Epsom to Treat Constipation

[IDzine01]

Can someone explain how epsom salt helps fish constipation? I
understand how it could help with liquid bloating but it's frequently
suggested for food blockages. I'm just not fully understanding how it
works.

Thanks.

[Nikki]

its a laxative
Regular salt will cause fish to absorb more water. When you've got a bloated
fish, you want them to excrete, not absorb. Epsom salt will get this done
for you.

that is copied from a paragraph about it, if you want it I will give you the
link, think I have a 100 of them, because I wondered the same thing.
Nik


"IDzine01" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Can someone explain how epsom salt helps fish constipation? I
> understand how it could help with liquid bloating but it's frequently
> suggested for food blockages. I'm just not fully understanding how it
> works.
>
> Thanks.
>

[IDzine01]

Thanks Nikki, a link would be helpful. I understand how it affects
water but I'm still not clear on solids.

[Beano]

it attracts water into the intestinal lumen, so that any blockages
within the intestine become softer and easily move through to be
excreted.

Epsom salts are Magnesium Sulphate. These as far as I remember are no
readily absorbed by the gut (not in humans anyway). So if you load
someone or a fish with them, they tend to stay within the gut. The
more ions that stay in the gut will cause osmosis of water from the
fish's cells, into the gut lumen where the blockages and poo are. The
movement of water then softens the poo and makes it easier to move
through the fishes bowel.

[Altum]

IDzine01 wrote:
> Can someone explain how epsom salt helps fish constipation? I
> understand how it could help with liquid bloating but it's frequently
> suggested for food blockages. I'm just not fully understanding how it
> works.
>
> Thanks.
>
I've never understood how people make fish constipated. I've never
managed to constipate a fish in 15 years of fishkeeping. Is it from
overfeeding or feeding pelleted foods rather than flakes?

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to email me.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

[Nikki]

"Altum" > wrote in message
. com...
> IDzine01 wrote:
>> Can someone explain how epsom salt helps fish constipation? I
>> understand how it could help with liquid bloating but it's frequently
>> suggested for food blockages. I'm just not fully understanding how it
>> works. Thanks.
>>
> I've never understood how people make fish constipated. I've never
> managed to constipate a fish in 15 years of fishkeeping. Is it from
> overfeeding or feeding pelleted foods rather than flakes?
>
> --
> Put the word aquaria in the subject to email me.
> Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

I don't think so, I have never fed pellets, don't even have any...Now I am
not sure if constipation is the problem but I was guessing it was with my
betta, this is the first time I have had a betta with it any way....but as
far as feeding goes, mine get betta gold (biogold) or bettamin flakes, I
give a few flakes or pieces at a time 2-3 times a day, instead of all at
once, but what they get in a day is probably less then what most feed at one
time..the only thing I did different is gave them frozen brine shrimp, he
had that 2-3 days prior to getting sick. I have also had fish since I was a
teen and now I am 33 and only had this problem one other time with my pacu
.......but he was a pig and ate a lot of goldfish and liked cheese curls so
the cheese probably did it..lol.
Nik
for what its worth I am considering this is not constipation because either
the pea or the Epsom salt should have worked...and it has not

[IDzine01]

>I've never understood how people make fish constipated.

Bettas seem to be prone to it. I've never had any fish except bettas
become consitpated. Overfeeding is probably the major cause. Most of
those pellets have only between 6% and 10% moisture and can absorb a
lot of water. The fish eats a few pellets and they swell 2x to 3x their
size. The fish appears very bloated and may not "go" for 3 or 4 days.
Once it passes the fish appears normal again.

[IDzine01]

So the Epsom salts will draw water out of the fish but into the gut? It
seems, in theory, the only way it would work is if the fish ingests the
Epsom salt only. Epsom salts in the water would be counterproductive,
no?

[Altum]

IDzine01 wrote:
>> I've never understood how people make fish constipated.
>
> Bettas seem to be prone to it. I've never had any fish except bettas
> become consitpated. Overfeeding is probably the major cause. Most of
> those pellets have only between 6% and 10% moisture and can absorb a
> lot of water. The fish eats a few pellets and they swell 2x to 3x their
> size. The fish appears very bloated and may not "go" for 3 or 4 days.
> Once it passes the fish appears normal again.

That makes sense. So it's a pellet thing, like the problems fancy
goldfish have. My bettas usually get thawed frozen food or flakes.

Thinking about it, there are some pretty crummy betta foods out there
too, like Betta Bites. Anything with wheat as the first ingredient will
probably give a betta some digestive trouble. ;-)

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to email me.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

[Koi-Lo]

I think Carol Gulley needs a double dose....
Koi-Lo....
Frugal ponding since 1982.
Aquariums since 1956.
Some assholes Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
*Note: There are several *Koi-Lo's* on rec.ponds.
But, I am the one and only original Koi-Lo.
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Koi-Lo]

*Note: There are TWO "Koi-Lo's" on this NG*

"Altum" > wrote in message
. com...
> IDzine01 wrote:
>> Can someone explain how epsom salt helps fish constipation? I
>> understand how it could help with liquid bloating but it's frequently
>> suggested for food blockages. I'm just not fully understanding how it
>> works. Thanks.
>>
> I've never understood how people make fish constipated. I've never
> managed to constipate a fish in 15 years of fishkeeping. Is it from
> overfeeding or feeding pelleted foods rather than flakes?
=============================
I've never understood it either. I keep hearing about constipated fish and
can't recall ever having one with the problem. Maybe it's because I've
always had plants in the tanks or maybe because I always fed them a variety
of frozen, freeze dried, flakes and pellets. But even before all these
other foods came out years ago, I don't recall a case of it....... ?!?!?!?!
--
Koi-Lo....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Koi-Lo]

