Fat belly on Bartlett's Anthia female - Help identifying please

[PiscesPower]

For the past few days one of my 2 female anthias has had a pretty fat belly. Poop seems normal, swimming well, eating well. Other female normal, male normal, all other fish in the tank are fine. No new fish in the system for at least 6 months and the anthias have been with me for 18 months.

Just wondering if it could be eggs, maybe constipation? I have not seem big poops but what she has expelled was sandy colored and not stringy.

They get a variety of frozen, and high quality pellets. Not sure if I should be worried, or do anything other than observe her.

 

[Peace River]

Bump

#reefsquad #anthias

 

[Lasse]

If you look just beside her anus - can you se any type of papilla? In the picture it looks like the whole belly is round - if she is carying ovaleted roe - the belly is normally showing the ovaries and a little papilla will be developed close to anus.

you can see poop - probably not a normal constipation - but if it is eggs it can be a blockage in the fallopian tubes.

Have the fish get any mecination since she was introduced to your house or do you know of any treatment before you get her?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[PiscesPower]

Thanks for the thorough response. She doesn’t look any different than the other female other than the big belly. She ate well, fed assertively this morning. I know she was in copper when I got her from my LFS, probably not for a full length treatment period. In my tank I have doses Fluconazole twice in the last 2 years. Not since last fall. Chemiclean a few months ago. I did dose Prazipro about 8 month or so ago. I had a mandarin not doing well. She did not survive and I ended up only dosing the one time. I am using live rock enhance in the tank and I would say the only significant change in parameters is I have dropped my mag from 1425 to 1350 over the last month. Did this slowly and with purpose.

 

[PiscesPower]

I’ve been watching her for the last 30 min or so and she is less active than the other 2 this morning.

 

[Lasse]

Could you see any papilla near the anus? If she is ripe - she would probably develop that in order to lay the eggs. I asked about the chemicals because of possible liver damage. The only of the one you use known for liver damage is fluconazole (reported from other animals than fish) Not likely the cause in this case. The problem with this symptom, swollen belly, is that it could be many different pathogens that need to be treated in different ways. Further on – there can be some non-pathogen caused illness too. She is eating, in spite of the very large belly, it lowers the odds for being a pathogen caused disease. IMO – not exclude but lower the possibility in this case. Of none pathogen caused swollen belly – I think the swim bladder problems can be ruled out because she seems not having any buoyancy problems.


I´m sorry – I can´t help so much with this problem. If she stops to eat – I would try to catch her and try to medicate her with some medicine containing nifurpirinol (or/and metronidazole. I do not know if you can combine these two – but I think so) as a last try. However I doubt it is a bacterial/flagellate infection in the digestive tract. If she has been eating all the time with the swollen belly – the digestive tract seems to have normal functions. Abdominal inflammation, cause by bacteria or flagellates starts (IMO) with refusal to eat because the symptoms is likely caused of a ruptured intestine. You can do the medication in a large bucket (10 – 20 litres) with good circulation and in the dark. Do not feed during treatment time and change the water every second day or so. Use 50/50 DT water/new mixed water.

Shortly – if she refuses to eat – take her from the DT and judge further steps to take.


Sincerely Lasse