Illness/Sickness: Please give any advice on Bloat treatment

[firebellynewts]

[FONT=Arial, helvetica, verdana, times new roman]I have 3 Fire Belly Newts housed in a 5 gallon aquarium with a sand substrate, small filter, live plants, and a bridge where they can hide under or seek shallow water on. I have had them 9 months. They are picky eaters, but seem to eat enough. I offer them dried tubiflex worms, dried daphnia, and the newt pellets. There are 2 feeder guppies in the aquarium as well. They eat the babies when they have them. The temp stays around 72. Not sure of the methods people use to make it any colder. They other 2 newts have always been smaller, but this one is clearly bloated. It's neck and throat are so bloated that it can't close its mouth. It's body is so swollen that there are ribs in between the flesh. The legs and tail aren't swollen yet so hopefully it's not too late. I noticed it this morning, and between classes found some different suggestions online. Please provide any advice that you can on this subject. He is in a quarantine tank with one rock and about an inch of water. I read that it is good to put them in a tank with plain soil that you keep moist or moist papertowels, but havent tried it yet. I bought the soil, but am reluctant to do it without any other opinions. I have also read that "Melafix" is good to add to the water, or some type of salt dipping as well. My local vets aren't sure what to suggest so I am asking you guys. Please help me help this little guy! Thank you so much!​

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[Greatwtehunter]

Not sure if you have read it or not but here is an article on bloat.

 

[Azhael]

Three in a 5 gallon with two guppies?? That´s waaaaay too little space for so many animals.
Bare in mind the recommended volume for even 1 C.orientalis is 10 gallons!! Anything smaller makes keeping a correct water quality almost impossible. You should really upgrade the poor things to a larger tank, ideally a 20 gallon (although a 10 gallon would be acceptable).
Also, in such a small tank, they must be awfully stressed by the current created by the filter. These newts like completely still water, so having no filter is best (although obviously, that´s for larger tanks that can regulate themselves).
As for the diet, it´s insufficient. Dried tubifex and Daphnia are very poor choices. Freeze-dried foods are just no good. Frozen is much better, although live is always best.
The staple should be earthworms, they are simply the best food you can give them. For variety you can also offer frozen bloodworms, live Daphnia and other fresh-water crustaceans, small crickets, isopods, tiny slugs or the newt pellets.

Have a read at this:
Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops orientalis - Chinese firebelly
And this:
Caudata Culture Articles - Water Quality

As for the bloating, it´s indeed a very tricky situation. Have you read this?:
Caudata Culture Articles: Bloat

If you are keeping the newt in an inch of water, you´ll have to make daily changes with dechlorinated water.

PS: sorry Justin, i didn´t realise you had already linked to the bloat article xD

 

[firebellynewts]

i took out the guppies and plan on moving them to a 20 gallon, but from my experience they only prefer about 5 inches of water and i was sloping the sand to make them a more shallow area as well. I think I'm going to try and find some type of turtle dock or whatever for them and that way i can just have a small amount of sand on the bottom. This is going to have to be done some time this weekend. I tried the blood worms and only 1 would eat them and i would have to do an immediate water change. I have read just about every article on the internet concerning bloat, but none of them really agree on a treatment. I tried the least amount of salt in a bath for him last night, but after about 5 mins he seemed to want out so i trusted his instincts didn't agree with being in the salty water. I put him back in his isolation tank and he seems to be just a bit better. He can actually close his mouth today, but he still looks miserable. I have read that a small container with moist dirt is a good way to help their immune system fight for itself. So i just put him in such container. I have him in a cold dark area of the house, and all i know to do is wait. I am scared to try the melafix since there are so many people that say it does more bad than good. i can't bring myself to put him in the fridge.... I am desperate, and wish there was more information on treatment. As far as their tank... it is a tiny underwater filter and it barely moves the water at about 3/4 of the top of the water. They don't seem to be bothered by it. They swim around it and rest on it. They don't have a place to get completely out of the water, but there is a bridge that allows about half of their body to dry. I first had them in a 20 gallon with half land and half water, and they never once went into the water. I read back then it is better not to offer land if they won't choose the water sometime. I am soooo thankful for your advice, but am still unsure how to attempt treatment for my little guy!