PlanetCatfish.com

Hi guys:

Posting here as I am not sure if something specific can cause bloat in plecos or something like it. I recently acquired a nice group or larger L-095 and they all seemed ok, that is until today. I have been offering Cucumber, Zucchini, Color bits, bloodworms, brine shrimp and spirulina pellets. I did a 40% water change to their tank yeasterday because it was quite dirty from some of the other pelcos dirty eating habits.
Well, today I noticed some of the L-095's look really distended in the abdomen area. Not only their belly per se is convex but also their sides. they are swimming ok and appear to be breathing ok (they all breathe fast) but look too bloated to me.
Maybe 2 out of the 9 do not appear bloated so I am not sure if they could be females carrying eggs? The rest of the Plecos in the tank are doing ok and none appear to be showing the same signs or distention.

I added some salt and Metronidazole to the water in case this is bacterial in origin but was wondering if anone has seen this in their plecos.

Thanks,
Ivan

Generally, bloat in Loricariidae is caused by the same cause as in many of the Malawi "bloat" - too much protein, not enough fibre in the diet.

Many plecos are happy to eat bloodworm or fish-meal (major ingredient in almost all prepared food) all day - because in nature they don't get very much of it due to competition with other fishes and general lack of those food items in their natural habitat. In an aquarium, the abundance of meaty food would be much more of a hazzard, as the "good" fish-keeper supplies plenty of it... It's a bit like too many visits to Pizza Hut or McDonalds for us humans - it's not too bad if you eat it once a month or even once a week, but if you eat three meals a day from these places, you're going to end up with one or more health problems after a while.

More fibre, less meat would be my order.

--
Mats