Fish looks bloated, how do I treat?

[wtusa17]

My apistogramma isn’t looking too good today and his stomach looks very large. He isn’t eating. He has been staying on the bottom. Is it a parasite? How do I treat this?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

It may have dropsy and fin rot...

@Colin_T

 

[JuiceBox52]

Its fins look fine

If it is internal you can try API general cure, but if he swelled up overnight he is unlikely to make it

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Its fins look fine

If it is internal you can try API general cure, but if he swelled up overnight he is unlikely to make it

API general cure does not cure bloating, it cures internal parasites.

Internal parasites do not cause bloating.

 

[wtusa17]

API general cure does not cure bloating, it cures internal parasites.

Internal parasites do not cause bloating.

It says cures abdominal swelling

 

[wtusa17]

Its fins look fine

If it is internal you can try API general cure, but if he swelled up overnight he is unlikely to make it

Ok. What happened then?

 

[JuiceBox52]

It says cures abdominal swelling

It treats internal worms, if it is that. If it is an

Ok. What happened then?

Internal infection (dropsy)

 

[Salty&Onion]

Try giving it de shelled thawed peas and maybe an epsom salt bath, it should move everything that is inside the fish. Worked with my swordtail girls when they were seriously constipated and were swimming with their heads down and moving rapidly all their fins to prevent themselves from going up.
Try that, and if its a beginning of dropsy do the salt method of 3 tablespoons for 5 L bucket and aerating the water for 30 minutes.

 

[wtusa17]

Its fins look fine

If it is internal you can try API general cure, but if he swelled up overnight he is unlikely to make it

Ok. What happened then?

Try giving it de shelled thawed peas and maybe an epsom salt bath, it should move everything that is inside the fish. Worked with my swordtail girls when they were seriously constipated and were swimming with their heads down and moving rapidly all their fins to prevent themselves from going up.
Try that, and if its a beginning of dropsy do the salt method of 3 tablespoons for 5 L bucket and aerating the water for 30 minutes.

ok. It’s not eating. How do I know what I need to do?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Thawed peas will work. Cut them in half, if he can't fit them in his mouth.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

ok. How do I know what I need to do?

Is the fish still at the bottom of the tank?

 

[JuiceBox52]

Thawed peas will work. Cut them in half, if he can't fit them in his mouth.

Thawed peas will only work if hes constipated

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Thawed peas will only work if hes constipated

Hence a bloated stomach...

We don't know for sure if its internal parasites.

 

[Salty&Onion]

ok. How do I know what I need to do?

Get epsom salts, get a 5 L bucket, airstone and put 3 tablespoons of salt to the bucket and dissolve, aerate the water for 30 minutes then put in the fish for 10 minutes which you can do twice for 10 minutes only and then just see if the fish perks up overnight. Magic.

Hence a bloated stomach...

We don't know for sure if its internal parasites.

Sure, we'd need other symptoms.

 

[wtusa17]

Is the fish still at the bottom of the tank?

Yes