Bulging Belly on Black Kuhli Loach

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emmrolled
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:18 pm

Bulging Belly on Black Kuhli Loach

Post by emmrolled » Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:11 pm

I have a black kuhli loach with a bulging belly. It's been like this for about 2 weeks. Swims, eats, breathes normally. Normal color. Just behind her head on the bottom. Symmetrical. I don't know if she might be full of eggs or what else the problem might be. Any ideas?

http://imgur.com/5Vmhr I can possibly get a better pic if this is one is insufficient.

Info:
* Pangio oblonga (Black Kuhli).
* Tank has been established for 1 year.
* 25 Gallons (95L) (24 inches wide x 12 inches deep x 20 inch high)
* Aqueon QuietFlow 30
* 79ºF
* Filter Cartridge changes bi-monthly. 25% water change weekly.
* Nothing new added lately.
* 5 black kuhli's, 5 peacock gudgeons, 1 rubber lip pleco, live plants, 2 mystery snails.
* Been in the same tank since set-up a year ago.
* Current water parameters - ammonia ?, nitrite 0, nitrate 10ppm mg/L, pH 7.6

Thank you!!!

Diana
Posts: 4675
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Bulging Belly on Black Kuhli Loach

Post by Diana » Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:48 pm

Nice picture! I wish my fish would hold still for a shot like that!

Can you see anything that looks like eggs with the lump? You might be able to see if the fish is lit from the other side, the light shining through the fish, and you see shadows through the body. As the eggs get bigger the one lump might become bumpier like a bag filled with large balls.

Are any of the other fish interested in this fish (like males trying to get her to breed?)

From your description, and the picture, the only other thing it might be is some sort of tumor or growth, that happens to be symmetrical in this fish. Growths are not always so symmetrical, but they can be. This would suggest the growth is deep inside the fish, not a surface growth on the skin or in the muscles.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

goyasdog
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:04 am

Re: Bulging Belly on Black Kuhli Loach

Post by goyasdog » Wed Apr 11, 2012 8:01 pm

I have a simillar problem with a yo-yo loach i have. Again it seems fine in all respects except this massive belly. I have read that fish like loaches that either can't or won't breed in the aquarium and don't expel their eggs will most likely die due to internal infection. Is there any way you can induce a loach to expel it's eggs?

emmrolled
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:18 pm

Re: Bulging Belly on Black Kuhli Loach

Post by emmrolled » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:34 am

My loaches lump never went away and the rest of his body has become very very skinny. I never saw any eggs in the lump so I think it's a tumor. It still eats and swims normally so I don't think it's suffering.

goyasdog
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:04 am

Re: Bulging Belly on Black Kuhli Loach

Post by goyasdog » Thu Apr 12, 2012 11:13 pm

yeah same with mine, in fact, if anything its probably the most active one haha. Possibly just gorged

taylor33
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2012 6:10 am

Re: Bulging Belly on Black Kuhli Loach

Post by taylor33 » Wed Aug 29, 2012 1:55 am

emmrolled wrote:I have a black kuhli loach with a bulging belly. It's been like this for about 2 weeks. Swims, eats, breathes montecrito no 2 normally. Normal color. Just behind her head on the bottom. Symmetrical. I don't know if she might be full of eggs or what else the problem might be. Any ideas?
http://imgur.com/5Vmhrcialis online
I can possibly get a better pic if this is one is insufficient.
Thank you!!!
It seems to be a common problem since I'm having it with mine too!
Dani

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