HELP Bloated discus

[rwel4809]

I returned home this evening to find one of my discus has a bloated abdomen and slightly bulbous eyes. It was hanging around the top of the tank, off its food, and not able to move easily...

This fish was fine this morning... I have no idea how this could have happened.

The tank is very clean.

300 litres, 6 discus, sand and driftwood

Nitrite 0
Amonia 0
Nitrate 5ppm
temp 30 C

W/C 25% every other day with aged and heated water.

I'm not sure what to do... Maybe a dip/bath in epsom salts?

[Hollowman]

Could be a blockage. I would treat with Epsom Salt at 1 tablespoon per 10 gals for 24 hours. This should do the trick. Maybe move it to a hospital tank to do this.

hth

Steve

[rwel4809]

The fish died this morning :(

I examined her to find that the swelling was hard above the ovipositor which was down. I think she must have been egg bound - the infection was not in her gut, which was soft by comparison.

She had been courting one of the other discus, and after some research I think that she may have burnt her ovipositor on the heater that she was showing some interest in, causing scarring and the inability to lay eggs...

A warning to all -

MAKE SURE YOUR HEATERS ARE HORIZONTAL!

R.

[bartek]

Sorry to hear that rob.

[ILLUSN]

That sucks mate, i've lost 3 girls that way, such a waste

[rwel4809]

Thanks guys,

I know. Total waste. Such a beautiful, fat, and otherwise healthy fish.

Can't help but feel very sad about it.

R.

[bartek]

Yeah total bummer.

I lost a blue diamond last week myself...

[Matt15]

Sorry to hear Robert, such a waste of a great fish.

+1 for heater cases.

[AHC]

Thats messed up. Sorry to hear about the loss.

Heater cases for sure!

[Hollowman]

Sorry to hear that :cry:

[lpiasente]

That's awful, im very sorry. Sera have heaters with heater guards on them so they fish can't actually touch the glass at all. :(

[rwel4809]

Thanks everyone,

I'm getting a heater guard for sure. I have a Jager heater, any recommendations for which guard to use?