Bloated Zebra Danio... Resolved

[eaglesaquarium]

A little help in this thread please...

Request Help

Tank size: 56 U.S. gallons
pH: 6.8
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0pmm
nitrate: 10-20 ppm
kH: 3
gH: 5
tank temp: 76F

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
bloated abdomen... seems to be swimming fine for the most part... does rest on the bottom for periods, but it can't be easy to swim like that. Was circling with the other danio when they were first put in the tank... They hang together some, and not at other times. This danio seems to like to rest where I have no chance of seeing her in my tank... behind the big rocks on the right side of the tank...

Volume and Frequency of water changes:
I haven't had to do any yet - just got fish today (with mature media). I plan to do 30-50% weekly.


Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:
Nothing special - Penguin 200 filter - biowheel, floss, extra biowheel and ceramics


Tank inhabitantsall came from the same tank)
3 harlequin rasboras - seem fine
2 panda corydoras - seem fine
2 zebra danios - one is bloated the other seems to have its fins stuck sticking out right behind its gills

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):
All the aforementioned are recent additions. The tank has been cycling previously. I recently added some live plants, but the fish came to me this way.


Exposure to chemicals:
None that I know of...

Digital photo (include if possible):
top view of bloated danio, while acclimating

Rear view

Side view

Sorry the pics are so bad.

Is this constipation, eggs, dropsy or what?!

 

[daleboy]

The last time I saw a Zebra in that sort of condition it turned out to be internal parasites.
It was in a load of fish that was bought by a family member.
Before we had time to treat it though its side ruptured and worm type things came out.
Not saying it is 100% the same issue but certainly looks like it to me.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

That's not good news... Is there a readily available treatment for that? And I suppose I should put it into a quarantine tank then... Just in case.


Was your fish a danio? What were its other behaviors like?

 

[daleboy]

Yes the fish we had was a Danio.
It didnt last long enough for us to treat it before it died so I didnt follow it up as to what was needed to cure it.
I would quarantine the fish though if possible.
I know it can be quite a pain to find treatment for internal parasites in the uk without a vet prescribing them.
Sorry not much help I know, hopefully someone else may know what to use and will be along soon.

 

[daleboy]

Since I replied last I have a little to add.
I have a couple of fish that I suspect have internal parasites so went looking for a treatment at the local branch of Dobbies.
I got Sterazin it says it treats gill and body flukes and internal worms so maybe that is worth a try on your Danio.
I saw the video in your other post and it does look exactly the same as the one I mentioned above.
Even the slightly arched spine is the same.
It looks at roughly the same stage as the one we had as well so it may not have much time left.
Sorry for the negatives but thought it best to reply again.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Since I replied last I have a little to add.
I have a couple of fish that I suspect have internal parasites so went looking for a treatment at the local branch of Dobbies.
I got Sterazin it says it treats gill and body flukes and internal worms so maybe that is worth a try on your Danio.
I saw the video in your other post and it does look exactly the same as the one I mentioned above.
Even the slightly arched spine is the same.
It looks at roughly the same stage as the one we had as well so it may not have much time left.
Sorry for the negatives but thought it best to reply again.

I appreciate the reply dale!


I heard that it starting looking "pregnant" like 4 months or so ago.


I guess I will have to get my quarantine tank going - for this fish. I don't want to lose this fish, but I never had high hopes for it. Maybe I can bring it back from the brink...

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'm thinking of using some anti-parasite food. Hopefully the zebra will eat some... my rasboras are quite ravenous anytime food is available.

 

[daleboy]

Hope it all works out ok for the Danio.
I have no experience with anti parasite food, Do you know the name of it as I think it would be better to try that myself rather than have to dose the whole tank with medication.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Nope. Not yet. I have to go buy some. I couldn't find a source for the medicine you mentioned.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Lost the bloated zebra overnight - got stuck to the filter intake. Well, now I have another dilemma - do I add more zebras, since there is now only one, or do I move the one lone zebra to the 10 gallon tank (I know it isn't ideal for the zebra in the 10 gallon tank, but I never intended to keep zebras at all.)


I doubt the LFS would take the zebra off my hands. I guess its worth a try, but something tells me that they won't do it.

 

[Harlequins]

Sorry to hear your zebra died

You could try the lfs if you dont intend adding any more,but some are a bit funny about adding fish from other tanks...just take it along with you and say would you like this fish,i did that when i decided i didn't want my neons when i first started out and they took them

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Thanks Harlequins. I had a bad feeling when I first got her/him. I didn't actually think that it would last as long as it did. I'm most glad that it didn't burst open and release parasites into the tank. I moved her over to a 10 gallon and tried treating her. I don't know if that is what killed her or if it was whatever was causing the distended abdomen.

The other zebra has been noticeably more aggressive in the tank since being alone. I don't want to have a bunch of nipped fins of my rasboras, but I believe that is what I am getting right now. The rasboras were the fish I wanted, not the zebra, so that is part of what is bugging me about it.


I'd happily buy more rasboras from them if they took the zebra off my hands. I'd even pay a little extra for their trouble. I really don't want the zebra.

 

[KISSfn]

Lost the bloated zebra overnight - got stuck to the filter intake. Well, now I have another dilemma - do I add more zebras, since there is now only one, or do I move the one lone zebra to the 10 gallon tank (I know it isn't ideal for the zebra in the 10 gallon tank, but I never intended to keep zebras at all.)


I doubt the LFS would take the zebra off my hands. I guess its worth a try, but something tells me that they won't do it.

Just found this post today. So sorry for your loss eaglesaquarium.