Illness/Sickness: Bottom floating up!??

[azuregirl]

Hi ya,

I bought 2 Axel's 2 weeks ago, both were pretty skinny but the black girl one (I think) is getting nice and filled out, eating from my hand and generally healthier looking, but the golden albino boy (I think) has eaten once since I got him (did pop a few cichlid pellets in the tank incase hes been fed that way but not sure if he ate them!) and now he seems to have trouble staying level, his bottom floats up. Anyone have any idea whats going on.

If he wont eat earth worms or frozen brine shrimp what can I entice him with?

oh and are the lumps behind his back legs his manhood?
Is this how I tell hes a bog or does he have something wrong with him cause this area is swollen/big looking and the black one doesnt have it! :dizzy:

Thanks heaps

 

[Kaysie]

His bottom floating could be a sign of constipation. It's not uncommon.

Do you know if he has eaten at all? Does the female bully him during feeding? What kind of substrate do you have them on? What substrate were they being kept on?

The swelling is generally a sign of being a sexually mature male.

 

[azuregirl]

Hey,
Axels are on a large pebble bed (cobbles think yad call em) dont know what they were raised on!

So constipation huh will look forums up c what I can do about that!

As far as I can tell he has only eaten two small fishes (feeder fish) I cought and pinched their tails and he ate those but havnt been able to feed him since thats three days ago now!!

 

[Kaysie]

Well 3 days isn't terribly long to go without food. I only feed mine 3 times a week.

Is it possible it could have swallowed a pebble? Pebbles are dangerous substrate, as they can be swallowed and can cause impaction.