Tropheus & bloat

Ok, If I didnt have so much time and money invested in these guys I wouldve thrown in the towel a long time ago..... To be honest, they have proven to be the most difficult fish that I have come accross to keep..... Over the last week I have lost over 10 tropheus to bloat.

I had left town on a vacation and had my sister keep an eye on my fish for me..... I came home to a disaster! All my other tanks, no problem... discus, rams all very happy in there tanks.... but the tropheus over 50% of them had severe bloat.... with the rest having a mild case.

From what I have read, Metro+ (metronidazole) is the only form of treatment for bloat.... keeping some on hand, I quickly began treatment on the whole tank.... It was too late though. Everyday I pull about 2-4 dead tropheus out of the tank .... There is some hope though, I have gotten a few guys today to start eatin some metro soaked vege spirulina flakes. And the remaining guys dont look half as bad as the guys that had died.

In conclusion, if you plan on keeping this fish.... Please keep metro on hand... and never let a family member overfeed your tropheus, they will die. Anyone have any other bloat experiences, and meds, or treatments that helped? please post!


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Hey Sand... I've heard good things about the soaked food. For those that aren't eating, have you considered clout? It's stronger and riskier, but may be the best route for them.

Larry, not only doing the soaked metro food... but adding about 1 1/2 tsp 2x daily to the entire tank....

I was actually considering clout, funny you suggested it... the only thing that worried me was that tropheus are freakin sensitive, and considering there weakened condition, I figured they couldnt handle it.... but i will give it another 2 days, if there isnt major improvement, i will try it! Thanks for the thought larry. on a side note, I lost the female that was holdin'

did you ever try epsom salt for bloat in the tank? Epsom salt suppose to be a laxative, which you want to get them to start going to the bathroom so there hungry.

Aww man, that is horrible. It happens though, live and learn. Hope no more go...

Oh dude that totally blows big time...I would hate to loose that many fish, speacially the trophs
I hope your luck turns around in the next couple of days

Eeek,,,sorry to read this. Good luck with the meds!

WOOOO HOOOOO.... I honestly thought I would loose two more today while lookin at the fish last night.... but to my surprise 0 dead today! and everyone looks allot healthier.... I havent tried to feed yet, Im tryin to make them really hungry to eat there medicine.. lol

Addicted - Yeah, I use epsom salt religiously in my african tanks... with every water change.... I did dump in a bunch extra, but it really didnt help much.... I will keep using it... and the metro+ until everyone left is 100% healthy.

Ok, day 4 treatment.... in the last two days I have only lost 1 fish.... so I think I am over the worst.... actually about 10 of the 15 fish left are eating, and very active... so thats a great sign...

I will do another very large (50%) water change today, that should do the trick, I am hoping... Will keep ya'll updated.

Sorry to hear about the losses, but good that they seem to be getting over it. Your sister must feel pretty bad, trying to help with this being the outcome.

Aww sorry! I've never come across bloat personally, except in one or two bettas, and they were already dead

Could be worse... I knew a guy that lost a bunch of his fish at work due to the cleaning lady... she was a foreigner that knew nothing about aquariums and got a little crazy with the windex cleaning the glass.

Ok, the battle with bloat continues! well not so much anymore, but there is 1 fish I am worried about.... has clamped fin, and one side seems to be bloated.... surprisingly she hasnt died... Every morning I get up to see if I am gonna clean her out, but she keeps on keepin on..... If I had a hospital tank set up I wouldve pulled her, but cause I dont I am just gonna continue treatment on the entire tank.... Metro+ says there is not a problem overdoseing, and it come out really easy with carbon, so Im not too worried.

This makes day 6... 0 deaths since day 4....

Good news! I also think it's a good idea to treat the entire tank (just my opinion), since it seems to be so contagious. Some might be affected and not showing signs yet.

Hopefully the worst has passed!

What did she feed them? I hope she didn't feed them blood worms

My directions told her to feed them vegge pellets and vegge flakes, so I am assuming she just overfed, but I do had her feedin blood worms on the other tanks, so she couldve done that? I dont want to ask her, cause I will get pissed if she didnt follow my instructions!

