can someone tell me what the heck this is!

[hybridguy]

I have a lrg frontosa around 12 inches,he has a swollen red almost bloody looking anus. I have not observed him pooping,he also just lays flat on the bottom of the tank,when he swims its like he is drunk,he bobs up and down appearing to lose his balance. he still eats but its a real struggle to reach the top waters. any help is greatly appreciated.

[Boo!!!!]

Hi Hybridguy I hope this can help you

I think the condition is prolapsed rectum

Main causes are improper diet (which cause severe or chronic diarrhea, or constipation.), or bacterial and parasitic infestations that cause swelling and intestinal blockage. Once the cause is corrected and the anal sphincter muscles recover back to their normal strength, the prolapse should correct itself. In a rush to see larger kok size some hobbyists forget that FH have been derived mostly from CA cichlid species, that are for the most part omnivorous, not strictly carnivore.
FH require high quality plant matter in their diet just as much as they do fish/meat protein.

IMO treating with Epsom Salt (Magnesium Sulfate) is the best course of action to take, as it helps reduce tissue swelling almost immediately. Regular salt (sodium Chloride NaCl) will not reduce swelling in the inflamed tissue, and can actually cause added stress on the fishes osmoregulatory system. The last thing your fish needs at this point is any additional stress. Withold ALL food for a few days to allow the gastrointestinal system to recover, and while doing that treat with metronidazole & praziquantel medication, such as Jungle Tank Buddies Parasite Clear.
http://www.junglelabs.com/pages/details.asp?item=TB636
This will eliminate protozoa within the digestive tract of the fish, and will also assist in the fishes full recovery.

If the fish has never been dewormed then a 24 hr treatment of Levasimole is in order before one does anything else. (Magnesium Sulfate can be added while de-worming) Levamisole can be purchased in bulk under the trade name Vermisol. Rectal prolapse that is not treated can lead to complications, which can ultimately lead to death of the fish.

[Spardas]

Ditto on what Boo said.

[hybridguy]

Thanks for the info. I got this fish about 3 months ago and he was fine as far as i could tell,about 1 month nwent by and he would not swim to the top to eat. Then i noticed the problem area. I feed OSI Spirulina flake for veg. and aqueon food sticks and nutrafin max and krill once a week. His diet is good at my house,dont no what he was eating before.

[hybridguy]

update on front, is not eating and still bobs up and down n the tank but mostly just lays on the bottom motionless. Epsom salts helped with the anal area,now he is just waisting away

[hybridguy]

nobody has any ideas?