Care library / Health

Health guide, not a diagnosis · Mild

Constipation & blockage

Also called constipation, impaction, bloat

Signs

Swollen belly
Little or no poop
Not interested in food

Cause

Too much dry food, or swallowed gravel or plant matter.

What to do

Fast the fish for 2–3 days, then feed daphnia or a little skinned pea. An Epsom salt bath can help.

If a fish is badly ill, talk to an aquatic vet.

Prevention

Feed varied food in small amounts; soak dry food.

Medicines used for it

Always read the label first

Epsom saltSalt & water care

Species often affected

96 species

White cloud mountain minnowTanichthys albonubes

Easy4 cm14–22 °C

Electric yellow cichlidLabidochromis caeruleus

Easy10 cm24–28 °C

Peacock cichlidAulonocara stuartgranti

Moderate13 cm24–28 °C

FrontosaCyphotilapia frontosa

Hard33 cm24–27 °C

Comet goldfishCarassius auratus

Easy30 cm10–24 °C

KoiCyprinus rubrofuscus

Moderate70 cm4–25 °C

MedakaOryzias latipes

Easy4 cm16–22 °C

Cobalt blue zebraMaylandia callainos

Moderate12 cm24–28 °C

Red zebraMaylandia estherae

Moderate12 cm24–28 °C

Kenyi cichlidMaylandia lombardoi

Moderate12 cm24–28 °C

Rusty cichlidIodotropheus sprengerae

Easy10 cm25–29 °C

Demasoni cichlidChindongo demasoni

Moderate8 cm24–28 °C

Powder blueChindongo socolofi

Easy12 cm24–28 °C

Yellow-tail aceiPseudotropheus sp. 'acei'

Easy15 cm24–28 °C

Saulosi cichlidChindongo saulosi

Moderate8.6 cm23–27 °C

Elongatus mbunaChindongo elongatus

Moderate12 cm24–28 °C

Johanni cichlidPseudotropheus johannii

Moderate10 cm23–27 °C

Auratus cichlidMelanochromis auratus

Moderate11 cm24–28 °C

Maingano cichlidPseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos

Moderate7.5 cm24–28 °C

Hongi cichlidLabidochromis sp. 'Hongi'

Moderate12 cm24–28 °C

CobueCynotilapia afra

Moderate10 cm25–29 °C

Red cheek mbunaTropheops sp. 'red cheek'

Trewavas' mbunaLabeotropheus trewavasae

Moderate11.7 cm24–28 °C

Fuelleborn's mbunaLabeotropheus fuelleborni

Moderate17 cm24–28 °C

Greshake's zebraMaylandia greshakei

Moderate13.4 cm24–28 °C

Zebra mbunaMaylandia zebra

Moderate13 cm24–28 °C

Sunshine peacockAulonocara baenschi

Moderate13 cm25–29 °C

Freiberg's peacockAulonocara jacobfreibergi

Moderate15 cm25–29 °C

Emperor peacockAulonocara nyassae

Sulphur-head peacockAulonocara maylandi

Moderate15 cm25–29 °C

Kadango red-finCopadichromis borleyi

Moderate15 cm25–29 °C

Jackson's hapCopadichromis jacksoni

Moderate18 cm24–28 °C

Red empressProtomelas taeniolatus

Moderate17 cm24–28 °C

Livingstoni cichlidNimbochromis livingstonii

Moderate25 cm24–28 °C

Venustus cichlidNimbochromis venustus

Moderate25 cm24–28 °C

Polystigma hapNimbochromis polystigma

Moderate23 cm24–28 °C

Malawi eye-biterDimidiochromis compressiceps

Moderate25 cm24–28 °C

Electric blue hapSciaenochromis fryeri

Moderate17 cm24–28 °C

Hap mdoka white lipsPlacidochromis phenochilus

Moderate16 cm24–28 °C

Deepwater hapPlacidochromis electra

Moderate12 cm24–28 °C

Pelican cichlidFossorochromis rostratus

Moderate24.4 cm25–29 °C

Blue dolphin cichlidCyrtocara moorii

Moderate20 cm25–29 °C

Tropheus mooriiTropheus moorii

Hard14.5 cm24–27 °C

Duboisi cichlidTropheus duboisi

Hard12 cm24–27 °C

Princess of BurundiNeolamprologus brichardi

Easy9 cm23–26 °C

Multi shell dwellerNeolamprologus multifasciatus

Easy4 cm24–27 °C

Similis shell dwellerNeolamprologus similis

Moderate5 cm24–27 °C

Brevis shell dwellerNeolamprologus brevis

Easy5.5 cm24–27 °C

Lemon cichlidNeolamprologus leleupi

Moderate10 cm24–27 °C

Five-bar cichlidNeolamprologus tretocephalus

Moderate15 cm24–27 °C

Black pearlAltolamprologus calvus

Moderate14 cm24–27 °C

CompressicepsAltolamprologus compressiceps

Moderate12.3 cm24–27 °C

Ocellated shell dwellerLamprologus ocellatus

Easy5.8 cm24–27 °C

Lemairii cichlidLamprologus lemairii

Moderate25 cm24–27 °C

Marlier's julieJulidochromis marlieri

Moderate13 cm24–27 °C

Ornatus julieJulidochromis ornatus

Hard9 cm24–27 °C

Regan's julieJulidochromis regani

Hard13 cm24–27 °C

Transcriptus julieJulidochromis transcriptus

Moderate7 cm22–25 °C

Dickfeld's julieJulidochromis dickfeldi

Hard10 cm24–27 °C

UtintaCyprichromis leptosoma

Moderate11 cm24–27 °C