Pictus cat pregnant?

[Swimz]

Ok, just noticed that 1 of my pictus cats is hiding under a decoration and hadn't moved in the last like 5-6 hours. So I take a closer look, and it's stomach is like gigantic! I really didn't want to mess with the digital camera, but I want your guys' opinions on if it's pregnant, or it just ate a LOT ! ?

Did I feed them too much, or should I remove the pair to a seperate tank?

Thanks

 

[dethjam316]

WOH, that is big. i don't know what to tell you. it's definitely not "pregnant"-- these fish are egg-layers. i suppose it could be carrying eggs, but i wouldn't think this probable: they probably require especially acid water (ph 5.5-6 i would guess), and i don't think they breed commonly in aquaria anyway. it could have eaten another fish or something, pictus have been known to do that from time to time. what do you feed it regularly?

alternatively, not to alarm you...but it could have some sort of bloat--infection from disease, parasite, etc. keep an eye on your cat, and give updates.

 

[Swimz]

Ok, thanks... I posted on another forum thinking it might be bloat as well. I usually just feed flake food. It didn't eat any other fish. and the ph is probably close to 8. How do I "fix" him if it's bloat? I had put about 3 - 4 algae wafers in to feed the bristlenose, but the 2 cats ate them all within an hour... that was last night... now 24hrs later the big 1 is still big ???

are bristlenose plecos known for carrying parasites? I added him in the tank probably a week and a half ago, and about a year ago some fish from this same store gave my clowns ich and they died...

i guess it's time to start reading about illnesses again. if it is sick, this is the LAST time I buy fish from the store (too bad because they are the biggest/best selection in town - only store that had the bristlenose plecos)

thanx

 

[dethjam316]

well the best advice to avoid disease is quarantining new fish! you never know what comes into your tanks from the store. so it could be that. it also could be something with your ph. how long have you had those cats? being from the amazon with waters in the 6.- range, your ph is a bit high. i would think disease is the most likely culprit though. it's not that bristlenoses are known for carrying stuff, they're just as likely as any fish.

 

[colesea]

How's the pictus doing? I've had channel cats that would do the same thing, eat themselves silly and become big, fat cats. After a few days of fasting the "bloat" would digest itself and they would be hungry again.

When feeding pellet or sinking stuff, soak it first. I keep a shot glass next to my tank, and soak the fish pellets in the shot glass before actually feeding them to the tank. It helps prevent bloats from happening.
~~Colesea

 

[Swimz]

Thanks for the replies... I think the fish just ate too much. The belly is a little bit smaller today, and neither of the 2 have ate the half a piece that was left over on the other side of the tank, so I think they're just "full". That shot glass is a good idea, I'll use it

Darn... I thought I was going to be 1 of the first to get lucky and have a pair of Pictus Cats breeding who knows maybe they still will someday !

I am also in the process of getting another tank or 2, so I can have more options of moving around the other fish, and quarentining new fish.

Thanks again...

 

[dethjam316]

i would think they'd need their own tank and low ph water to have any chance of breeding.

 

[Swimz]

Ya, they're back to normal now. Then all of a sudden i noticed my new bristlenose pleco went crazy... started swimming erratically like in a spiral. 5 min. later he was upside down and then died!?!?!???? who knows... actually that's how I remember all of the other plecos I've ever had die that way??? His belly was abnormally large as well, but I think that was post mordem, he was fine last night while taking pictures...

I'm going to get some testing supplies and make sure I got my water in check before getting any other fish.