Help, Is this bloat? and what to do

[MattQ]

Tank Info:
pH: 7.8-8.0
gH: unsure Spokane Tap
kH: unsure
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: ~20ppm
Water Changes Weekly

Tank: 55 Gallon
Substrate: Pool Filter Sand
Filtration: HydroSpong IV with a MaxiJet 400 and an Emperor 400
Decor: Malaysian Driftwood
Other Fish: 4 Rummynose tetras, 7 Cardinal Tetras, 2 Rams, 1 LDA33
Set Up Since: 4/12 Cycled on 4/28 First Fish 5/6
Last New Fish, Rams and LDA33 on 5/16

Last Thursday I noticed it looked like my albino longfin bristlenose looked like it had eaten too much. I had fed a piece of zucchini and yam the night before so I didn't really think anything of it. By Saturday night its belly was still large so I started researching about constipation and bloat. I quarantined the ABN so that I could see if it was eating, and after trying repashy Solient Green and zucchini I determined it wasn't. My next move was trying epsom salt at 1 Tbs/5gal and medicating with Tetra Parasite Guard because it has praziquantel and metro in it. I continued trying to feed and look for waste but didn't see evidence of either. The ABN still seems fairly active through out this and doesn't show signs of labored breathing.

After 4 days of treatment the ABN looks like this

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_kgBH ... U9JaU1XV2c

I had been treating Ich with heat and salt right before the onset of this problem. The temp has been gradually lowered from 85/86 to 80. And had also started doing small daily water changes on last friday to lower the salt concentration.

Tomorrow I leave for Hawaii for just over a week and my future sister-in-law is watching the tank. Should I have the affected fish in the display tank while I'm gone and just have her net him out if he expires. Or should I still quarantine him? Can he last a week without food? I don't want her trying to feed him in quarantine since its so easy to foul 5 gallons of water.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

[MattQ]

Oops almost forgot...

Diet for the tank is Repashy community, omega one color flakes, NLS small fish, and the occasional brine shrimp for the Rams and Tetras. For the Plecos I also give Hikari Algae Wafters and Zucchini every other day (I have also tried yam)

[wet-handed]

so was this yesterday or a week ago thusrday

[Barbie]

What levels of salt did you add? I have had high salt levels make fish seem to retain fluids. If he was mine, I would do a couple 30% water changes in the next 24 hours and see if that helped him. If the tank is healthy, a dead pleco that size shouldn't crash it, as long as someone checks for a corpse and removes it within a day. I think the water changes should help though.

Barbie

[MattQ]

Thanks Barbie,

I got the salt up to 2 Tbs per 5 gal. I did a large water change before I left and I'll get an update today sometime. If everything stays OK my brother and I might be in a week or so after we get back to get some sterbai cities.

To answer the post before it was last thurs.

[Barbie]

LOL! I didn't even notice the location. That's hysterical! I'm hoping the reduction in salt levels will have fixed the problem. It should. Have a wonderful trip to Hawaii!

I fixed your post, you actually have an LDA33 .

Barbie

[MattQ]

What did I put? I was typing on a computer hooked up to a TV across the room lol