Dropsy?

[Jaded_Pulse]

Geez, I'm so sick of having to post in this emergency section

Got 4 colombian tetras & 4 black widows in a 15(ish) gal. Diet varied btwn 2 different types of flake (1 normal, 1 with various dried types of worms, daphnia, etc.), frozen bloodworms, & zucchini (though they'd much rather pick at my plants than eat that lol).

Got 1 of each left from original tankmates, long story short - all screwed up, they were the only survivors & have been thru a lot.

All has been going great for a while now, but just noticed this afternoon my original colombain has what seem to be ever-so-slightly raised scales towards the back of him....might be my imagination freaking out but I don't think so. He doesn't seem swollen, & doesn't have the "pinecone effect" happening, but I am freaking out all the same. Everybody else seems fine, this guy's a little grumpy btu ate well this morning.

Do you think he has the start of dropsy?? If yes, what can I do???

Argh help me please!!

Thanks a million,
Michelle.

 

[Joviella]

I would put him in a hospital tank and treat with Interpet 9.....anti internal bacteria. good luck.

 

[CFC]

Location? Before advice can be given it is essential that we know where you live, ie UK, US or somewhere else altogether. The medications available vary greatly from country to country so what one person would advise may not be available to you and valuable time may be lost while you try to seek out a unobtainable medication.

As suggested by Chali if you are in the UK Interpet #9 anti internal bacteria medication is probably the best commercially available treatment for bacteria related ailments with similar symptoms of dropsy, however if it is abdominal dropsy then there is no cure and if the fish does not respond to the treatment by day four after the second dose is administered the fish should be destroyed.

 

[Jaded_Pulse]

Thank you both for your quick replies. I'm in Australia....but I really don't know if there is something wrong or if I'm just being so completely paranoid my imagination's making things up on me! It's nighttime here, so I'll have a proper look in the good light in the morning. Is it usual for just a small section of scales to stand up with dropsy or does it have to be the whole body? ARGH I HATE not knowing!! lol Maybe I'm just crazy. Anyways, thanx heaps for the help.

 

[Angry_Platy]

When my fish had dropsy....it started as what looked like a small area of raised scales....then the next day it was covered....then I lost another 2 fish to dropsy....but thats another story (in my case it was from overfeeding)....

I am also in australia and unlike our british counterparts, we do not have access to the interpret range of products

I hope your fish is OK

 

[Jaded_Pulse]

Thanx for the info, Chooklet - great to know we don't have the medsthat could save my fishy Actually, his condition doesn't seem to have changed this morning, still no pine cone effect, thank goodness, he had quite a good breakfast & nobody else seems to have a problem. Still got a small area of scales on each side that look a bit odd, kinda like they're reflecting a bit too much light at their ends, if you know what I mean (perfectly understandable if you don't)....There are no shops open on Sundays here anyway, but is there anything I can do to help him? Did a small water change yesterday, took out a part of a plant that was looking a bit dead in case it was starting to rot or anything. Fairly sure I'm not overfeeding - maybe a few too many bloodworms yesterday morning (my bad, there were more than there looked )....but overall, they only get a small pinch of flake or a little corner of frozen bloodworms, or have a bit of a nibble on a pellet I throw in once every week or 2. Only feed once a day, & often not even that - skip feeding every 2 days or so (eg. Monday = fast, Tuesday & Wednesday = feed, Thursday = fast), sometimes more, like if I've accidently overfed a little (like I did yesterday) the day before I won't usually feed the next day (though I did a little this morning to make sure he was still eating). But he doesn't look bloated or swollen or anything......How long does it take to fully take hold? Is it contagious or anything?? Argh somebody please tell me what to do Just wanna know for sure that something's wrong, that it's not my imagination.....ok I'll quit my stupid ramblings now. Thanx heaps, everyone.

 

[Jaded_Pulse]

Oh yeah, & I don't have a hospital tank, working on getting one set up, but running very short of cash right now (stupid uni costs).

 

[Angry_Platy]

WITH MY FISH....one day they looked normal the next day they had full on dropsy....pin cone scales...puffy....to the point where they couldn't close their mouths properly from the swelling. My fish got this from being fed bloodworms everyday.....eeeek....(bad me)....they would sit in one spot in the tank...wouldn't eat and wouldn't respond when other fish swam past to "investigate"....

