Need some advice about bloat, fast

Hey guys, I just got a new brown male that is in quarantine. He just came in today, and I slow drip acclimated him over a two hour period. He was shipped thru the USPS and was in the box for 2days before he got to me. He is pooping right now as I write and it is thin and clear or as clear as I think it could be. He is in the cave in the tank so he can hide while he gets adjusted, and pretty much been in there since he arrived. Anyways my question is, his stool is long and clear, is this just from stress from shipping, or is this the very beginning of bloat? He was a healthy proven male when shipped, and I may be being paranoid. The seller did fast him before being shipped, so it has been 4-5 days since he was fed last. I don't really have a ton of bloat experience, so please tell me what you think so I can get to this early if a problem is there. I have never noticed any of my other Plecos have somewhat clear poop, but can they have clear poop and not be bloat? Please help

As far as I can tell he is breathing normally, and is slowly fanning his fins like when on eggs. His pec fins aren't clamped, and nice flat belly.

Pics would help.

I would probably offer some deshelled green peas (mine like them more if I mash them between my fingers) today. I would gradually Introduce harder foods. Maybe the peas for two days, then cuc or no salt added canned green beans for a couple days followed by zucchini. Try these softer more natural foods before feeding any wafers (which have higher protein) and monitor his poop color!

I have no experience with bloat, btw, so someone else probably has better advice. This is just what I would do in your case based on my researched knowledge and from working in a hospital where I encounter GI problems regularly. Good luck and keep us posted.

Hi,has he got some wood and more cover in his tank other than just a cave? His stress levels need to be kept to a minimum at the moment.I am sure he is just stressed over the journey etc.Do you know what he is used to eating previously?


Bristlenoses

He has a breeding cave, a piece of drift wood, and a ceramic half ball looking thing which he can go it completely, and would not be seen, and an internal UV sterilizer. that is all in the tank. I have been leaving the lights off except for checking on him, and keeping an eye on the water chemistry. I have put in some shelled peas, and can't tell if he got to any of them yet. He was eating cuc, zuch, algae wafers , peas, and cantaloupe with the seller. He is acting like he is on eggs, but obviously he ain't. He is fanning away like a mad man, and is breathing normal. Could he have been sitting on eggs before being shipped and that's why he is like this? Today his stool does have some color to it, but in sections. It seems to be broken up as it comes out with some sections that are thin and kinda clear which is cause when he moves. Do you guys know how to worm these fish of parasites? If so could you tell me what I need, and how to go about it? Thanks

No idea how to worm fish. My BNs poop is usually brown with clear sections. Mostly brown though.

He sounds quite normal to me.I would leave him be.Most male bristlenoses do fan when in a cave especialy older more mature ones.That is all very normal behaviour.His poop sounds fine,feed him what he is used to eating he may be hungry and stop panicking he sounds fine.


Bristlenoses

I don't know why I am on this bloat kick lately but one more question. One of my breeding females is gravid, has been acting normal till today, and was eating last night. Today I saw her and she is double the size she was yesterday, and so far has shown no interest in tonight's dinner and is hiding out on the drift wood. Could she have gotten bloat somehow? She is up side down under the log, and has a long big brown piece of poo coming from her, so my thought is that if she had bloat, she would not be pooping like normal. But she is hugely fat. Twice as fat as I have ever seen her when getting ready to spawn. Am I just stressing to much?

I am sure you have gotten paranoid over bloat for some reason.Keep your eye on her incase it is bloat but she is just probably heavily gravid and you are worrying over nothing.Have you got any pictures of her at all so we can check her out for you? Preferably one from underneath aswell as top view and side view.I know this can be difficult to accomplish so if you can't don't worry about it just watch her,i'm sure she's fine.


Bristlenoses