Definition Of Hollow Belly

[thomas]

I have 5 cichlids who I've been recently treating for bacterial infections... of the 4 fish that over different points in time became affected, 1 has made a full recovery (in the sense that all visible symtoms and unusual behavior have ended), 1 is in a sepperate hospitle tank and being treated, 1 died too fast for any treatments to be administered, and 1 is showing no signs I can attribute to infection, but does have a small pit like shape on his belly.

I'm trying to work out a cause for this, It's a very small depression in the skin, maybe 1-1.5 mm deep, and 2-3mm wide. It's located near the belly and I'm trying to work out if this is the symptom known as hollow belly.

This fish was very sick a few weeks, maybe a month ago. Swollen belly, upside down, barely moving, not eating. With treatment he is back swimming very happily and eating lots.

But during more recent treatment he hasn't gotten food due to the fact it's a very small hospital tank, and ammonia and niterite levels spike quite fast if they are fed in it.

He is eating and getting food now and back in the main much bigger tank, so I'm wondering if that may be the cause.

 

[sylvia]

Possibly.

However, what species of cichlids? What were you/are you feeding them? Is the tank cycled (and was it before)? How long had you had them when the symptoms first appeared in the first fish that became ill?

 

[thomas]

Possibly.

However, what species of cichlids? What were you/are you feeding them? Is the tank cycled (and was it before)? How long had you had them when the symptoms first appeared in the first fish that became ill?

African Cichlid
They are being fed something called "tetra colorbits", used it for a long time with no problems.
The tank IS cycled, the emergency tank he was in was not.
I'm honestly not sure, they are several years old, possibly 5 or more.
The fish showing this depression in the skin was the first to be effected, and has had the longest treatment.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Well you need to cycle your hospital tank somehow, it will be very difficult to successfully treat fish in a hospital tank that is not cycled, stress can lower the efficiency of a fish's imune system and ammonia and nitrites are very stressful for fish, on top of underfeeding and the stress of meds themselves, will make it very difficult for the fish to recover.
What med/s have you been treating your fish with and how many gallons is the hospital tank?
A hollow belly/wasting away should look like this;

http/www.fishpalace.org/unknownwasting_connieacmepet.jpg

 

[thomas]

Well you need to cycle your hospital tank somehow, it will be very difficult to successfully treat fish in a hospital tank that is not cycled, stress can lower the efficiency of a fish's imune system and ammonia and nitrites are very stressful for fish, on top of underfeeding and the stress of meds themselves, will make it very difficult for the fish to recover.
What med/s have you been treating your fish with and how many gallons is the hospital tank?
A hollow belly/wasting away should look like this;

http/www.fishpalace.org/unknownwasting_connieacmepet.jpg

Yes, I'm aware of the problems with using an uncycled tank... Ammonia's and nitrite's are being kept within safe levels as best I can using some stuff I have that neutralises and detoxifys niterite and ammonia, along with water changes. The problem is, I just don't see a way to cycle that tank at this time that won't just increese the risk.

The fish in question for this thread IS currently in an established tank, with zero ammonia and niterite.

As for your picture... it's the middle of the night right now where I am so I can't really check, but the symptom does not look like the one in the picture. This is a small dip in the skin around the belly, not like the picture.

I will try to get a picture of my own in a few hours time to post.

 

[thomas]

Looking at it today.. it does look a little bit like that, but only on one side and not the other.

The fish is still eating and swimming around and is other then this 100% acting and looking normal.

Is it possible that this has been caused by him not getting food recently (I've resumed normal feeding for the tank now)