Concerned about my Synodontis Eupterus

[santor]

I have 3 Synodontis Eupterus, 2 in a 72g bowfront and 1, Chubs, in a 55g tank. About 6 months ago, Chubs ate a chunk of fungused food that got stuck in some plants. She swelled up huge. She recovered after magnesium and melafix. She is active, eats well and doesn't look sick. However, she has not regained her plump belly, her belly is flat. Not sure if there's a problem. She is 4 years old, about 8in long. The tank parameters are perfect and all other fish in the tank are fine.

Any ideas?

[unblinded]

I'm just wondering if you started feeding less or added some fish to the tank that are eating more food causing your Euptera to get less food. Mine has had a flat belly but it was because I was feeding less. As soon as I started feeding heavy geared more toward getting the 20 or so Synos in her tank well fed, my Euptera got fat again.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Welcome to the Planet! Nice job saving your Syno. It sounds like you do not have anything to worry about. Flat is normal. When she eats well, it should get a bit of a bulge, then go flat again.

There is a school of thought, that not everyone appears to subscribe to, but it states that fish do also suffer from being overweight and even obese. If it is not skinny or emaciated and behaves normally and the tummy is not concave, it's fine.

Maybe it is eating less than before. One reason stated above. Or the desease took a toll on her organism/organs. Or she may be dealing with a secondary parasitic infestation or bacterial infection/inflamation, enabled by the weakened immune system during the primary desease. Or something else changed, like water parameters, temperature, trace elements, tank mates, food type... plenty to ponder about.