All,
I have a brackish tank with mudskippers and 2 hog chokers ( Trinectes maculatus). I've had both groups of fish since 2017. One of my hogchokers appears to always have a full belly (pretty obvious on the flatfish). I typically feed them earthworms once or twice a week. Usually the full belly (after eating) subsides after 2 days or so, but not now. I've noticed this for more than a month now.
My theories:
1) It has eaten a few rocks over time and can't expel them (they 'gulp' food)
2) It has eaten some Malaysian Trumpet Snails over time and can't quickly dissolve/digest or expel the shells) [Relatively early in their lives I saw one eating a freshwater snail when I was still in the process of slowly increasing the salinity)
Other???
He (She?) still eats readily, and actually is usually faster to eat than the 'normal' looking one (they sometimes have to be coaxed to eat). So he acts normal.
Any thoughts??
Thanks,
Kevin
Aquarium notes:
Substrate- sections of rock and sections of sand
Several floating docks and decor that rises above the waterline (n/a for the hogchokers, though)
Salinity~ 1.008
Haven't measured nitrates/nitrites recently since I don't think that's relevant
I dewormed both groups of fish (using PraziPro) before I introduced them to the tank (3 years ago)
Any other fish I've added (guppies) were in a quarantine tank for over a month (usually much longer)
Other Occupants:
Malaysian Trumpet Snails
Ghost Shrimp (self sustaining population)
1 Molly (I had these for their fry to be additional food for the hogchokers). Over time I ruthlessly culled any that ever looked sick, and the fry were eaten (or disappeared/died) before maintaining a sustainable population. Also, the mollies would pick at the earthworms as I was trying to feed the hogchokers so I decided to shift to guppies.
~7 guppies. Initially I kept these in separate tank and just moved over 'feeder fry'. Now I'm trying to get a sustainable population in the display tank
Side note: I have seen a mudskipper (on a floating platform) with a guppy in its mouth and I've seen one with a ghost shrimp in its mouth. So they likely took out a lot of Molly fry over the years.
I have a brackish tank with mudskippers and 2 hog chokers ( Trinectes maculatus). I've had both groups of fish since 2017. One of my hogchokers appears to always have a full belly (pretty obvious on the flatfish). I typically feed them earthworms once or twice a week. Usually the full belly (after eating) subsides after 2 days or so, but not now. I've noticed this for more than a month now.
My theories:
1) It has eaten a few rocks over time and can't expel them (they 'gulp' food)
2) It has eaten some Malaysian Trumpet Snails over time and can't quickly dissolve/digest or expel the shells) [Relatively early in their lives I saw one eating a freshwater snail when I was still in the process of slowly increasing the salinity)
Other???
He (She?) still eats readily, and actually is usually faster to eat than the 'normal' looking one (they sometimes have to be coaxed to eat). So he acts normal.
Any thoughts??
Thanks,
Kevin
Aquarium notes:
Substrate- sections of rock and sections of sand
Several floating docks and decor that rises above the waterline (n/a for the hogchokers, though)
Salinity~ 1.008
Haven't measured nitrates/nitrites recently since I don't think that's relevant
I dewormed both groups of fish (using PraziPro) before I introduced them to the tank (3 years ago)
Any other fish I've added (guppies) were in a quarantine tank for over a month (usually much longer)
Other Occupants:
Malaysian Trumpet Snails
Ghost Shrimp (self sustaining population)
1 Molly (I had these for their fry to be additional food for the hogchokers). Over time I ruthlessly culled any that ever looked sick, and the fry were eaten (or disappeared/died) before maintaining a sustainable population. Also, the mollies would pick at the earthworms as I was trying to feed the hogchokers so I decided to shift to guppies.
~7 guppies. Initially I kept these in separate tank and just moved over 'feeder fry'. Now I'm trying to get a sustainable population in the display tank
Side note: I have seen a mudskipper (on a floating platform) with a guppy in its mouth and I've seen one with a ghost shrimp in its mouth. So they likely took out a lot of Molly fry over the years.
