D'ya Reckon Its Dropsy (help)

[Davy]

Seem to have lost scales, one (picture two)is sitting on the bottom of the tank and looks like he could be pine coneing, water parameters are all good and I have treated tank with interpet number 9.

Anyone any ideas or thoughts??

 

[black angel]

Need a shot of the dropsied fish from above.
Losing scales can be anything from mechanical damage to disease. Do you have a sucking fish such as a plec or any ornaments that are sharp edged?
Are they scratching off the gravel at all?

 

[Davy]

Need a shot of the dropsied fish from above.
Losing scales can be anything from mechanical damage to disease. Do you have a sucking fish such as a plec or any ornaments that are sharp edged?
Are they scratching off the gravel at all?

No gravel scratching infact they all seem quite merry. No ornaments in the tank only bogwood. Have an adult ancistrus (sp) and a couple of hong kongers, but have never seen the "sucker" near the other fish unless its in the dead of night.

Picture two is the one Im most worried about. Dont know if you remember but I was looking help on him a while back as he had serious swim bladder problems, always has had, I have him about 2 years. His belly is quite black (dont know if this could be a tumor) and he was just sitting on the bottom of the tank yesterday, I have isolated him and treated him and the main tank (interpet number 9) it was the best available to me while the shops are closed.

I know what you want from the overhead shots but there is no abdo swelling or coneing on the other fish just loss of scales.

I lost a red cap on christmas day to dropsy last year and the oranda is showing exactly the same symptoms.

On a side note I rescued a common goldfish, some sixth formers at the local school thought it would be hillarious to put some fish in the staff room drinking machine and my young brother in law saw this and took it out and phoned me. Im housing it till I can find somewhere else. Couldnt be him could it??

 

[black angel]

I would say the damage could be from the plec as mine used to go after the goldies. It might be happening at night if they are sleeping on the gravel.
Can you take him out and see if the problem stops? though it can take up to 6 weeks for new scales to form if they ever do.

As for the sick one, yes its best to isolate him. Is the water heated at all and what is the temperature of the tank? Have you seen him eating and pooing and if so is it normal? Add a heater if you havent got one and very slowly raise the temperature to 80f as this will move anything in the gut and get his immune system up.
If it looks like a bruise under the skin then it could be septiceamia so you need to make sure the water is clean and do lots of water changing.
If he pinecones then add epsom salt at 1/8th of a teaspoon per gallon and keep the temperature raised.

 

[Davy]

I would say the damage could be from the plec as mine used to go after the goldies. It might be happening at night if they are sleeping on the gravel.
Can you take him out and see if the problem stops? though it can take up to 6 weeks for new scales to form if they ever do.

As for the sick one, yes its best to isolate him. Is the water heated at all and what is the temperature of the tank? Have you seen him eating and pooing and if so is it normal? Add a heater if you havent got one and very slowly raise the temperature to 80f as this will move anything in the gut and get his immune system up.
If it looks like a bruise under the skin then it could be septiceamia so you need to make sure the water is clean and do lots of water changing.
If he pinecones then add epsom salt at 1/8th of a teaspoon per gallon and keep the temperature raised.

All already done, no its normally room temp 18-22' mind you with the hot spurt its been up around 26' lately. Water is always impeccable I really work hard on these bad boys. Will try everything.

Davy