It’s crucial to take notice if you observe that one of the fish in your aquarium has a swollen abdomen. Knowing the possible causes of a bloated belly can help you respond appropriately and maintain the health of your fish. Bloated bellies can indicate a variety of health issues.
Overeating is a common cause of a swollen belly. Bloating can occur when fish eat more than they actually need to. Constipation is a condition that can also result from overfeeding and cause an enlarged abdomen.
Sometimes, more serious illnesses like dropsy or internal infections can be the cause of a swollen belly. These problems frequently call for more cautious care and could be a sign of an environmental issue that your fish is experiencing, like low water quality or stress.
Many of these problems can be avoided by keeping a close eye on your fish and making sure their tank is kept clean and well-maintained. This post will discuss the potential reasons of an enlarging abdomen in aquarium fish and provide advice on how to treat them.
Possible Cause | Description |
Overfeeding | Feeding too much can lead to bloating and swelling in fish. |
Constipation | Poor diet or lack of fiber may cause digestive issues, resulting in a swollen belly. |
Infection | Bacterial or parasitic infections can cause the fish"s belly to swell. |
Egg Carrying | Female fish may have a swollen belly when they are carrying eggs. |
In aquarium fish, a swollen belly can indicate a number of conditions, such as overfeeding, constipation, pregnancy, or illness. Simple overeating to more serious health issues like infections, organ failure, or parasites are common causes. To guarantee the fish’s wellbeing and avoid any potential harm to the other fish in the tank, it is imperative to pinpoint the precise cause as soon as possible.
- Formation of eggs in the belly of a fish
- Overfeeding
- Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract
- Aeromonosis, or "abdominal dropsy"
- Tumors
- Tapeworms
- Vibrosis
- Malawi disease
- Genetic underdevelopment
- Video on the topic
- DROPESIA / Diseases of aquarium fish
- bloating in neon. how I treated.
- What to do if the fish has a swollen belly, How to treat?
- The fish has a swollen belly 🐠 / Causes and What to Do / Advice from the Bio-Vet Veterinarian
Formation of eggs in the belly of a fish
The most benign cause of fish belly bloating is the development of eggs inside the belly. The female’s abdomen grows as a result of the eggs’ gradual growth and size increase.
It is advised to wait to care for the fish until it spawns.
Overfeeding
Some fish have the ability to swallow food that is too big for them, which can upset their digestive systems and leave food in their stomachs for up to 48 hours. It is advised to grind the food before serving to aid the fish as this has a significant impact on their appearance.
Additionally, overeating causes the fish to bloat. Overfeeding can cause them to stop reproducing or develop abdominal dropsy because the ovaries and testicles get obese. As a result, these illnesses may cause the aquarium individual to pass away.
In order to prevent obesity in aquarium inhabitants, the feeding schedule should be closely followed.
Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract
Inflammation of the stomach and intestines, if confirmed by the fish, suggests that there is insufficient diversity in its diet. The following are signs of this illness in aquatic pets:
- slabness;
- darkening of the color of fins and body;
- lethargy;
- loss of balance;
- change in excrement;
- Swings of the abdomen with the safety of appetite.
Lowering the intake of dry feed fish is worthwhile in order to avoid this illness. It is advised to wash them, soak them, disinfect the tube and bloodworms, and change up the diet.
Aeromonosis, or "abdominal dropsy"
These diseases affect waterfowl and are caused by hexamitosis as well as the entry of infected (bacteria and viruses) snags, soils, plants, snails, food, etc.
Any waterfall can be affected by the disease, regardless of age or variety, but the fish that are most frequently affected are the elderly, the weak, those who live in unfavorable conditions on a daily basis, and those who are obese. Through physical wounds, this disease can spread to other aquarium inhabitants.
Pay attention to the scales; they visually fade and resemble a pine cone, which is how you can tell that the fish has this diagnosis.
- lethargy;
- rapid breathing;
- enlargement of the fish belly, sides, their inflammation.
You must heed these advice if you want to keep your fish healthy.
- before placing a new fish in a common aquarium, keep it in quarantine (in any other container);
- create good conditions for their habitation;
- diversify the diet and pay special attention to its correctness.
If you failed to take the necessary precautions, the sick fish should be moved from the shared aquarium and the water should be treated with special preparations that you bought from a veterinary pharmacy (pet store). The veterinarian or the instructions provide information on how to administer the medication.
Tumors
A tumor inside the fish’s abdomen may form if it has genetic defects or has been exposed to chemicals. The tumor will progressively grow larger until the fish dies.
Since the fish in this instance is terminal, it needs to be taken out of the main aquarium.
Tapeworms
Parasites rarely enter the body of a fish, but they can infiltrate an aquarium with other fish and food. If the number of worms increases dramatically, they start to cause harm and their carrier may not survive.
It is advised to buy antiparasitic medications and administer them as directed in order to save the fish from dying.
Vibrosis
The vibrio bacteria that infects the fish causes this disease to manifest. The disease primarily affects people who live in salted or slightly salted water, have compromised immune systems, or are fish kept in unfavorable conditions. The bacteria gets into a backyard pond by way of seafood bait.
The following symptoms are indicative of the disease and can be either acute or chronic in nature:
- apathy;
- change in the shade of the dorsal fin;
- subcutaneous bleeding;
- rapid breathing;
- ulcers;
- desire to retire;
- tumors;
- swelling of the abdominal cavity.
These symptoms are indicative of a wide range of diseases in fish, and consulting a veterinarian and examining the fish are necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
- When making this diagnosis, it will be necessary to isolate the sick fish from the rest of the cohabitants, and drip nitrofurans, antibiotics, sulfanilamides for medicinal purposes in water. These drugs are sold in a veterinary pharmacy or store, and the daily norm of medication can be found from the attached instructions.
- For preventive purposes, it will be required: regular care for pets, disinfecting complementary foods and liquids, monitoring chemicals in water: nitrites, nitrates, ammonia and others.
Malawi disease
This disease affects fish belonging to the subspecies of cichlines. Malawi first discovered the Malavian residents of the lake, and this diagnosis has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Despite being entirely distinct from dropsy, the disease shares symptoms with it.
Signs of the disease Malawi:
- abdominal distension with loss of appetite, rapid breathing with shortness of breath;
- weakness;
- lethargy.
The illness first manifests itself when the fish lies on the bottom with an enlarged belly after spending several days entirely on the water’s surface. The pet will die from this disease within 72 hours.
Poor water quality, high sodium content, and an inappropriate diet consisting solely of dry food and mammal meat are the main causes of the illness in pets.
- eliminate the cause of the disease;
- use experimental broad-spectrum antibiotics.
It is advised to put the fish to death since they suffer greatly after receiving this diagnosis.
Genetic underdevelopment
The fry may have an enlarged abdominal cavity if the breeder has experienced an unsuccessful hatching of fry. Such people are viewed as inferior rather than dangerous or ill.
As soon as you see signs of swelling in the abdomen of your aquarium fish, you should take quick action to determine the cause. Numerous factors, ranging from simple overindulgence to more serious health concerns like infections or organ dysfunction, can lead to this condition.
Adding fiber to your fish’s diet or changing what they eat can help alleviate constipation, which is often the cause of swelling. On the other hand, if the swelling doesn’t go away, it might be a sign of a more serious condition like parasites, dropsy, or infection.
The key to avoiding these problems is keeping your fish’s tank clean, feeding them a balanced diet, and keeping an eye on their behavior. To make sure your pet receives the proper care if the issue continues, get in touch with a veterinarian who specializes in fish.