Help with bloated zebras please!

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bengranger80
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Posts: 31
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 12:35 am
Location: plymouth uk

Help with bloated zebras please!

Post by 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
temp 83f
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!!
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Barbie
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Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:07 pm
Location: Spokane, WA, US
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Post by Barbie »

Get us a picture. Fat zebras look much the way you described. Don't panic and kill them all medicating them. Do a water change if you MUST do something.

Also, I'm locking this thread because it's a cross post. Posting in more than one forum with the same question doesn't get you answers faster, it just ticks off the staff. Thanks!

Barbie
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