Golden Orfe has lost its buoyancy

[mark4785]

One of my golden orfe has completely lost its balance. Its underside is bloated up like a balloon. When I touch this area it feels like theres a lot of pressure inside. There are no raised scales so it is not dropsy.

What should I do in terms of treatment? Although the fish looks like its dying it actually still eats from my hand and is able to swim very awkwardly across the pond. It seems to recognise there's something wrong with itself so it just lays on its side on the pond shelf. I have heard of bacterial causes of swimbladder disease so treated the pond with an anti-bacterial named Myxazin but this has had no effect.

Ammonia and nitrite are 0 ppm, nitrate is 15 ppm and pH is 7.6.

The orfe is about 15 to 16 years old.

Video: https://www.veed.io/view/17a677d2-aeb5-4c0b-8068-493e44c04a88?panel=share

 

[mark4785]

Any ideas on what I am dealing with and the best treatment to give?

 

[Colin_T]

Dropsy doesn't always cause the scales to stick out but is normally seen in fish with it.

Sudden bloating is usually caused by internal organ failure, which can be from a bacterial infection, old age or poor genetics. If the fish is still eating then that is a good sign and usually indicates the organs haven't failed and it doesn't have an internal infection.

You can try an Epsom Salts bath and hope it draws some of the fluid out of the fish's abdomen. You put the fish into a plastic storage container with pond water and Epsom Salts and leave it there for about 20 minutes. Then put the fish back in its pond or hospital tank. I don't know the dose rates but Google might have more info on Epsom Salt baths for fish. You need to repeat the process a few times.

When you lift the fish up, use a bucket and scoop the fish up in some water so it doesn't come out of water. Then put the bucket with fish into the storage container and let it swim out. If you lift the fish out of water with a net, the pressure on its insides could do some major damage to the fish so keep it in water at all times.

 

[mark4785]

Ok great. Do you think a plastic storage container like this would be ok for holding salt water?: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155556819464

I may keep it in the container to observe as it currently keeps hiding underneath dense pond foliage.

 

[Colin_T]

the plastic storage container should be fine to use

 

[mark4785]

The container is still on its way in the post.

This is how the fish looks now: https://www.veed.io/view/6a6d410e-8edb-4f23-a7ac-5969be1cdfc2?panel=share

I think it is dying of dropsy caused by old age. I think there is a haemorrhaging starting to appear on its base. I will still go ahead with salt treatment but I think it is probably going to be futile.

 

[Colin_T]

euthanise it