Kole tang swollen stomach/bump.

[lagatbezan]

my Kole tang has been in my dt for almost 6 months now and was through a full qt as well.
She seems to have a swollen stomach or a fairly large bump on both sides. At first when I got it it the bump was there as well but was much smaller and now it seems as it's getting larger. Besides that it's eating and acting normal.
Any idea what it might be?
Here is a short video. She is camera shy lol.

 

[4FordFamily]

Hard to tell, but it could just be a fat tang full of nori (some look a bit like that when stuffed) or it could also be a blockage.

In either event, a boiled, pealed pea, if eaten, can help clean out a possible blockage. Nice tank and assortment of fish, by the way!

 

[Big G]

Any stringy poop or poop at all that you have seen?

 

[ErinEvans]

I have no answer to your question but your fish are beautiful!! ;Happy

 

[lagatbezan]

Thank you everyone. I really appreciate it. No stringy poop that I know of and unfortunately I have not seen it poop. I tried the peas but it wasn't interested at it at all but all the other fish gunbbled them all up. It's grazing all over the tank all the day long and eats almost anything so I'm hoping it's just a beer belly lol.

 

[Maritimer]

That's a very symmetrical bump, which is a good thing in my book.

I've never X-rayed or dissected a female tang ... @4FordFamily, is it possible that we're seeing ovaries full with eggs?

~Bruce

 

[justinm]

I have seen multiple Kole Tangs just get round. They tend to fill out very round. The first one I ever saw looked like it swallowed a golf ball.

Since he was through a proper qt and there is no white stringy poop, I would comfortably say that you just have an overweight Kole Tang

 

[Jeepguy242]

he needs to switch to a lite beer....

LOL

beautiful fish!!!

and he definitely can tell you are trying to get a picture of him!

 

[4FordFamily]

That's a very symmetrical bump, which is a good thing in my book.

I've never X-rayed or dissected a female tang ... @4FordFamily, is it possible that we're seeing ovaries full with eggs?

~Bruce

Doubtful, that’s he a first for me!

 

[Victoria M]

He clearly is running from you and the camera. lol.

 

[lagatbezan]

I've never X-rayed or dissected a female tang ... @4FordFamily, is it possible that we're seeing ovaries full with eggs?

~Bruce

Its funny thats what my wife said too but not sure how that can be after 6 months of being with no other kole tangs lol.
If she is pregnant, someone has some explaining to do since I have no idea who to send the child support bills to lol ;Woot

 

[Maritimer]

LOL!

We're used to thinking that mating precedes pregnancy, but among egglaying fish, that's not necessarily so. A female in good condition with extra resources can build up eggs with or without a male present, and release them only when a male shows up - or resorb them if he doesn't.

~Bruce

 

[Apotack]

All of your fish look well fed (fat). I’m pretty sure he’s just been eating a lot.

 

[lagatbezan]

LOL!

We're used to thinking that mating precedes pregnancy, but among egglaying fish, that's not necessarily so. A female in good condition with extra resources can build up eggs with or without a male present, and release them only when a male shows up - or resorb them if he doesn't.

~Bruce

Oh wow, had no idea about this! good to know. thats amazing.

 

[THE_MAD_REEFER]

What happened to your fish? I have a kole Tang that looks like yours and won't come out of it's sleeping spot. Looks perfect other than stomach. Breathing normal and not listing.

 

[lagatbezan]

She still has the swollen bump and is still doing well swimming and eating normally.

 

[tntman]

Have you seen her poop? I have a kole tang with exactly the same problem... just big round golf ball stomachs... could it be air?

 

[tntman]

Any updates? I have the exact same problem with my Kole tang

 

[lagatbezan]

still the same way, not sure exactly what it is but doesn't seem seem too bothered by it.
She was fine for the entire time I had her in qt (besides her not eating until it went into DT) and then noticed it a little when she first went in to the DT and then after a few months its gotten much bigger. Don't think its a pooping issue bc its like that almost everyday without any changes, but i have not seen it poop either but i'm not staring at the tank all day lol.
maybe @Humblefish has some suggestions.

 

[Humblefish]

Has the bump been there since January and just keeps getting bigger? If so, I can only guess that it is a tumor or internal growth of some kind. Probably benign; something fast growing & malignant should have killed him by now. Or at the very least he should be showing signs of slowing down / weakening.

It would be a Hail Mary, but you could try soaking his food in Kanaplex just in case this is a treatable infection.