Apollo shark getting gas/constipation!!?

[cafrhe]

Hi I am looking for information about Apollo sharks and eating needs. I have read that flakes are fine but came across one site that said they need live food. I have had the shark for about 1.5 weeks, it is small, about 2-2.5 inches. Very active, a pig and seems healthy. 2 nights ago I noticed that he floated to the top when ever he stopped actively swimming. His whole abdomen was quite distended. I watched for a while and noticed that he was pooping. I kept an eye on him but he was still bloated and drifting upwards by the time I went to bed. The next morning he was slim and swimming normally again. Last evening he started swimming funny again and again was bloated. He does not turn on his back, he stays aligned properly, he just seems more bouyant especially in the tail end. Again he was fine in the morning. Now today he is getting a little bloated again.
I feed tropical fish flakes, and am now giving more freeze dried bloodworms and dried brine shrimp. I am wondering if I am feeding him wrong. If not , is he just overeating, or getting constipated?
He is in a general community tank. 35 Hex with gouramis, ghost cats, sailfin and regular mollies, a few tetras, pencil fish, corys. Water is hard kh is@86, dont know gh, either test kit is wacked or my water is really hard. ph is a little high at 7.6 and no nitrite.

Thanks for any help you can give
Jennifer

[aquak]

Welcome to the forum! It seems as if your fish is not getting food that it can handle well, or possible too much at once, since they are known to be "pigs." It needs mostly live foods and occasional flakes and pellets. It is not a good community fish and will get quite large and kill most of your other fish if you keep it in that tank. Also, please fill in your profile. We can help you better if we have more information. Other possible problems with the fish include not enough filtration, over-stocking, and over-feeding. I recommend you not feed him for a day or two so his system can settle down and then only a limited amount. Don't worry about the rest of the fish. They can go a week or longer without feeding and, if you've been over-feeding, will benefit from the break. BTW, Your odd-shaped tank means that you cannot have the normal amount of fish recommended in the inch/gallon rule. Also, if you are not planning to get a larger tank, it would be best to return the shark as it will get way too big for the one you have, even if it's alone in there because it's devoured or otherwise killed off the others.

[cafrhe]

Hi, thanks for the reply. Now everyone is going to get mad at me!! I was considering taking the shark out and having him fast a little, but it is easier to keep him in the tank and have everyone fast--but I will feel guilty.
I see myself getting a bigger tank. If I dont the fish store that I buy from finds new and larger homes for overgrown/problem fish. But I have gotten more interested in keeping more and more fish (and larger) so I can see more and more aquariums in my future.
Some one suggested giving smushed frozen peas to help with the bloating, sound good? Also I have read on several sites that apollos are omniverous and flake is fine. I have also read that they need live food, so I am pretty confused. And if I need to get live food for him, how does that affect the other fish. Which type of food does he need? Obviously I can grow my own brine shrimp, but I would assume a more varied diet is necessary.

Thanks for your help!
Jennifer