Bloated Coral Beatuy in QT

[ryngill]

Hi, I need help with my coral beauty he/she is severely bloated, I am in the process of a hyposalinity treatment and was going to lower the salinity for the last time today to 14ppt but noticed the coral beauty was WAY too fat. So I did nothing. The tank is at 17ppt I started at 35ppt and have lowered ~ 5ppt a day. What should I do to get rid of the bloat? I have some pics of the fish here.

bloated beauty (http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ryngill/album?.dir=/6928)

Please help. This fish is ~5years old and I would hate to lose it.

[ATJ]

Ryan,
Wow, that is very bloated! Even the eyes are popping. When did the fish start to bloat? Why are you performing hyposalinity? Is the fish eating? Have you seen it excrete?

[ryngill]

The fish started to bloat a few days ago, the hypo is for Ich, the fish has nibbled at small amounts of food, and I have yet to see it excrete, since the bloating that is.

[ATJ]

I don't believe it is constipation because it is swelling so badly, and not just the gut. I guess it is possibly a reaction to the hyposalinity, but I have never heard or seen of such a reaction.

Is it the only fish in the quarantine tank? How are the other water parameters?

[ryngill]

Other parameters are PH 8.2, ammonia .1 , and there are other fish in the QT, none of them are showing any ill effects. Thanks for the replys.

[ATJ]

Ryan,

I don't think the ammonia would be causing the bloating, but keep an eye on it. If the ammonia rises any more, it is worth letting the pH drop a little as this will result in less toxic ammonia.

At about what salinity were you at when the bloating started? As I said, I doubt it is related to the hyposalinity, but if the timing is consistent, it could be.

[ryngill]

I remember noticing that the fish was "fat" when I first put it in QT but it wasn't fat enough for alarm, I just figured it was the first time I had really been able to see it head on and notice the girth of this mature (5+ yrs) fish. Then over the next few days It got large enough to spook me. I have taken some measures since last post... I dosed the tank with furan-2; the fish is enormous and obviously struggling, if it pulls thru this I will be surprised, but I'm still hopeful. Thanks for your replies and I will continue to post so we can learn from this experience. I have a thread going here also - other thread (http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/thread.jsp?forum=31&thread=16233&tstart=0&trange=15)

[TerryB]

I doubt that the bloating is in reaction to hypo, but I suppose anything is possible. THe immediate danger is the bloating and not the ich so you could raise the salinity a bit, but not back to NSW. I think the most likely cause is an internal bacterial infection. Some bacteria give off a gas as a by-product of thier metabolism. This is probably what you are seeing. I would treat the fish immediately in Qtank with either Nitorfurazone or Maracyn-Two at the dose suggested for the first day EACH and EVERY day for at least 7 days. Nitrofurazone (Furacyn) should be given in one dose on the first day ONLY of 30mg'gal and leave the fish in the medicated water 3 to 5 days max. If it were my fish I would raise the salinity slightly and give it antibiotics. Once the fish has recovered from the bacterial infection then I would start hypo again to treat the ich. The alternative is to use Cupramine by Seachem for 3 weeks and test the copper level twice a day. I don't recommend any other copper with sensitive fish like angels.
Terry B

[ATJ]

I looked at the thread on the other board and the advice there is generally good, although I don't think it is dropsy. Dropsy is build up of fluid in the abdominal cavity where as this looks more like an overall swelling. The cause may be similar and could be bacterial as Terry has suggested.

[ryngill]

Well, the fish is still alive, but the swelling has not decreased any. About how long can a fish survive in this state and at what point should I see improvement if the treatment is going to work; ~3 days into it or longer? Also the recommended dosage for the meds I used (Furan-2 ) which I belive had nitrofurazone in it suggest to dose it every day for up to 7 days. Should I do this or is there a better way to dose it from expierence? Thanks - Ryan