distended belly and vent problem; upsidedown catfish

[cowfish7]

My Synodontis (upside down) cat has just developed a strange problem I have never seen in a fish before. His belly is slightly distended, AND he has something coming out of his vent. It is not a parasite, it looks like part of his body.
Any ideas?
I seem to recall that I've had syno cats that do get the distended belly from time to time, but it eventually goes away. In other fish, I'd say it was from a big meal, but the synos never get that much food.

cowfish7

 

[Allivymar]

Hiya cowfish7; sorry this took so long to answer - was away for the weekend.

Buncha questions first:

How long has his belly been distended? When you say the bit coming out his vent doesn't look like a parasite, what exactly does it look like? Like part of his intestine is coming out? Or something else (can you get a pic? I know...seems weird, but it would help). What are you feeding him? Is he still eating? Are there any behaviors noted (heavy breathing, swimming unusual, etc)?

 

[cowfish7]

A bit more info:
I noticed the belly and vent problem at the same time (now almost 2 days
ago). At first I thought this 'thing' was coming out the vent (which I figured would have to be the intestine; has anyone seen this happen?). It is pink like an internal organ, and looks like it is gas-filled. It looks like a little pink balloon.

But I can now tell it is actually between the pelvic fins and not really coming out the vent-- so unless the body wall has come open in some way...? The only thing I could find in a reference book was that maybe it is a tumor. But I would not expect it to just show up one day (I would think it would start small then grow) or to look like it is gas-filled. I wonder if an internal tumor would break thru the body wall?

The two things that I have changed in the last week prior to this happening: I moved several fish from my other tank into this one; and I have given them some frozen tubifex, which I don't think the Synodontis even got to eat. The only info I could find about tubifex is that it causes whirling disease, which does not seem to be the problem here, and I would think would not develop in one week anyway. I have always heard that it can 'cause disease' but this is the only disease I came up with. All my other fish look fine, although with the new dynamic, they have started to pick on each other (I don't have a large enough school of each species). The synodontis is the only bottom dweller so he is king of his domain

He seems OK for now. He can swim, although he hasn't done much in the last 2 days, and I don't think he has eaten.


cowfish7

 

[Allivymar]

Hrmm. Could be tumor, could be a cyst. I tend to go with cyst because of the rapidity of the appearance. My guess, and this is only a guess, is its the result of an infection, although I can't say what the cause would be. Could be the tubifex, could be something thats been festering for a while, could be something brought in with one of the others.

Just to be sure, the "thing" is like a bubble, and the entire abdomen isn't swollen right? Thats the impression I have from your description but I want to be sure.

I'd isolate him, and try a round of broad spectrum antibiotics; maybe Kanacyn.

 

[cowfish7]

Well, I suppose either way, a tumor or cyst - not much I can do about it. He has been calmly resting in the plants, so I guess I'll just leave him for now, and hope for the best. At first I was thinking it was his intestine and might go back into the body cavity, but I guess not.
The 'thing' is like a bubble, but his belly is also slightly distended. It really doesn't stick out that much (just like he might have had a big meal), and in the past, I've had synos look like that but then go back to normal.

cowfish7

 

[cowfish7]

I am very sad to say that my Synodontis has gone to the great fishtank in the sky. Even after I pulled him out, I couldn't figure out what happened to him.


cowfish7

 

[Allivymar]

Aw I'm sorry cowfish

Its possible it was some sort of blockage in the intestine; if so, there was nothing you could have done. It sure sounds like it anyway, although you understand this is just a guess.