sick convict

Question
QUESTION: HI Lynda  I have a chichlid that can not swim he lays at the bottom of the tank. He tries to swim when I feed them but he has a hard time and seems to make him breath heavy. I think it is either the swim bladder or constipation. Thank You so much for your help.  Renee

ANSWER: Hi Renee,
If his tummy is swollen he has Swim Bladder Disease.  Bettas are prone to this disease.  It is due to poor diet, and overfeeding.  Constipation leads to Swim Bladder.  Your Betta must waste.  Try feeding him a frozen cooked pea.  Remove the outer layer, and cut it into tiny pieces.  Feed the pieces one at a time to your Betta, making sure that the pieces don't fall to the bottom of the tank.   Feed him nothing else for one day.  If he does not waste, or refuses to eat the pea, you will have to treat him with "Kanamycin" which is very good for Swim Bladder.  Sometimes "Kanamycin" is hard to find, if so, buy "Tetracycline" or "Furan 2"  If your Betta pulls through, always feed him a pea once a week, and on the day you feed him the pea, he should fast.  Vary his diet...Pellets one day, Betta Flakes the next, daphnia the next, and bloodworms once a week as a treat.  Feed him 2-3 small meals a day instead of one big meal.  We must never forget that his tummy is the size of his eye.  Example:  2 pellets for one meal.
Lower the water in his tank so that he won't have trouble coming up for air.  Changing all of his water would also be a good idea.  If he does not have a silk plant in his tank, buy him one so that he can rest on the leaves.
I hope that this helps, and that the little fellow will pull through.
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank You Lynda  My fish is a Convict Chichlid would the sam apply? No his belly is not swollen. Renee

ANSWER: Hello,
The same would apply if his tummy was swollen.  I'm sorry, I had so many letter on Bettas lately, and I must have sent your answer to the person who has a betta!!  Time for a vacation I think!  It could be a lack of Oxygen.  Make sure that you have enough movement in your water.  If he has nothing on his skin that would indicate a disease, it most likely is a lack of oxygen or the beginning of Swim Bladder.
Check your water for ammonia, make sure you have no ammonia in your water.  Ammonia is the number one killer of fish.  If you do have ammonia, do water changes until you are rid of it.  Ammonia is the number one killer of fish.
 If he is lacking oxygen, add an air stone, and make sure that the water in his tank does not go all the way to the top.  Leave a space so that the water from the filter splashes into the water of the tank causing lots of water movement.  Give him the pea treatment too, and see him this helps.  If he doesn't look any better tomorrow, treat him with Kanamycin, tetracycline or furan 2 if you do not see him waste.
Hope this helps
Lynda

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: HI Lynda   Well I tried tetracycline for 7 days and did not seem to help. The fish is still hanging at the bottom and not swimming right. I have noticed too that his scales protruding some not bad but a little. Any other ideas? Please and thank You

Answer
Hi Renee,
I'm sorry, but he now appears to have "Dropsy"  Dropsy can be caused by an internal bacterial problem.  Dropsy is the hardest internal bacterial infection to cure, and fish usually die from it.  It can also be that he has damaged kidneys due to Swim Bladder Disease that was not seen in time to cure.   If you are seeing pine-cone appearance, then it is "Dropsy"  You have given him antibiotics, and it has not helped him.  There is nothing else for you to do, but keep his water very clean, free of ammonia, and nitrates.  Sometimes in clean water, he could turn around...it happens.  
I hope he does, poor little guy.
Lynda