sunspot catfish sick?

[nlynton]

Mystus bimaculatus

I have a sunspot catfish for almost a year. for most of that time, he likes to hide 24/7 in an ornament. I would check on him everyso often to make sure he was still alive, because after about 3 mos, he disappeared in there.

I checked on him today and his belly is VERY distended. Looks otherwise healthy. Color is good, swims fine and fins are not frayed.

I have been feeding them anti-bacterial medicine for the past week, because there a very big sore on one of my australian rainbow fish (looks like someone took a bite out of him). Relevance being I have been feeding my fish a lot of this food, because some of them won't eat.

Is he just eating everything the rest won't eat or is it some kind of alien parasite, ready to unleash facehuggers on the rest of my fish?

 

[bunjiweb]

do you feed after dark at all? The only way to be sure these fish are eating is to wait until your tank is fully dark (just before bed probably), then feed it sinking carnivore pellets or sinking variety wafers...

Ben

 

[nlynton]

Maybe I am ignorant of catfish and don't understand your reply. I have had the fish for almost a year, so he has been eating. Are you saying that the distended belly could be because of starvation?

If so, the point is moot. I have bought a breeder net to quarantine my Rainbow, so the other fish don't pick at his wound. I will start the rest back on thier regular diet.

Is the distended belly because of starvation? If so, will he be okay going back on his regular diet or is the distention a point of no return?

Or, as in my original question, is it a parasite or disease?

 

[WILDER]

If the belly is sunken it could be a sign of internal parasites, is the anus red inflamed and can you see anything prutruding from the anus.

 

[CFC]

By distended do you mean the fish looks like it is swollen around the belly?

If so this is perfectly normal of Bagrid catfishes which will stuff themselves until they look like they are going to burst.

 

[nlynton]

By distended do you mean the fish looks like it is swollen around the belly?

If so this is perfectly normal of Bagrid catfishes which will stuff themselves until they look like they are going to burst.

[snapback]880082[/snapback]​

yes, very swollen. As I said, I have been overfeeding anti-bacterial food, because some weren't eating. I guess thats it.

I haven't seen any other signs of distress.

Thanks, guys.

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like constipation then, as antibiotics can cause constipation, shelled peas and daphnia.

 

[CFC]

A predatory catfish is highly unlikely to eat peas or bother chasing a low protein food like daphnia

As i said it is quite common for catfish from the Bagridae family to gorge themselves to the point where they look bloated, dont feed the tank for a few days and check to see if the swelling goes down, if it doesnt then you may have a problem but im 90% sure it will. I would also lay off the medications until you are sure there is a problem as unnessasry medicating causes more problems in the long run.