fantail enlarged belly

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I've got 1 small size fantail for about 5 days in my 20 gallon barrel,
I have been feeding a sinking round pellet food, twice a day, just a
sprinkle each time about 10-12 pellets. If it sees the food drop down
it would eat it all before the food hits the bottom. It eats like a
pig. I have also been feeding some cauliflower and brocolli, cooked
and chopped. I see it sucking at the liner walls (algae?) and there is
also anacharis for him for food but I didn't see him eat that.

I think I am noticing the belly getting larger in the "lower" abs just
before the tail, it looks kind of bulged. The fish has no floating
problems and swimming just fine going everywhere searching for food,
but I am afraid it might be a kind of disease or indigestion?

Any ideas or I am just freaking out? Of course I am basically seeing a
top view only and forgot how it looked like when I first got it. The
scales are fine just worried about the belly size. Should I just
feeding for a while? I think it can find enough things to nibble on
it's own and I might be giving it too much food.

[Elaine T]

wrote:
> I've got 1 small size fantail for about 5 days in my 20 gallon barrel,
> I have been feeding a sinking round pellet food, twice a day, just a
> sprinkle each time about 10-12 pellets. If it sees the food drop down
> it would eat it all before the food hits the bottom. It eats like a
> pig. I have also been feeding some cauliflower and brocolli, cooked
> and chopped. I see it sucking at the liner walls (algae?) and there is
> also anacharis for him for food but I didn't see him eat that.
>
> I think I am noticing the belly getting larger in the "lower" abs just
> before the tail, it looks kind of bulged. The fish has no floating
> problems and swimming just fine going everywhere searching for food,
> but I am afraid it might be a kind of disease or indigestion?
>
> Any ideas or I am just freaking out? Of course I am basically seeing a
> top view only and forgot how it looked like when I first got it. The
> scales are fine just worried about the belly size. Should I just
> feeding for a while? I think it can find enough things to nibble on
> it's own and I might be giving it too much food.
>
Swelling usually isn't a good sign. Start feeding a thawed frozen pea
without the shell for veggies instead of the cauliflower and broccoli.
It's mildly laxative. Stopping the pelleted food for a day or two to
see what happens is also a very good idea. When you feed the pellets
again, soak the pelleted food in water before feeding it to your fish.

Finally, gradually add 4 tbsp of dissolved epsom salts to the water.
You can put in a tbsp every 12 hours. The epsoms help gently draw the
extra water out of the fish.

Hope this helps.

--
Elaine T __
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