Is my Pictus Cat Prego, Sick, or Just fat From Eating?

I just bought a pictus catfish and after feeding yesterday, I noticed its belly is quite large. It's only been in my tank for a day now so it's entirely possible that it got knocked up in the store's tank. But I know pictus cats are difficult to breed, which leads me to think it might be dropy? Except the only symptoms it is showing is the imploded belly. No abnormal behavior or anything associated with dropy. Or, I know pictus cats have quite the appetites. Except I fed the tank last night and the belly is still imploded.

Any insight as to what this might be will be greatly appreciated. If anyone wants to see pictures I can post some, but I don't have a camera that takes very good quality pictures.

 

Please post pictures thanks

 

Welcome to Fish Lore, ConorG33!

What size tank do you have? What other fish and how many are with your pictus? Do you have a liquid master test kit? If so, can you post your water parameters? (pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?) What did you feed last night?

 

Also, they are egg layers...... they can't get pregnant

 

I have ph and ammonia test kits. Ph is around 7.5 and ammonia is little to non-existent. I got the tank from Goodwill so I'm unsure of it's exact volume but it is between 60 and 75 gallons. I'll post all of the pictus's tank mates in my profile once I've been deemed active enough. I know they lay eggs but don't they have to cook up in the belly for awhile?

 

What are your tank's exact dimensions?

 

Can you list the other tank mates for us now?

 

48" from side to side, 18" top to bottom, and 12" width.

 

You definitely have some stocking issues, but could it be possible that the pictus ate one of your other fish?

 

Pictus catfish are social fish, how many do you have? also what other fish do you have in the tank?
sounds like you have a 40 gallon (long) or a 45 gallon (long), if so, you'll have to upgrade or rehome, because pictus need a min 75 gallons, and I also would be suspicious of the pictus eating other fish, as they would readily do so, if the fish are small enough.

 

I highly doubt it. The pictus is maybe 3 1/2 to 4" and the smallest fish in the tank is around 2". I'll check and make sure everyone is accounted for though.

Okay, maybe your on to something. I can't find one of my glass cats. But that still seems like a lot to swallow for a smaller pictus.

 

Okay, maybe your on to something. I can't find one of my glass cats. But that still seems like a lot to swallow for a smaller pictus.

Well, their glass catfish, so they might a little hard to see...but I believe the pictus could still have eaten a 2" fish, even though it's only 4" inches, they are carnivorous, as far as I know, and were built/ meant for hunting down other (smaller) fish.

 

Yes, they are carnivorous, but only to the point of what they can fit inside their mouth. I've accounted for the other glass cat anyways. The pictus is the only one in the tank right now but only because I had already bought other fish that day and didn't want to spike my ammonia. So more will be in there sometime this month.

 

Most fish that are carnivorous are "only to the point of what they can fit inside their mouth", but they can fit a lot more in their mouth than you realize. The shape of the prey is also important in determining whether or not they can eat it. What makes it a predator is the practice of nocturnal hunting, using the extremely long barbels to detect prey.

 

Have you ever caught large-mouth bass? their mouths can look small when closed, but when opened, it seems like it could swallow itself, and that's almost true, large-mouth bass can swallow other bass the same size as themselves, although it takes a while for it to completely do so.

 

Yes I have actually. I think that's why they're called "large-mouth" bass But you do have a point. Only problem is I don't have the proper net to net him in yet.