Most horrible thing i have ever seen!!

[m00nsie]

Hi,

I posted a while back saying that my betta was just lying on the bottom of the tank and only going up for air the other 2 have got raised gills on one side a small pink buldges.

It hasnt eaten for a good 2 or 3 weeks now but its still alive, about 10 mins ago my boyfriend called me and said that it was bulgy, i went to look and i was horrified (really) it has blown up like a balloon i cant bare to look at it as it is scarey!! i have 2 females and a male the male is the one that has blown up, but i have also noticed one of the females starting to look bigger. its so horrible . I have 3 peppered corys, an albino cory and 5 penquin tetras in that look ok. I think they are past me helping now. But if anyone has ideas that would be great. Have attached a pic.

 

[SirMinion]

It's called dropsy, and it's not a nice way to go.

I think your poor fishes are beyond helping, the infection is too severe.

So, so sorry.

 

[m00nsie]

What should i do? Do you think my other small fish are infected too?

 

[SirMinion]

Read this.

 

[m00nsie]

Hmmm, do you think that all my fish will die from it?

 

[endparenthesis]

That's one of the reasons I hate dropsy... it just looks awful. Makes me cringe.

Dropsy is swelling that could be caused by any number of things. There's no way of really knowing the cause... so treating it typically isn't very successful.

And since you can't really know the cause, you can't really know if it's contagious either. Usually I don't think it is.

 

[m00nsie]

well as i say its my 3 bettas that all have it but the others seem fine, so hopefully......

 

[Angry_Platy]

Dropsy is what you see when your fish has a bad internal infection etc. They may also get it if they have organ failure....if any of your other fish have it....i.e. puffed up scales, swollen body, scary looking.....it is best to euthanase them as it CANNOT be treated. Once an infection gets to the dropsy stage it is incurable. Dropsy itself isn't contagious but the cause may be.

I watched 2 of my platies die from the same thing (from organ failure due to overfeeding, which is now sorted)...it wasn't until the third one that I realised what it was....I euthanased the fish when it could no longer close its mouth....hardest thing I ever had to do....

 

[Tolak]

I had a couple of platys with dropsy a few months back. Treated with epsom salt in the water, around 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, along with raising the temp to around 82-84 F. Did daily water changes of around 80%, and treated every other day. One made it, the other didn't.

Tolak

 

[Angry_Platy]

Thanks lak, I wish i knew this would work when my fishies were ill....hopefully it will help someone else

 

[m00nsie]

cheers for all ur replys, im not sure of the cause i dont think its over feeding. Im also not sure if its contagious, the one thats the worst didnt have appear to have any symptoms apart from just lying on the bottom and not eating. The other 2 have got raised gills and pinky lumps under the gills so im not sure about that.

 

[m00nsie]

he is dead now

 

[Angry_Platy]

Bye Bye little fishie

you hoomin owner loved you a lot