Malawi bloat

[amcgee2842]

I'm pretty sure I have a case of Malawi bloat going around my aquarium. I have read a few articles on this website and others. Was going to treat with Epson salt and Metro. I went to fish gallery and they stated just to treat it with Epson salt which every where I have read Epson salt alone will not cure it. I went to look for Metro at fish gallery and couldn't fine it. I want to avoid clout it seems pretty harsh. I have lost two fish and I think a third is coming down with it not as frantic about saving the one fish as I am treating the whole tank to stop the spread. Any good Ideas?

[Austy16414]

Metro is hard to find locally, but I would check with City Pets and HAW. I've successfully stopped bloat (at the early stages) using only epsom salt and keeping water parameters pristine. Good, clean water can go a long way. You can also try feeding shelled peas.

Here's a good article on the subject: http://www.oscarfish.com/article-hom...ish-bloat.html

[Austy16414]

One more: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/malawi_bloat.php

[ptran]

Epsom salt with 50% water change in a couple days. Turn off light. Stop feeding for a few days.

[amcgee2842]

How much epsom salt 1 table spoon for 10 gallons? Is it safe for plants and plecos?

[TangoMIke]

Pull any fish out and isolate that are showing any signs. Metro and epsom salt. stop feeding the colony for a couple of days look for any white or stingy poop. First sign is usually a fish not eating. An african cichlid should always eat agressively.

On a side note I started feeding NLS 5 years ago and have not had a case since

Good Luck

[amcgee2842]

Yea I feed NLS. I think I tend to over feed I try not to but some of the smaller fish stay at the bottom to eat and the bigger ones eat at the top. So I usually sprinkle enough food to get to the bottom which probably isn't good. Yea I lost a Taiwanese reef about a week ago I notice he was staying in his spot longer than normal and not swimming as much didn't think much about it then one morning three days later I see he had lost a lot of color and by the time I got home from work he was dead. About fours days ago I notice my Ngara was staying at the bottom and slowly started to get a swollen abdomen and I found him this morning dead. I have blue regal that has stayed in his spot the last three days and I feel like he is getting it and notice his abdomen starting to swell. Since its been cold out side I have not been changing water as often as I should been doing compared to the warm months when I do it weekly. I hate using buckets and my out door water is too cold to use. So i'm pretty sure my nitrates have spiked and causing stress on the fish although I do dose with prime every 2-3 days and do water changes every 3 weeks or so and that method worked last winter. I have a few dwarf mbuna with peacocks and the mbuna seem to being doing fine its the peacocks it seems to be effecting.

[morpheus]

How much epsom salt 1 table spoon for 10 gallons? Is it safe for plants and plecos?

epsom salt wont hurt the plants. some people add epsom as a fert for plants. the plecos should be fine too. you get varying opinions on the dosing amount, but i think 1 tbsp per 10 gallon is normal.

but i agree with the others. stop feeding for a few days as you treat, and keep your water as clean as possible with the epsom solution.

just a random question: do you feed your malawis bloodworms by any chance? that is a major cause of bloat in malawi cichlids and can explain a breakout

[amcgee2842]

only feed NLS and twice a week I put some algae wafers in

[ptran]

I don't believe food source is a main problem. I think stress, water quality (causing stress), and overfeeding is usually the cause for bloat.

[Austy16414]

I don't believe food source is a main problem. I think stress, water quality (causing stress), and overfeeding is usually the cause for bloat.

Usually food source will only cause bloat in fish with long digestive tracts, in which case you need to watch out for foods high in proteins

[ptran]

Usually food source will only cause bloat in fish with long digestive tracts, in which case you need to watch out for foods high in proteins

Whatever the food is, just don't feed them too much. They need to always be a little hungry to be active and healthy. I also skip feeding once a week on the water change day.