Flowerhorn with big belly? Illness?

[Kenton]

Hello guys. I got this beautiful magma flowerhorn last Saturday. He was like shjt ( all black ) when I got him because he was bullied by a green terror. Anyways, It's been about a week and he seems to be doing fine but his belly is always big even if I feed him less. I wonder if it's normal and maybe go away as time pass by or it's actually like an illness? TIA!!

 

[Kenton]

Here's a pic of him.

 

[GamerChick5567]

Hmm. Looks a bit bloaty to me and his vent is sticking out. How is his appetite? Maybe you are just overfeeding him and he is constipated, I would try some peas first and see if that laxative will help him. Also, does he poop long white strands? It could be internal parasites if that is the case. There should be a sticky on how to treat hexamita with either epsom salts or metronidazole at the main part of this subforum. I think there is also a medicine called flowerhorn clear that is supposed to work pretty good.

IIRC flowerhorns are pretty susceptible to getting it for whatever reason (I think because of the hybridization), and if it was in a tank with some gt's it may have spread to him from them, gt's are super susceptible also. I lost a baby gt a while ago from hex. You will want to knock it out quickly before he stops eating or treating it will be way more difficult.

Is the tank fully cycled etc etc? Keep up on water changes for sure.

 

[philipraposo1982]

I would say start with a big slightly warmer water change with some aquarium salt. Stop feeding for a week as well. Watch his poops and see what they look like.

 

[J. H.]

epsom salt, either in food or the water, is a 'cure' for hex. Also peas + starvation diet seems to be a normal solution.

 

[Kenton]

Hmm. Looks a bit bloaty to me and his vent is sticking out. How is his appetite? Maybe you are just overfeeding him and he is constipated, I would try some peas first and see if that laxative will help him. Also, does he poop long white strands? It could be internal parasites if that is the case. There should be a sticky on how to treat hexamita with either epsom salts or metronidazole at the main part of this subforum. I think there is also a medicine called flowerhorn clear that is supposed to work pretty good.

IIRC flowerhorns are pretty susceptible to getting it for whatever reason (I think because of the hybridization), and if it was in a tank with some gt's it may have spread to him from them, gt's are super susceptible also. I lost a baby gt a while ago from hex. You will want to knock it out quickly before he stops eating or treating it will be way more difficult.

Is the tank fully cycled etc etc? Keep up on water changes for sure.

Great info, very well informed. Thank you. He's eating well, I just got him last Sat. I'm doing WC once a weec ( I love WC ).

 

[GTKeeper5]

Did he ever recover?

 

[deeda]

I doubt you'll get a response as the OP hasn't been on here since 2017.

 

[fhmchi]

can u guys help me with my flowerhorn she’s doing good I thought she is pregnant but I think she’s not.