*Note: There are TWO "Koi-Lo's" on this NG*

"Nikki" > wrote in message
...
> for what its worth I am considering this is not constipation because
> either the pea or the Epsom salt should have worked...and it has not
================
What about a complete blockage such as a twisted gut? Nothing can get by
something like that. I'm not even sure fish can suffer from the problem.
--
Koi-Lo....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Beano]

Altum wrote:
> IDzine01 wrote:
>> Can someone explain how epsom salt helps fish constipation? I
>> understand how it could help with liquid bloating but it's frequently
>> suggested for food blockages. I'm just not fully understanding how it
>> works.
>> Thanks.
>>
> I've never understood how people make fish constipated. I've never
> managed to constipate a fish in 15 years of fishkeeping. Is it from
> overfeeding or feeding pelleted foods rather than flakes?
>


overfeeding, feeding stuff the fish isn't meant to eat (like oscars and
mince meat, I'll never do that again!). Also my smaller oscar got
constipated after it kept eating the pellets that were meant for my
larger oscar. I guess he just didn't chew them enough...

[Beano]

IDzine01 wrote:
> So the Epsom salts will draw water out of the fish but into the gut? It
> seems, in theory, the only way it would work is if the fish ingests the
> Epsom salt only. Epsom salts in the water would be counterproductive,
> no?
>


I thought about that when I was replying, but I have no explanation for
that. Do fish drink? Seems in theory to me that epsom salts in the
water would suck water out of the fish! But hey we put salt in their
tanks and they don't seem to shrivel up...

[Nikki]

"Beano" > wrote in message
...
> Altum wrote:
>> IDzine01 wrote:
>>> Can someone explain how epsom salt helps fish constipation? I
>>> understand how it could help with liquid bloating but it's frequently
>>> suggested for food blockages. I'm just not fully understanding how it
>>> works.
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>> I've never understood how people make fish constipated. I've never
>> managed to constipate a fish in 15 years of fishkeeping. Is it from
>> overfeeding or feeding pelleted foods rather than flakes?
>>
>
>
> overfeeding, feeding stuff the fish isn't meant to eat (like oscars and
> mince meat, I'll never do that again!). Also my smaller oscar got
> constipated after it kept eating the pellets that were meant for my larger
> oscar. I guess he just didn't chew them enough...

you know what sh*t happens, dont feel bad....people have done a lot worse
then over feed
Nik

[Mister Gardener]

On Wed, 3 May 2006 15:40:27 -0400, "Nikki"
> wrote:

>
>"Beano" > wrote in message
...
>> Altum wrote:
>>> IDzine01 wrote:
>>>> Can someone explain how epsom salt helps fish constipation? I
>>>> understand how it could help with liquid bloating but it's frequently
>>>> suggested for food blockages. I'm just not fully understanding how it
>>>> works.
>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>> I've never understood how people make fish constipated. I've never
>>> managed to constipate a fish in 15 years of fishkeeping. Is it from
>>> overfeeding or feeding pelleted foods rather than flakes?

Many experts agree that it comes from beginning potty training at too
early of an age. The young fish uses the only thing it can control in
order to assert its independence, and this control thing can become a
life long pattern. If not pushed early in life, the fish will
naturally evolve into a more confident and agreeable state, when the
potty training exercise will become a time for sharing his gift with
you, rather than struggling to prevent you from getting it.
For further reading see: Fishelton, T Berry and Shoal, Dr Benjamin

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me

[Altum]

Mister Gardener wrote:

>>> Altum wrote:
>>>> I've never understood how people make fish constipated. I've never
>>>> managed to constipate a fish in 15 years of fishkeeping. Is it from
>>>> overfeeding or feeding pelleted foods rather than flakes?
>
> Many experts agree that it comes from beginning potty training at too
> early of an age. The young fish uses the only thing it can control in
> order to assert its independence, and this control thing can become a
> life long pattern. If not pushed early in life, the fish will
> naturally evolve into a more confident and agreeable state, when the
> potty training exercise will become a time for sharing his gift with
> you, rather than struggling to prevent you from getting it.
> For further reading see: Fishelton, T Berry and Shoal, Dr Benjamin

You know, sometimes a cigarfish is just a cigarfish.

--
Put the word aquaria in the subject to email me.
Did you read the FAQ? http://faq.thekrib.com

[Mister Gardener]

On Wed, 03 May 2006 23:41:13 GMT, Altum >
wrote:

>Mister Gardener wrote:
>
>>>> Altum wrote:
>>>>> I've never understood how people make fish constipated. I've never
>>>>> managed to constipate a fish in 15 years of fishkeeping. Is it from
>>>>> overfeeding or feeding pelleted foods rather than flakes?
>>
>> Many experts agree that it comes from beginning potty training at too
>> early of an age. The young fish uses the only thing it can control in
>> order to assert its independence, and this control thing can become a
>> life long pattern. If not pushed early in life, the fish will
>> naturally evolve into a more confident and agreeable state, when the
>> potty training exercise will become a time for sharing his gift with
>> you, rather than struggling to prevent you from getting it.
>> For further reading see: Fishelton, T Berry and Shoal, Dr Benjamin
>
>You know, sometimes a cigarfish is just a cigarfish.

You remind me of the first lobster I ever saw - when it's belly was
cut open in preparation for stuffing, the cook discovered an entire
cigar, still in the wrapper, though too bend and broken to smoke
properly. Now that was a cigarfish.

-- Mister Gardener
-- Pull the WEED to email me