Something Weird..

[jazz298]

My friends mother had a fish tank not too long ago, and one of her platys scales were almost poofy like. Like they were full of air almost, his entire body looked spikey, and inflated.
It was the most bizarre thing i've ever seen, the fish is now dead. I am assuming it was a disease of some sort.
Does anyone know anything about this, or have had experience with anything like this. Ive searched the internet and have found nothing even close, I find it hard to describe.. but I would like to find out what it was just because.

 

[WILDER]

Dropsy. R.I.P.
http/www.fishjunkies.com/Diseases/dropsy.php

 

[theotheragentm]

Yes, Dropsy is most likely what you were seeing. It's not the actual cause of what is going on but a description of the symptoms. There's not a solid way to treat it as the causes are variable. Keeping things clean for fish is the best thing you can do to prevent Dropsy with regular water changes.

 

[jazz298]

Yeah, that's what it was, the pictures look the same.. Blew my mind when I saw it though


Is it contagious to the other fish??

 

[theotheragentm]

As the cause can vary, yes it can be contagious.

 

[afishdude]

i want to know also, how do you treat it?

 

[jazz298]

How contagious?
If one fish had it does that mean all of the fish in the tank have it also. I am asking because the person this fish belonged to gave me the tank, and her other fish, and I would like to put them, plus my fish all in the same tank. They do not appear to have this..and it has been a few weeks since this other fish died, am i safe to put them together?

 

[theotheragentm]

The problem is that the cause is not always the same. Once you see the scales standing out, it is likely that it is too late to do much. As it may be bacterial, there are external medications available as well as foods with medicines in them for internal parasites.

 

[jazz298]

The fish that had dropsy is already dead, he wasn't mine.
My question was..can I put the fish that were in the same tank with this dropsy fish into my OWN tank. It has been 2-3 weeks since this fish died and the other fish look fine, they were given to me but I just do not want my own fish to get affected.
Is it safe to add them to my tank?

 

[starrynightxxi]

well, you asked is how contagious it is, and the answer is, it's hard to say. it depends what caused the dropsy. It could have been viral, bacterial, a parasite, constipation, bad water quality...

The best advice we can give you is to tell you to set up the tank and its fish for about two weeks to quarantine them. If you don't seem any signs of disease by then, you should be safe to put everybody together.

 

[jazz298]

they've already been on their own for 2 weeks in the previous tank, and i cant set up another tank i dont have anywhere to put it right now, i already have 3 running. I will like take the chance and put them in my tank

 

[theotheragentm]

I would try feeding food with medicines for internal bacteria if you can do that as well for all your fish. It's just a precaution.