while to hopefully flush its system out. Then a reintroduction to the colony!


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Good job! Thanks for the update!


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