Floating larvae

[molly]

Greetings all,

Have any of you encountered a problem with large gas or fluid bubbles developing in the abdomens of larvae? (My guess is gas since it causes them to float on that side, but I suppose it could be fluid.) It generally starts small and gets larger and larger until it takes up the entire abdomen, at which point they usually die. If it is air or some other kind of gas, they don't seem to be able to pass it and they're much too small to try to massage it out, as I have heard suggested for adults. Anyone know what causes this or have any suggestions for treatment?

Thanks!

 

[claire]

i think this is usually when they dont have food available.do you larvae have food available at all times or do they sometimes have periods with no food? my larvae used to always get air in their bellies and i think this was due to me not having enough food available for them.

good luck

 

[anne-marie]

Yeah, that's a pain. I used to lower the water level so they could at least try to reach the ground without too much effort.

 

[elisheba]

i have had several do this. i think it's either a heart problem (congestive heart failure or similar)- my first guess- or possibly the result of swallowing something nasty (possibly a brine shrimp cyst).

unfortunately all mine that have been affected have died because they can't hunt.

hope yours is different.