Sick Piranha

[williewonka]

Not a great picture, but if you look closely at the vent you can see a greenish substance oozing out. And she is swollen upwards along that part of the body and seems to be shrunken forward of here. The hole seems to be increasing in size and is now somewhere between a nickel size and quarter size. I believe her to be the female from one of the breeding pairs, but don't think she has breed for a week or two. She seems to still be eating and swimming around ok although she does stay more in one spot at a roughly 45 degree angle upwards.

Any suggestions as to what could be causing this? ( eggs stuck? or maybe constipation?) and what could be done to cure her of it.

Thanks a lot..

[fatpuffer]

Do you see any red threadlike worm coming out of the vent? I had callamanus in my tank and the vent was swollen and thread like looking worms sticking out.

Check http://albertaaquatica.com/index.php?showtopic=9236 and compare.

Js

[williewonka]

No. it looks nothing like that.. Its a little hard to see with the green background, but if you expand the pic you can see about an inch of it hanging down. The exterior of the vent is a darkish green to black and the slime is more clearish with a green tinge.

I read your post and the link a little better. If it was a parasite like the worm shown, wouldn't it affect more than the one fish. There are 4 other adult piranha and one pleco in the tank and none of them seem to show any signs.

Edited September 18, 2006 by williewonka

[Toirtis]

Could be a blockage, but I would be concerned that blockage or parasites, a secondary infection may have set in. Can you manage some better photos?

[williewonka]

Not much better, but she won't stay still... and i'm not that great at taking tank shots. but, you can see the greenish vent. It seems to ge getting a little smaller, but it also seems to be getting harder ( not oozing). I did try feeding them some peas ( it was suggested as a laxative) but can't say that it helped any.

Thanks.. Fred

[fatpuffer]

I also heard that empsom salt helps as well.

Js

[williewonka]

I also heard that empsom salt helps as well.

Js

So.. you would just add the epsom salt right to the existing tank?? and if so.. any idea how much you would use for a 120 gal? fred

[Nandopsis]

Youch! that's gotta hurt.

[jvision]

I also heard that empsom salt helps as well.

Js

So.. you would just add the epsom salt right to the existing tank?? and if so.. any idea how much you would use for a 120 gal? fred

Start w. a tsp/10 gal.

[fatpuffer]

thanks jason!

[williewonka]

Thanks for all the help guys... The epsom salts seems to have done the trick. Swelling seems to have gone done and she is swimming and eating better. I guess i should have just asked here first instead of at the piranha forum.. Their level of help was worse than useless.

Again.. thanks for the suggestions... Fred

[fatpuffer]

Your welcome...glad it worked out for you!