Bloated bloodfin tetra, maybe?

[rothenb1]

I've got a school of 8 bloodfin tetras in my 30 along with a school of 8 penguin tetras, and a school of 9 celebes rainbows. They're all rather small, about an inch long or smaller. But one of the bloodfins is ENORMOUS. I know females are bigger-bodied than males, but this one is absolutely gigantic. She's the same length as the others but her chest area is huge. The only way I can describe it is that it looks like she swallowed a bean.

I noticed this about a week ago and I've been meaning to ask on here. Otherwise she's acting fine, and all my other fish are fine. The water tested 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10ppm nitrate, pH at 7.6. I do weekly water changes, usually about 50% with a gravel vacuum and add prime. The only thing is that the temperature has been a little too high, into the 80s. I'm trying to get it back down to a stable, normal temperature.

Anyway, I'm not sure what to think. Is she just an extremely thick-bodied female? Is she holding eggs? Is she sick? Or is she just a piggie, stealing the food from the other fish? I can stick her in the quarantine tank soon, I'm going to take my salvini out and put him in the 90 within the next couple of days.


Thanks in advance, you all are so helpful here.

[rothenb1]

Hi,

The bloated bloodfin died today. Within the past three weeks I've also lost another two bloodfins.

The bloated one had literally no contents in her abdomen. Either she exploded or someone ate her insides.

The penguin tetras and the celebes rainbows do not seem to be affected at all.


Should I be concerned for my other fish as well?

[Pleco380]

The tetra may have had dropsy. Dropsy can come from not doing regular water changes. Did the fish eat? Do the fish that are alive eat? What are your water conditions?

[rothenb1]

My fish are treated pretty well. In all tanks I do weekly water changes, in this tank I usually do 50% because it's only a 30 gallon.

The fish have a very varied diet. Staple foods are Omega One flakes, supplemented with frozen foods and vegetable flakes and pellets. They all go for the food and last time I fed them I'm pretty sure I saw the bloated one eat.

The water is tested prior to water changes. Last water change I did was last Monday and parameters were fine, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate, pH 7.6

[Pleco380]

Dropsy is almost always fatal. I don't see how your fish could have it though as your water is good as well as feeding. Sometimes they over eat. Either that fish ate the others meal or you overfed.

[rothenb1]

It's possible that she over ate. I don't know much about dropsy. She had been bloated for a while, well before I posted my question. I'd say she'd been bloated for over a month. Does dropsy take that long to kill?

[Pleco380]

I've had overweight glowlight tetras before. It was NOT dropsy. They died after months of becoming overweight. Dropsy kills fairly quickly.
Symptoms: Swelling body, pineconing scales, loss of colour, does not eat.

[Lady Hobbs]

Dropsy is a bacteria infection and any fish can get a bacterial infection. It doesn't always indication poor water quality.

Hard telling why your tetra bloated roth. Constipation, egg bound, parasites, infections......never know sometimes.

[rothenb1]

I was thinking she might be egg bound. If she doesn't lay the eggs could it kill her?

[Pleco380]

If it is a parasite, yes. If she is egg bound, she'll probably lay eggs or another fish will eat the eggs.