Treatment day 8 - every fish is super active eating well except that one fish has the clamp fin, wont eat, and is hovering around the mid/top back of tank.... So I dont know if its a loss to keep treating the whole tank, or should I just pull her??? I dont have a hospital tank, but have a 46gal with no one in it.... whatcha all think?

1. continue treatment whole tank

2. pull the only sick fish and cull her/him

3. pull the sick fish and put in my 46gal continue treatment there?

Option 3. Don't cull her!!!!

I would leave it in your tank. Maybe just continue with Epsom Salt? (cheaper).

Dude I would go with option 2
Kinda harsh...but is probably the best option

If she is suffering and about to die then I'd probably freeze her, but if she's just swimming around I wouldn't kill her. There's no point in killing her.

I like adding sick fish to my brown trout aquarium.

sound interesting where the vid of that one?

Its XXX rated

those are always the good ones [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Lol... I am giving her 2 days from today... added more Metro+, and epsom salt... will continue treatment, then looks like option 2 is whats gonna have to happen... THink its only fair, the other fish are startin to pick on her, the end is near for her.

Hey Sand, let me suggest #3 at this point. If she's being picked on at this point she won't be able to rest and heal if she's in with the others.

Do you have anything like a Rubbermaid tote or a plastic storage bin around the house? You could turn that into a hospital tank pretty easily if you have a spare heater and a sponge filter.

I know your all probably wondering how she is doing, thanks so much for all your concern!

Today I woke to see her still alive, and there is improvement... small improvement but itleast there is some improvement... she is startin to use her fin again... still hovering around the top of the tank, Im assuming thats where everyone leaves her alone. She is not eating, but this has made me change my mind to #3. if there is more improvement tomorrow.

Betty - I dont have any spare heaters and sponge filters are still needed in the tanks there in... I do have a 46gal tank that has had water in it, heater and a canister filter with great water parameters for her... just thought it wouldve been useless because of the state she was in, now I see a light though!

SEE!!!! Give it time and most times it will improve.

Killing her would have been the easy way out! Take pride in saving your fish.

sand u need to stack your sponges for times like this that way you can remove one of the established sponges in pinch and put it back later when its no longer needed, works great for those unexpected fry ;P or sick fish

Sand, you need to get yourself a small hospital tank! You just never know when you'll need it.

I probably worry too much about it, but I don't like the idea of possibly cross-contaminating a tank with a sick fish that might still be contagious. I use a 10 gallon with a few easy to clean decorations so the fish can hide and feel safe, but no substrate in my quarantine/hospital tank. When I move the fish out, I break it all down, clean it well, and leave it dry until it's needed again.

Luckily, I haven't had any sick fish in a long time, but I do get one beat up once in a while and also use it as a quarantine for any new fish.

I'm glad your female is getting better!

honestly 10gal tank and extra sponge filters are on there way this week ....

betty - I used to have a hospital tank, and the lack of sick fish that needed it, so I wanted to get use out of it so turned it into the german blue ram breeding tank... What do you know, just a month after I do it and I get a bunch of sick fish!

sandnuka wrote:I used to have a hospital tank, and the lack of sick fish that needed it, so I wanted to get use out of it so turned it into the german blue ram breeding tank... What do you know, just a month after I do it and I get a bunch of sick fish!

Ain't that always the way? LOL

Great news on her though Sand, happy to hear it.

sandnuka wrote:betty - I used to have a hospital tank, and the lack of sick fish that needed it, so I wanted to get use out of it so turned it into the german blue ram breeding tank... What do you know, just a month after I do it and I get a bunch of sick fish!

I know what you mean! I have five 10 gallon tanks. I kept filling them with fry and would have to get another for emergencies.

Update: She is well!!! WOOOOHOOOOO!! today every fish in my tank is 100% healthy, active, and eating!! whats super cool is the sick red rainbow has now started to wear her/his adult colors finally! Gettin a really nice yellow underbelly, just looks awesome with the red upper body.

Thanks everyone for all your help, suggestions, and comments!

Good thing you didn't kill her Compassion wins again.