Swelling on Golden Orfe

Question
I have several Golden Orfe in my pond and one of them looks as if its swallowed a tennis ball. It has a large swollen stomach. What could this be and what should I do?

Answer
Hi Lisa,
Thanx for your question.  There could be a number of reasons your fish looks like it swallowed a tennis ball.  It may have a tumor on one of its internal organs.  If so, there is no cure.  It could be a bacterial infection.  You may be able to treat this with an antibiotic which may be available at stores that specialize in water gardening.  It could be a viral infection for which there is no cure.  I don't think there is very much you can do other than treating the fish with an antibiotic unles she is just heavy with eggs.  If that's the case, she will lay the eggs and be back to normal.  I hope this helps.
Tom