Albino BN: Hole in Side - No Longer - NEW PHOTO ADDED

aquafeet · Post by **aquafeet** » 11 Aug 2007, 00:47

Water parameters: 83F, 6.8ph, soft water, NHs all zero except nitrAte at 20ppm, WC once a week

Tank set up: 90G, 48”X24”X24”, black shot sand with eco-complete gravel mixed, Rena Filstar XP3 and Whisper 30 from the same mature tank, there’s driftwood, rocks and plants.

Tank mates: 2 tiger plecos (4”), 6 mature Bolivian rams, 2 mature cories (juhli, bronze), 12 mature rummy nose tetras, 2 kubotai botias, 1 oto cat

How long has it been set-up?: 2 weeks, filters from a mature tank

When was the last new fish added?: 3 baby guppies from my pond (all inhabitants healthy) were added on set-up day, day 7 the 2 albino bristle nose plecos were added, day 12 all the rest were added from the same mature tank from which the filters came (all healthy)

Foods used and frequency?: freshwater flakes, spirulina flake, cyclopeeze, shrimp pellets, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen brine shrimp, algae wafers – all rotated and fish are fed twice a day. Also, zucchini and English cucumber – every second day

Symptoms / Problem description: Yesterday, I noticed one of the ABN plecos had, what appeared to be a string of feces coming out of a hole in his side. I thought I was just seeing things but I saw it again last night and today. He's also dented in where the hole is but there does not appear to be any inflammation, (it looks like a “normal” orifice if it weren’t in his side), etc. Looking at his belly, the side with the hole is darker than the other while on the female, the whole belly area is the light gold colour (sorry, haven’t managed a pic of that yet).

I have a pic but I don't know how to post it but will keep trying. I put him in a cup to take the pic. The black string was much longer but got broken up when I netted him. He was rather easy to catch but I have never had to try before.

When I got the ABN plecos, the breeder showed me the bristles and how to sex them, etc. There was no indication of any kind of problem until yesterday.

Now, I notice that the other ABN pleco has a long string of white poop hanging from her (usual spot). Bloat? Neither has shown signs of bloat. All other fish healthy.

If it’s bloat, maybe it ruptured the males intestines and...? Frankly, I am at a loss...

4. Action taken (if any): none, after taking the pic, I put him back in the tank. He’s still the same today; feces out his side, behaving normally

5. Medications used (if any): last week when I added the fish from the other tank, I also added the recommended preventative dose of Aquari-Sol (soluable copper salts) for ich, protozoan parasites & velvet (12 drops per 10G)

Any advice is welcome.[img][/img][img][/img]

aquafeet · Post by **aquafeet** » 11 Aug 2007, 02:01

[img]http:300:202]http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z174 ... opleco.jpg[/img]

Wow, did it actually work?

Post by **Silurus** » 11 Aug 2007, 02:14

You'd need to host the picture somewhere else instead of using an attched picture in the forum (one would need to be a registered member of that forum to view the pictures). Try one of the free image hosting services (e.g. flickr, photobucket, image shack).

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 12 Aug 2007, 22:12

This fish may have a congenital malformation involving a displaced intestine and anus.

I would destroy this fish.

DAWN · Post by **DAWN** » 12 Aug 2007, 22:20

Sorry to say this, but I think ita best to end the poor things misery

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 13 Aug 2007, 11:09

I'm afraid I would have to agree with that.

Seedy · Post by **Seedy** » 13 Aug 2007, 23:34

I would also let the breeder know about this abnormality as your breeder should be culling any deformed fish before they get to you...With extremely line bred fish (like albino's and longfins), it is not uncommon to see congenital defects in the fish.

aquafeet · Post by **aquafeet** » 14 Aug 2007, 02:38

Hmm, I hadn't considered that it might be due to too much interbreeding or that it could be passed onto it's young. So thanks everyone for your input.

He appears fine and not in any pain or misery. He's eating, etc. So I won't be destoying him unless this changes.

I will however, separate him from the female and find her a new potential mate.

Thanks again for your help everyone.

aquafeet · Post by **aquafeet** » 14 Aug 2007, 04:02

Well, it seems as if the congenital diagnosis was incorrect. Here's a pic of this little guy today with his anus in the correct place and working as expected. There's no longer any sign of the hole in his side except it's still a little dented in.

I believe this must have been a puncture wound sustained in the tank somehow. I know when I got the plecos, we looked them over pretty well and found nothing amiss - pooping from his side would have been something to note. I had watched them quite a bit every day until one day I noticed the hole in his side so I think I am safe in saying that the hole was not there when I got him, then it was for a few days and now it is not again.

The most surprizing thing is that he is still alive and thriving!

Anyhow, here's a pic of him this evening.

This might be one for the record books...
[url][img]http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z174 ... ug1307.jpg[/img][/url]
Sheesh!

[img]http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z174 ... ug1307.jpg[/img]

[IMG]http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z174 ... ug1307.jpg[/IMG]

a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z174 ... ug1307.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

forget it...the pic shows the pleco with feces coming from an appropriately placed anus.

[url][img][IMG]http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z174 ... ug1307.jpg[/IMG][/img][/url]