Help!! Dealing with bloat!!!

[Partridge27]

Hi guys I have a large male electric yellow cichlid with bloat and his not looking good. He has very swollen tummy and is just sitting at the bottom of the tank leaning on a rock. I was away for 5 days and when I got back noticed he was very bloated it has been 1 day now since I got back and hope it hasn't been for too long. I would like to know if there is a cure which will not end up causing me a fortune. I tried peas mixed with new life spectrum and he was not interested in eating at all. So I caught him in a net and held him and tried to force feed him he did not eat it still. He is continuously breathing heavily and opening and closing his mouth whilst sitting at the bottom of the tank. Any help appreciated.

 

[Partridge27]

It is a 55g tank with 11 other smaller various cichlids.

 

[Rivers2k]

I have not had to deal with boat but I know others tat have and they added epsome salt to the tank 1 table spoon for every 5 gallons. Feeding isn't the most dire issue so you don't need to worry about feeding. force feeding is just going to cause more stress. Bloat is caused by a blockage wither egg bound or intestinal blockage, sometime parasites.

Epsome salt is diaretic that can help clear a blockage.

 

[Jmedic25]

First off I'm very sorry you're dealing with this. A few questions. What are you feeding? What are your water test params? Do you have a hospital tank?

 

[Partridge27]

First off I'm very sorry you're dealing with this. A few questions. What are you feeding? What are your water test params? Do you have a hospital tank?

I have been feeding them a mix of cichlid floating pellets and new life spectrum, sadly last night my male did die. Last time I got my water tested was last week and all was perfect. Somebody I was talking to suggested that it was from too much protein and I should feed them peas once a week. I will try this and hope I do not get anymore with it.

 

[Jmedic25]

You should run a few doses of flagyl..They will have it at your pet store.

 

[Jmedic25]

Stick to nls and veggies. Keep your water prefect and get a test kit. Good luck

 

[Elkairos]

Lol I have never heard of someone force feeding a cichlid with bloat... You must have panicked.

I have chased a cichlid into releasing some major loads after 3 days of not releasing.

Sometimes Epsom salt and meds will work. It's all about the work done beforehand (bloat, parasites, etc.). When something does set in, stress free environment needs to be set. Second step is to pinpoint the problem. You say bloat but it could've been something else.

Worry about the fish you still have! Stringy clear poop?