Kilgore
Aquarium Advice Activist
+++Warning: This post is not for the queasy!+++
Well, I know otos are delicate, but I have recently lost three in a row, over a two month period, to a very strange ailment. The otos in question had very swollen stomachs. With the second one afflicted, I realized he was in his death throes as I was completing a water change. He was swimming erratically, unable to control his movements... and then, I noticed that something was starting to protrude from his anus. It looked red. By the time I could even begin to think of what to do, he had died. What a horrible and painful way to go! I later tried to press a little on his stomach and a lot of white fluid came out. I was thinking cammalanus worms until I saw the fluid - that seems more like an infection; plus, there was only a single red filament, and I thought the worms came out in tiny bunches (based on photos I've seen). This "worm" was larger than tubifex, slightly smaller than a bloodwoorm - bright red.
That was about two weeks ago. Today we lost another one (swollen stomach, no protrusion this time). The three remaining otos do not appear to be affected, and none of the other fish are. Water quality is excellent: ammonia and nitrites 0, nitrates 15 ppm, pH 6.8, hardness 4dGH.
So.... I have been considering attempting a dissection (I have a kit), but would that accomplish anything? Not really sure what I am looking for. I don't have a microscope either, so it would be limited to my observations. The weird thing is that there was a thread going (in this forum, or another?) about an oto with the exact same symptoms that had died. I suggested feeding as an issue, and that is still a possibility, but I am not sure how I would identify a blockage if that were the case, and why three otos would get it, and not the others.
If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.
Well, I know otos are delicate, but I have recently lost three in a row, over a two month period, to a very strange ailment. The otos in question had very swollen stomachs. With the second one afflicted, I realized he was in his death throes as I was completing a water change. He was swimming erratically, unable to control his movements... and then, I noticed that something was starting to protrude from his anus. It looked red. By the time I could even begin to think of what to do, he had died. What a horrible and painful way to go! I later tried to press a little on his stomach and a lot of white fluid came out. I was thinking cammalanus worms until I saw the fluid - that seems more like an infection; plus, there was only a single red filament, and I thought the worms came out in tiny bunches (based on photos I've seen). This "worm" was larger than tubifex, slightly smaller than a bloodwoorm - bright red.
That was about two weeks ago. Today we lost another one (swollen stomach, no protrusion this time). The three remaining otos do not appear to be affected, and none of the other fish are. Water quality is excellent: ammonia and nitrites 0, nitrates 15 ppm, pH 6.8, hardness 4dGH.
So.... I have been considering attempting a dissection (I have a kit), but would that accomplish anything? Not really sure what I am looking for. I don't have a microscope either, so it would be limited to my observations. The weird thing is that there was a thread going (in this forum, or another?) about an oto with the exact same symptoms that had died. I suggested feeding as an issue, and that is still a possibility, but I am not sure how I would identify a blockage if that were the case, and why three otos would get it, and not the others.
If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know.