# Help, fish is swollen



## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

I have a Peacock that seems to be swollen. The scales are still laying flat against his (?) body. Started around August 15th. He swims, chases the other fish, eats, doesn't seem to have any other problems. At first I thought bloat but we are going on week three, could bloat last that long? Should I give him peas or something?


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## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

Yes try peas. Your peacock probably has malawi bloat. Its from lack of vegetable matter in it's diet. Also get veggie wafers, veggie flakes, or new life spectrum.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

If he is eating it may not be bloat. I'd try epsom salts (see Library for amounts) because it is a mild laxative. Is he just overfed?


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

I do feed them NLS and they get feed twice a day about a pellet or two each. If there is anything left over on the bottom of the tank I clean it out. I use a cichlid salt to keep the GH up how will the Epsom salts affect that, I would think it would make the GH go up as well. Can they live three weeks with bloat?


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## amcvettec (May 11, 2012)

Can you post pictures?


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

not very good on uploading is there some where I can go for directions?


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

I emailed you a picture it was the easiest way I know.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Chloe Bell said:


> not very good on uploading is there some where I can go for directions?


Instructions are at the top of every forum category.


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)




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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

I have used Epsom Salt and it didn't really seem to do anything.


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

This is a before picture.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

Fish looks awesome...great recovery. What did you do??


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Last pic is a 'before' picture.
Possible blockage, maybe an internal growth? Try fasting the fish for 5-7 days and see if there's any improvement. Was the fish still eating while bloated?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd work on your stocking...even though it has been working for your other fish, this one could be impacted by stress in the tank.


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## cichlid-gal (Apr 27, 2012)

GTZ said:


> Last pic is a 'before' picture.
> Possible blockage, maybe an internal growth? Try fasting the fish for 5-7 days and see if there's any improvement. Was the fish still eating while bloated?


OH...geez...and thought the fish had made an awesome recovery


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

Fish is acting as normal as can be. He seems to be the king of the tank. He is the largest one in here. When I purchased him he was about an inch larger than everyone else, now he is may 1/4 of an inch larger than my OB Peacock. But I never see them fight no one has fin damage. Has anyone had a fish with a growth and will it cause any problems. I keep all my levels in check so I know it is not stress over water conditions. One of the females released her babies about two weeks ago so like I said everything seems normal as far as cichlids tanks go. They have caves, plants, air, wave maker. I would live in there if I could. I will keep you all posted, I really would hate to lose him. He is a beautiful fish. I will try skipping meals, how will this affect temperament do you know?


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## NestoJR (Sep 13, 2012)

It could be bloat or some parasite. If hes still eating, thats great, you can give him medicated food. You could quaratine him and treat with metronidazole. But I've found that sometimes quarantining them leads to death from increased stress. So if he seems well and is eating, I've leave him there and try to give him food with metro.


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

I have moved him to his own tank. I have treated the water with Epsom Salt at a high rate. It has been 24 hours and he doesn't look as big as he was. He has not yet eaten I wanted to give him a few food free days. We will see how it goes.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

What is your full stock list? Male / female ratio?

Just because you are having fry does not mean all is well with your tank. Fin damage and suspected bloat indicate a high stress tank. Stress manifests in illness and losses. Stress stems from improper stocking, inadequate territories or water issues. If your fish are all starting to sexually mature at once, the improper stocking will become very obvious.

Also, on a side note, you do realize that if you are keeping multiple peacock species together, none of the fry should ever leave your tank?


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

Here is my fish list. I hope I made all the changes. During the initial phase of the tank I meet Richard who owns a fish store in town and he traded some fish with me as I had some Mbuna's mixed in my tank and he suggested we get them out of there and put in more Peacocks. I am bit confused on why my fry should not leave the tank, due to cross breeding? So far I have only had one holding female and breeding is not what I have the tank for. I purchased all initial fish as unsexed and that was in February, I added the large male blood dragon (the one pictured) in May. I am not sure I am getting their sexes correct as I don't how long it takes for them to mature. My water levels have never been a problem, always spot on and I do two 20 gallon water changes a week. And I try to put the least amount of stress on them during these times. I do a slow take out and a slow put in with the tank lights dimmed. Once every two weeks everything comes out get a rub down in old water and re arranged back in to mix them up a bit so no one gets to pushy about a certain cave. I check all my fish for signs of nipped fins, mouth problems and I don't see any of these things. Big guy is the largest and he seems to be the only one with a problem. Since he has been in his hospital tank with the Epsom salts he looks much better but I am going to give him a week or two more to see if all his bodily functions return to normal or if this is the calm before his death. You never know with fish they cannot tell you anything and the signs are much different than a dog or cat.

1 Borleyi Red Fin female
1 Lethrinops Intermedius female
1 Red Top Lwanda female
1 Sunshine Peacock Benga female
1 OB Peacock male
1 Aulonocara baenschi-regular female
1 Aulonocara Red Shoulder male
1 Aulonocara Marmeleia "Tangerine" female
1 Stuartgranti "Maleri Island" female
1 Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi Otter Point female
1 Aulonocara Regal female
1 Protomelas "Ndiwe" Fire Hap male
1 Labidochromis Caeruleus "Nkhata Bay" female
1 Labidochromis caeruleus "Yellow Lab" male
2 Blood Dragons males
1 Cory Catfish


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You would not let fry leave your tank because you have more than one species of peacock. They crossbreed and you would assume any fry were hybrids.

Note the female aulonocara are often silver-brown fish and in general stay that color for their entire lives. If they are all females your aulonocara should mostly look nearly identical. So much so that the ability to ID the separate species now that they are mixed in the tank would be suspect.


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

That is how I determined the females. The males I can tell apart everyone else that is silver I noted as female. The tank is for enjoyment only so any fry will most likely be a good meal for the others. I hate to do that but I don't have the space to put yet another tank for holding females and what would I do with them anyway as you said they would be hybrids. Big guy seems to be doing much better so I hope in a few weeks he can go home. The only thing that changed when this started, is I went on vacation and my Dad fish sat so I don't know if that had anything to do with it. I have 3 other tanks 2 30 gallon and 1 2.5 gallon for my Beta, they are all fine. Thanks


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## Chloe Bell (Dec 26, 2012)

Big guy pasted away Sunday. He held on as long as he could.


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