[Karebear13]

So my roommate has a beautiful vt. She has had him about a year now and he has been thriving and growing amazing. Look at his beautiful fins. But, today we noticed this weird lump thing on his body Is that where the poop is or what is that lump thing?

Its like at his end of his body?

 

[freemike]

I have a red veil tail that got those lumps on both sides when I first got him. Not that I think this is a issue strictly to do with veil tails or being red. I fasted him to get them to go away. I've cut back his food and he doesn't get them anymore. Mine is more prone to get them when I feed him flake food. And he is a very pretty boy those fins are some of the best I've seen on a veil tail by the way.

 

[Silverfang]

If you mean the lump on his body by the tail, that is the caudal peduncle (probably butchered the spelling). AKA the swim bladder. I can see it on my one boy, but as long as he doesn't have any trouble swimming, with buoyancy or anything, I wouldn't worry.

 

[Aus]

Thanks so much for this information. Sid has those bumps on both sides, too. They were huge when I first got him, maybe they just looked bigger because he was so thin, though.

Are fish like this prone to swim bladder problems? Now I'm worried..

 

[freemike]

I wouldn't worry too much it's usually due to constipation and rarely serious or fatal.

 

[Karebear13]

We noticed him swimming on his side yesterday. but it was the first time he did that. We think he must be constipated because she said she barely saw poop in the water change. But that is kind of strange since he was fasted for two days while we were out of town.

 

[Silverfang]

If he does have trouble swimming or is bloated, epsom salt is a safe effective treatment. Unscented and dye free. You can get it fairly cheaply at a pharmacy (or at the pharmacy section). Plain magnesium sulphate (I think it's sulphate anyways). I'll double check mine

 

[Karebear13]

yeah we added some Epsom salt yesterday. He seems much better. Should we continue using the epsom salt? He seems back to his normal self