bloated zebras

[bengranger80]

Hi
I have a 4 foot by 1 foot by 15inch aquarium housing about 12 zebras (10 adult 2 juvenile) It also houses countless red cherry shrimp.

I have had these zebras approx six months

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20 or may be higher

The problem i see is that i have some severely bloated zebras. At first i thought some were full of eggs, but i am increasingly feeling this is just wishful thinking.

What should i do. They are feeding well, but have bulging underbellys, they rest on the swollen parts as it is the only body part to touch the bottom.
They also do not have a bluish tinge. I would say it is more red than blue, but not significantly red. Some also have fainter more blurred markings and dull eyes.
I feed them on Hikari discus food and also fresh brineshrimp

The red cherry shrimps are thriving, i have too many, must be about 400 in there.
There are also many small white things, i think they are copepods? they scuttle around in the gravel.
I have 2 powerheads with sponge filters with venturis and also a large external filter.
I do about 20 percent water change per week.

Are the red cherrys doing more harm than good?
Why are the zebras bloated?
At the moment i am considering stripping the tank of all objects caves etc. catching all the shrimps (impossible task) and treating with discus wormer.
Is this a good idea

Will medications kill the shrimps? What medications would you advise

Please help, I dont want to loose my pride and joy.


PLEASE HELP!!

[Heliophobe]

Can you get a picture of one? When mine eat a bit too much, their bellies are the only thing to touch.

But as for the overall health, 20 nitrate is about as high as you want it. When was the test performed in relation to your last water change?

High nitrates become toxic and fish get sick as a result.

[TwoTankAmin]

Also- zebras are omnivores, not carnivores. I suggest you get more veggies in their diet. I feed mine spirulina flake with garlic every saturday and also mix in spirulina or veggies sticks when I feed earthworm sticks.

[Andrew C]

I treated a L260 a few months back for bloat and it survived fine, but i might have just been lucky; http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... =5&t=24558

When reading up on it, i found one of the causes of Bloat is feeding too high a protein diet.
I find my hypancistrus like broad beans, crumble them up a bit, some take to it right away, others take longer.

I am not sure on your best course of treatment, maybe post on Planet Catfish, they were a good help when i found my L260 with bloat, a couple of pictures will also be a great help, just to make sure it is bloat.