WCMM bloated lumpy belly

[Kimlafeiet]

I noticed one of my white cloud mountain minnows looking lethargic this morning. When I looked closely at him, his belly looks distended and lumpy, with white tiny lumps pushing out on his belly, from the inside. I know this is not eggs, as he is one of my best looking males.
After much debate, and him looking more sick (sitting at the bottom, not moving), I decided to euthanize him.
I am concerned this is something possibly contagious to my other fish.....though no one shows any symtoms of any kind or looks off at all.

Has anyone seen anything like this? or maybe any idea what it could be?

 

[Fishfur]

I think you did the right thing. It may have been parasites, but once the belly wall is compromised there is little if any hope for most animals. Sorry for the loss.
I would keep a close eye for awhile, as if it was a parasite, there may be more lurking, though I am not sure what parasite it might have been.

One other possibility is you were actually seeing gut tissue pushing outward, which would indicate an internal infection perhaps, a quite serious one I'd think. Again, I think you did the best thing in these circumstances.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

I am starting to see this on another minnow, not as bad as the firat minnow, but what looks to be the early signs of the same thing. This one is my only remaining female, but she has not been showing any signs of carrying lately.

I am not sure what to do at this point. I am down to the 4 minnows, and it looks like I amy loose them as well. Ugh

 

[Fishfur]

It may be a parasite and if so, they very probably all have them. If so, I'd totally change the water if they all pass away before getting more, and change the filter media too, just in case eggs or larvae of parasites are in there. You may wish to consider euthanizing before it suffers the same fate as the other one.

 

[Joebt]

His stomach looks very similar to a female gold barb I have, and has had this problem for 3 weeks, with no issues swimming or eating. Initially I thought she was pregnant and it just keeps getting bigger. None of the other six gold barbs I have have come down with anything. At current I am hoping it is a blockage (she did eat several ghost shrimp whole)

 

[Fishfur]

Wow. Piggy fish. If a blockage, starving a few days is usually said to help, then possibly feeding a bit of well cooked, skinned pea. Never had to try it, so I can't say one way or the other but it's a standard thing Discus keepers use for constipation.

Sometimes egg layers become egg bound, if they have no chance to spawn. Perhaps not likely, but it's possible. If so, no treatment is needed, they have to reabsorb the eggs and it takes some time for that to happen.

Wish you luck.

 

[Joebt]

Wow. Piggy fish. If a blockage, starving a few days is usually said to help, then possibly feeding a bit of well cooked, skinned pea. Never had to try it, so I can't say one way or the other but it's a standard thing Discus keepers use for constipation. Sometimes egg layers become egg bound, if they have no chance to spawn. Perhaps not likely, but it's possible. If so, no treatment is needed, they have to reabsorb the eggs and it takes some time for that to happen. Wish you luck.

I think are correct in my case, she is getting smaller now and her scales are not puffing out, I am glad I didn't euthanize.

 

[Fishfur]

Good to hear. Hope all goes well.