Sick Platy

ok i am not sure but i think my male platy has dropsy hes the only fish in my tank that looks like his scales are raised what can i do to treat him ...or is he inevitably gonna die .... HELP i dont want him to die ....i will get pics if i can (hes one of my photogenic fish lol)

Why does he have dropsy? Treating the cause is more likely to cure it than anything else. It's usually bad water quality or overcrowding - what are your water stats? Is the tank cycled? Dropsy is what happens when an internal bacterial infection (which sometimes does not show symptoms) is left untreated. Try antibiotics - in USA, a combination of maracyn 1 and 2 is the only thing that will really do anything but he may well die. ISOLATE HIM. Use a 5-odd gallon plastic bin with a spare heater. A filter is ideal but not vital because you can't have a biological filter if you're treating with antibiotics.

Get a photo from above if you can, that will let us make a diagnosis.

LauraFrog said:

Why does he have dropsy? Treating the cause is more likely to cure it than anything else. It's usually bad water quality or overcrowding - what are your water stats? Is the tank cycled? Dropsy is what happens when an internal bacterial infection (which sometimes does not show symptoms) is left untreated. Try antibiotics - in USA, a combination of maracyn 1 and 2 is the only thing that will really do anything but he may well die. ISOLATE HIM. Use a 5-odd gallon plastic bin with a spare heater. A filter is ideal but not vital because you can't have a biological filter if you're treating with antibiotics.

Get a photo from above if you can, that will let us make a diagnosis.

Click to expand...

ok after hundreds of attempts to get a picture of him no luck ...i will decribe him to u he looks as if he is somewhat bloated (fat) his scales are rasied off his body (serated) and he really doesnt swim around he just chills in one place.... he used to be one of my most active feeders but now he is real slow and lazy when it comes to eating ...
water conditions
ammonia 0
PH 7.6 alkaline
temp 78 F
i just dont know what to do i do have another smaller tank i could put him in but right now i got no gravel for it no xtra heater and no xtra filter .... but it does have a heat lamp bulb in it (and right now i dont have any money to buy meds) would just putttin in him this other tank with no gravel help i think the lamp would raise the temp to a lil bit higher then my main tank ....(i am gonna set it up in hopes it will help him )

could be dropsy, please read.

http/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_Dropsy

ok i went back and reread some of the other posts on here soo heres a full tank description including all equipment and days running

10 gal us
hang on back filter with nitra-zorb pillow as well
hood with non florescents (regular bulbs)
a 2-15 gal heater submersible glass
air pump with air stone
course gravel (pea sized depth 1 1/2")
4 large fake plants
2 medium fake plants
1 small fake plant
1 rock cave/shelter
3 sunburst platys (1male 2 female)
2 painted swordtails (1 male 1 female)
ammonia : 0
ph : 7.6
hardness : do not have test for
temp : 76 - 78 F
days running : 2 weeks
now i know that my tank is in its cyclic period but the nitra zorb is suppose to help with a new tank and i know i am right on the edge of overcrowding
i have done maybe 3 25% water changes since i have had fish in it...just to keep my ammonia down so not to kill my fish

*i have set up a small plastic tank up i dont have gravel for it but i have some fake plants floating upside down in it to give a littlle shelter i am trying to find a bulb for it so i can bring the temp up higher then 78 f this tank has no filtration/air pump/heater in plans of using this as my "hospital tank"

this is a pic of the supposed dropsy infectee.... this pic sucks i know but u can make out his scales along the top of his head and alittle bit on his belly but if u could see u would see he looks like a cheese grater all pokey his scales are raised 100% sure of it

her head looks bent. weird!

omega59 said:

her head looks bent. weird!

Click to expand...

yeah i know actually where it bumps down is where the scales have fallen off of him ....but like i suspected it was dropsy ....because he sadly but surely croaked last night ....after i read once they stopp eating they are pretty much done and i noticed yesturday ...he didnt eat at all ...:'( thanks for all the help but just wasnt soon enough