What wrong with my Niger Trigger

puccie1 · 2026-07-09T23:15:26-0400

I know the white specks are sand since he lays in it always but his stomach is swollen and at the anal spot their is white stuff their, Can anyone one give me a incite of what it might be.

vetteguy53081 · 2026-07-09T23:16:59-0400

puccie1 said:
I know the white specks are sand since he lays in it always but his stomach is swollen and at the anal spot their is white stuff their, Can anyone one give me a incite of what it might be.

Known as rectal prolapse, this fish may be constipated and needs to pass what is hung up on it own. If still feeding. offer brine shrimp which will act as a laxative and loosen up the stools of the fish

Bucrob · 2026-07-09T23:31:58-0400

vetteguy53081 said:
Known as rectal prolapse, this fish may be constipated and needs to pass what is hung up on it own. If still feeding. offer brine shrimp which will act as a laxative and loosen up the stools of the fish

I agree with this however I feel it may be due to an internal parasite. Do you know if he was wild caught? I personally would handle it a different way but if you go this route though I would also add some Selcon or VitaChem to add extra nutrients and other stuff. I would also feed him very little as if you give him to much it would inevitably make the problem worse.

My route I would stop feeding him for 24-48 hours to try and let the blockage clear naturally. If he continues eating, try to medicate his food with metronidazole and praziquantel. If he is not eating, move him to a dedicated hospital tank and add those in with him.

A few questions would help me on this one though:
Has he eaten today? How long has his stomach been swollen? Is he having trouble swimming and staying afloat?

Jay Hemdal · 2026-07-10T08:33:37-0400

puccie1 said:
I know the white specks are sand since he lays in it always but his stomach is swollen and at the anal spot their is white stuff their, Can anyone one give me a incite of what it might be.

This fish's skin doesn't look right, seems more than just sand. However, the swollen belly (along with the protruding eyes) point to edema - a build-up of fluid in the fish's tissues. That is a result of some osmotic imbalance. I've seen it rarely in fish undergoing hyposalinity, but it is usually associated with liver or kidney failure. Just like in humans, there is no treatment for that......

puccie1 · 2026-07-10T11:41:46-0400

Jay Hemdal said:
This fish's skin doesn't look right, seems more than just sand. However, the swollen belly (along with the protruding eyes) point to edema - a build-up of fluid in the fish's tissues. That is a result of some osmotic imbalance. I've seen it rarely in fish undergoing hyposalinity, but it is usually associated with liver or kidney failure. Just like in humans, there is no treatment for that......

question some one advised me it might be brook , I was also told from a local aquarium store owner to dose the tank with formalin 1 ml per gallon and heavy aerate it , then wait 7 days and redo for final dose. What is your opinion on this since I cherish your advice. Thanks Carl

Jay Hemdal · 2026-07-10T12:27:05-0400

puccie1 said:
question some one advised me it might be brook , I was also told from a local aquarium store owner to dose the tank with formalin 1 ml per gallon and heavy aerate it , then wait 7 days and redo for final dose. What is your opinion on this since I cherish your advice. Thanks Carl

Carl,

They gave you seriously bad advice, or you misheard them. The 1 ml per gallon dose works out to be about 250 ppm. That dose is only tolerated for about 30 minutes. I use 150 ppm for 45 minutes. For a constant bath of formalin, you want to use 25 ppm as your target dose. For example, 10 gallons at 25 ppm would equal 0.95 ml of formalin, or 0.095 ml per gallon.

Brooklynella does not cause edema though, so that underlaying problem is the big issue.