Bloat or Dropsy, going around a 55 gallon planted :(

Hi Guys,

I could really use your help with this one.

I have a well established 55 gallon planted tank, inhabited by 20 small German Blue Rams, and a group of even smaller khuli loaches. The tank receives 20-30% water changes every week, with non-existent amonia levels.

Lately however, I have been finding some of the rams looking somewhat bloated, and or with colors amiss, or just sitting on the bottom for extended periods of time.

Initially i thought it might be a dietary issue, brought on by too much starchy foods causing constipation, so I reduced their overall flake food intake, and have taken to supplementing their diet with green peas, which they seem to be eating. Despite this effort, some of the rams have continued to show the same signs of bloated stomachs, poor coloration, and have continued to rest at the bottom.

At this point 2 rams have already died, and several others are in poor condition.

I'm becoming increasingly convinced this is an internal parasite issue, a hypothesis that is seemingly confirmed by the fact that the change in diet has had no positive effect, and also by the fact that some of these rams (6) bought during the summer of last year, showed no signs of ailments, until the inclusion of the other 14 German blue Rams this past January.

For the record I quarantined the newer rams for a good 3 weeks, and during that time they should no signs of any sickness... but what can do you?

All this said, what are your treatment recommendations for these German Blue Rams, assuming it is a stomach parasite of some kind?

At this point i'm very willing to move all the rams to a smaller tank for treatment.

Then the next question would also be how should i treat the tank to get it clean and prepped for new inhabitants?

For what its worth, the kuhli loach inhabitants of the tank have not been showing any signs illness.

Thanks in advance for your help!
 

Becca

Members
This is what happens to rams when they are stressed/water conditions are less than ideal. It's usually caused by some sort of bacterial or parasitic infection that their stressed system doesn't handle well, but, by the time you see the signs, the kidneys have failed.

It sounds like you're seeing dropsy and neurological symptoms (a weird shimmy and inability to stay off the bottom of the tank). The "bloat" is caused by a build up of fluids due to organ (probably kidney) failure.
 
Thanks becca,

So how do you think i should try to treat this parasite? Sounds like i should treat all the fish in the tank, but with what?
 

Becca

Members
Thanks becca,

So how do you think i should try to treat this parasite? Sounds like i should treat all the fish in the tank, but with what?

That's always the question. It could be a protozoan, it could be bacterial, it could be neither or both. If you got them from someone in the club, I'd contact that person and ask what they recommend.
 

chriscoli

Administrator
also, what's the temperature of the tank? Rams really like it warm...it's one of the reasons I don't keep them. They're constantly stressed in my fishroom because it's too cool for them.
 

lkelly

Members
also, what's the temperature of the tank? Rams really like it warm...it's one of the reasons I don't keep them. They're constantly stressed in my fishroom because it's too cool for them.

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