Cure For Egg Bound Featherfin?

[Charlutz]

I've had a group of a dozen or so cyathopharyx featherfins. They are close to breeding size. I lost one to what I thought was bloat a year ago, but now I believe it was a female that became "egg bound." These fish are natural algae grazers, but many people feed them a varied diet including some high protein foods such as mysis. I know Robert had great success keeping his fish this way. My observations are that some of the smaller fish start to swell on the protein diet and then can't seem to pass or reabsorb the eggs. It's not a bloat infection as the fish continue to eat aggressively. They swell up like beach balls and it looks very painful. I've stopped feeding the mysis regularly and worked in more spirulina flake. Should I try a dose of epsom? Separate and fast them? :confused0007: I've got two more females heading down this road.

 

[Artee]

Never had that problem with the featherfins, but epsom salt is usually the remedy with other fish, and try no to feed them for a week.
not too much on the mysis, I usually feed them once a week.

 

[Charlutz]

Never had that problem with the featherfins, but epsom salt is usually the remedy with other fish, and try no to feed them for a week.
not too much on the mysis, I usually feed them once a week.[/b]

Thanks. I'll give it a shot. Had been feeding it three times a week. It happens only with the smallest fish, which might indicate it has something to do with their organ size. I'll remove the two that are symptomatic.

 

[longstocking]

Never with feather fins but I have with other fish.

I usually add the salt and don't feed for about 4 days and it clears. Not a big deal usually...

Mysis is really rich in protien... have to be carefull with it at times. I love the stuff... but maybe try using frozen cyclops (sp? ) for something different... I really like the stuff... a bit expensive but great for the fish. I use both... and it conditions my fish very well.