Generally though.....dropsy is a general term for anything which causes the pine cone effect...it can be due to organ failure...internal parasite etc. So depending on what the cause is it may or may not be infectious. If you did have a hospital tank I was going to suggest you treat with aquarium salt....1 tbsp per 5gall....since you don't have another tank, I would add salt to the tank that the fish are in. It won't hurt the other fish and it may help the little guy. I may be wrong on the amount to add but follow the instructions on the packet and you should be fine. You need to use aquarium salt as table salt contains chemicals which may be harmful to fish. If you have catfish DO NOT use salt!!!

It sounds like it may have been an injury...hopefully the salt will help!!

Let me know how it goes....ALSO....if you have a picture of the affected fish this may help!!!

 

[Jaded_Pulse]

The poor guy has been through a heck of a lot, I feel so bad - I never knew anything about cycling, the stupid lfs never told me anything & I didn't know to do research....the lfs told me to do 1 20% waterchange each month so they went their whole first month of cycling without a single waterchange (omg I feel terrible now). They all came through it (screwed if I know how but they did), but he's also been through major pH fluctuations (stupid lfs sold me gravel with shell & coral grit in it), a round of bad ich, over feeding, & also has recently developed some black/dark patches, which I posted about a while ago, but they didn't seem to be hurting him so I wasn't too worried......but now I am, I think maybe he's just been through too much. My original black widow's looking a little......old kinda if you know what I mean, too, so don't know what's up with that. Maybe they just feel old Poor guys....my bday tomorrow, & I know I'm getting a digital camera (coz I paid half lol), so I'll see if I can get a pic then, but it's only a dodgy Telemall Shopping one so it might not work too well. Anyways, I'll keep you posted. Thanx for all the help - night all

 

[Jaded_Pulse]

ARGH!!!!!!!!! His scales haven't really changed, but he's developed some serious swimming issues!! He's having such a hard time staying upright, keeps drifting around on his side & doing flips. OMG I feel so bad I should've known better for the poor guy I'm such an idiot. Anyways, is there anything I can do.....or would it be best for him if I euthanised him...? I really don't wanna do that, he's my special lil guy Help me please someone....Thanx heaps for all the advice & info so far

michelle

 

[Jaded_Pulse]

Anyone??? Please..........

 

[tstenback]

It doesnt sound good for your fish. Dropsy is a conditon that is the result of another disease usually and internal disorder of some kind. It is usually incurable and often kidney and swim bladder problems occur. Im sorry but unless there is a miracle, and i hope there is, your columbian tetra wont be with us much longer. You can either euthanize or wait until he passes on. If you wait, ensure you remove him as soon as possible so the other fish do not go at him and catch whatever caused this. You could isolate him in a breeding trap if you want to leave him for now. This is the lousy part of fish keeping .
Good Luck

 

[Jaded_Pulse]

Thanx so much for your reply......he's really not looking good, I don't think he'll be with us in the morning (it's night here) I don't know if it is dropsy or not, I mean his scales look a little funny at the back, but there's definitely no pinecone effect, & I don't even think there's much (if any) swelling.......it's just his swimming......& his black spots are still there that I posted about a while ago, but they didn't seem to be affecting him.......Argh I don't know what to do with him, I can't bring myself to put him down stupid me........Thanx a million for all your help anyway.

 

[Jaded_Pulse]

He died early hours of this morning, the poor guy....still don't know what happened, scales still hadn't changed any more or anything. Also found my oldest black widow (also been with me from the start) dead this morning - he was there & fine last night, so I don't know what on earth happened but they were my 2 favourites....been crying half the morning lol Anyways, any ideas what they could have died of & if it's contagious? These are all guys left that I got only a month or so ago - all seem fine, but should I watch out for anything in particular?

Thanx so much for all your help, everyone. Michelle.

 

[Angry_Platy]

I am sad just reading this....there was probably nothing you could have done....

bye bye little fishie up to the big pond in the sky to a place where there is no pain and you are swimming with your friend