dork fish

Question
hello,  I have a small catfish, that acts strangely...lying on the bottom...or head up behind the rocks looking dead..I tap on the glass and he jumps away and swims to another part of the tank, his tail is beginning to fall apart and the other fish (2 other catfishes)are starting to pick on him.
his stomach appears to be bloated, and I do not know how to help.

Answer
Hey Mike,

Sounds like a bacterial infection called Tail Rot, mixed with some other internal problems. If you get a good anti bacterial product from your local pet store to treat a wide range of bacterial problems, he should cure right up in a few days. Given that he may have a more serious condition, treating the bacterial end will ensure your other fish remain healthy. If the anti bacterial treatments do nothing to reduce his bloating, it's most likely dropsy or swim bladder disease, in which at this point, i wouldn't expect the fish to survive too much longer.

Again, the best course of action is to treat for bacterial problems ASAP. Once cleared of that, you have the best odds of saving all your fish. Good luck and hope this helps!