Fat striped raphael

[Grish]

So today I was playing musical aquariums with some of my fish. I am stocking my soon to planted 55 gallon aquarium. I pulled my striped raphael who I hadn't seen in a month or so out of my other and noticed he was incredibly fat... He has also grown about an inch or so and seems to be doing fine just worried that he may be bloated or constipated.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

He is defiantly bloated

 

[Grish]

Is there anything I can do for him or do I just need to give it time to pass on its own?

 

[HN1]

He is defiantly bloated

Agreed.

If it otherwise looks healthy, I'd make sure to deprive it completely of food for a week or so and watch closely. You very well may be looking at internal parasites though. I've never seen a raphael show such pronounced "bloat".

 

[Grish]

Agreed. If it otherwise looks healthy, I'd make sure to deprive it completely of food for a week or so and watch closely. You very well may be looking at internal parasites though. I've never seen a raphael show such pronounced "bloat".

Ok I will catch him and throw him in my breeding net.

 

[Grish]

If it is a parasite what do I treat it with?

 

[Kristian Tombs]

Do you have a quarantine tank?

 

[Grish]

Well I checked on him this morning before I left for work and his belly was back down to normal size. I am going to leave him in the breeder net for a little while longer just to keep an eye on him. And yes I do have a quarantine tank that I could set up if I Needed to.

 

[Coursair]

They are known to overeat. I've seen the basketball stomach before. They are usually fine. Ours were incredibly hardy at the store.

 

[Grish]

Well I think he was just being a little piggy. He was back to his normal size this evening when I got home. He is now back in the tank with everyone else. Thanks everyone for the help and info!

 

[Bichir Bro]

My 7 inch raphael still has his, fatter than normal periods. One time it was bad but they're good about shrinking down. They love overeating and unless fed wisely, they will gorge themselves. Usually cichlid pellets bloat them up real bad, that's what happens when I feed mine just a little too many. Love the Raphaels, hope he's with you a long time! They're awesome fish to keep but theygenerally like to hide all day so I never see mine but when I do he puts on a show trying to burrow or find food in the Sand!

 

[kerri1221]

I need help with a striped Raphael. He has something on his face and I can't tell what it is. Looks like a film but its hard to say for sure. I've had him for over 10 years. He seems fine and he's still eating. I treated the tank with Erythromycin and it didn't work.