Hexamita primarily affects cichlids and marine perciform fish, such as tangs and damselfish. Treatment is via metronidazole; but by the time dropsy develops, the prognosis is generally poor. The causes of Malawi bloat are obscure, but three factors have been identified by vets as significant: diet, water quality and inappropriate use of salt sodium chloride. Many African cichlids are herbivorous in the wild.
Diets poor in greens and fiber, but rich in protein and fat, may predispose such species to Malawi bloat. Salt has sometimes been used in tanks housing Lake Malawi and Tanganyika cichlids in the mistaken belief that it will harden the water and raise the pH. In fact, it does neither, and Malawi bloat actually appears to be more common in tanks where salt is used.
Should the water in the aquarium need hardening, an appropriate Malawi or cichlid salt mix should always be used. Both dropsy and Malawi bloat are extremely difficult to treat. By the time fluid retention in the body causes the scales to protrude, severe damage has already been done. In the case of small fish, such as tetras and guppies, the chances of recovery are minimal, and such fish are best euthanized. Dropsy caused by systemic bacterial infections can be treated in larger fish, such as cichlids and goldfish, with antibiotics e.
Although the prognosis is not good, at least some fish recover, particularly when the disease is caught early and water conditions are optimized. Supplement the use of antibiotics with the addition of Epsom salt at a dose of 1 teaspoon per 5 to 10 gallons and by raising the temperature to 82 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
Malawi bloat is usually treated with metronidazole. If the fish is still feeding, metronidazole-dosed foods can be used. Alternatively, doses of up to 50 mg per gallon can be added to the water, though this tends to be much less effective. Because dropsy and Malawi bloat are so difficult to treat, prevention is important.
Optimizing water chemistry and quality are central, and care should be taken to choose appropriate foods for whatever fish are being kept. Published: August 21, When your fish is under stress, its immune system becomes compromised and parasites and bacteria that are usually kept in check start to multiply.
There are many possible causes of stress, or stressors , for your fish. Some of the most important stressors are:. Feeding high protein diets to herbivorous fish is thought to be a possible cause of Malawi Bloat.
Whether it can be directly linked to the disease is not known for sure, but a poor diet is definitely a stressor in any fish. Always research the natural diet of your fish to find out if they are herbivorous, carnivorous, or omnivorous.
Though this is a highly debated topic regarding protein, the real underlining matter is how much roughage the fish is eating. This can come in the form of protein, such as the chitin from arthropods like brine shrimp and krill. I know it can be difficult to work with frozen food, so I can point you to a pellet that works. This fish food is crated by Ron Demers , an African Cichlid breeder with over 25 years experience. He developed his food line to have the balance of proteins, veggies, and minerals.
He removes all the fillers that you would get from lower quality foods. This is about as good as you can get with pellet food. Ron is an African Cichlid breeder with over 25 years in experience who created a line of food that is well balanced. A great option when you can't use frozen foods.
Roughage, like with humans are needed to maintain a healthy digestive system. It would make sense you would want this to for your African cichlids. Manufactured foods like flake food will not contain the essential roughage. You will want to seek out more natural and raw foods. This is a big one folks, and there are quite a few possible causes of poor water conditions in your aquarium.
Inadequate filtration often causes poor water quality in fish tanks. A good filter in a properly stocked and cycled aquarium should keep your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in check. A filter that can process 4 to 6 times the volume of your aquarium is generally advised.
Cichlids are larger, active, and tough on a bioload. One should be looking at upgrading their filtration with quality biological media and filters with large media capacity like canister filters. Even with the right filter , you should be careful not to feed too much fish food and clean your tank regularly. Get into the habit of performing routine partial water change to keep your water conditions safe.
Be sure to use a water conditioner when adding new water to your aquarium during a water change and use aquarium salt as little as possible as this is thought to be a possible cause of Malawi Bloat. Keep your nitrates at management levels to also reduce the stress on your fish and monitor with aquarium test kits. Other parameters like incorrect water temperature, low oxygen levels, too much water flow, and unnatural and irregular lighting can also be very stressful for your aquarium fish.
Stocking your tank with incompatible species can be a major source of stress and aggression for your fish. Cichlids tend to be territorial and many species are very aggressive in defending their territories, often injuring or even killing other fish in the tank.
This aggression is a major cause of stress. When stocking your fish tank, make sure that all the fish in the tank are comfortable in the same water parameters and make sure that the species you choose are compatible. With many cichlids, you will need to get the ratio of males and females right to avoid aggression.
The layout of your tank can also have a pretty big effect on the well-being of your aquarium fish. Species that prefer to live in open water can easily become stressed in a crowded tank for example, or a bare tank without hiding spaces can also cause significant stress to fish that live in very rocky areas with a lot of structure.
Any one of these stressors could result in complications for your fish, and often the problem can be made even worse by a combination of factors. As a rule, always do your best to limit all of the stressors mentioned here.
It could go a long way towards preventing most of the problems you might pick up in your tanks. In the initial stages of Malawi cichlid Bloat, the signs that you have sick fish are mostly changes in behavior like:. One of the tell-tale symptoms is the feces of the fish will be clear or white-ish and stringy, remaining attached for long periods of time. Normal feces can also occur in long strands but it will be thicker and darker in color.
Fish may also struggle to stay right-side-up and may have problems with buoyancy. Your treatment will expand from there. It can also help fish who may be suffering from constipation due to blocked intestines.
There are Metronidazole products that you can buy to treat your Cichlid. You can add a prescribed amount to the water column roughly 50 mg per gallon in the hospital tank, following instructions for dosage and intervals. There are also treated food products that contain Metronidazole that works great if your Cichlid is still eating. Clout is another medical product that can be used in the treatment of this disease.
It comes in a pill form that is placed into the water where it dissolves. Some hobbyists feel it does a better job than Metronidazole, but this can not be confirmed.
You will want to keep in mind that this treatment will turn the water blue. It can also stain decorations, hosing, and substrate that will require cleaning afterward. If you decide to treat the main aquarium as well, you will want to begin with a water change. You should replace about percent of the water column when you do this. Adjust dosages for the extra water volume and remove any charcoal filters to prevent them from removing the treatment from the water column.
You should also transfer tank mates, such a catfish, to another home as they may be sensitive to the Cichlid bloat treatments. To begin with, if you wish to increase the salt levels in your Cichlid tank, make sure to use products designed specifically for the task. They will use calcium and magnesium instead of pure salt to produce the desired results. Next, maintain a proper diet.
Malawi bloat affects many Cichlids, but the plant-eaters in the African Cichlid range are more vulnerable. Offering them a proper diet will go a long way towards preventing issues. Their diet should vary, and you will want to include a lot of greens in the mix. That should include products with spirulina. Try to avoid foods that are high in fats and proteins and look for sources containing fibers and greens.
Finally, maintain the quality of the water column. Keep the chemical levels within the range of the Cichlids that you keep, including the ph of your water. Also, perform regular water changes to remove ammonia and nitrates. Clean out filters regularly and make sure that you remove debris suspended in the water as well as materials sitting on the substrate. Until a definitive answer is obtained, the best way to detect Malawi bloat is to observe your fish for symptoms.
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