Uh-Oh, I think we have a case of the dropsies! What to do?

Andyandsue

So one of my favorite golden white clouds is now in my hospital tank, and it looks like she/he is just laying waiting to die. This will be my first fatality.

Although I've never experienced it before, I think it's a case of dropsy, HUGE belly (although I can't see any pinceconing), loss of color, loss of appetite, breathing rapidly sitting on the bottom.

I've added some melafix and salt to the hospital tank, and did a 10% water change just for good measure and added some melafix in my main tank. My parameters are perfect. amm=0 nitri=0 nitra<10

Any suggestions for either my sick fish or my main tank? All other fish look ok for now.

Falina

If it is dropsy then that's a tricky one because it's difficult to cure - in fact I haven't heard any cases of it being cured unfortunately.

My only suggestion, and it's not really a suggestions, is that you were right to quarantine the fish. Dropsy can't be caufght simply by being in the same tank however if the fish were to die and the thers nibbled on it they could catch it that way.

Hopefully your fish will be alright. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Andyandsue

Thanks Julie, but I don't think it looks good. It's still just sitting on the bottom breathing rapidly. Once in a while he will try to swim around, but then just goes right back to the bottom, wedging himself between the tank wall and under gravel filter.

I'm sad. :( This was one of my first, the tank was cycled with him and three others so I hate to lose him.

lioness501

so sorry to hear that. i know how it feels :(:(:( ive had quite a few fish have symptoms of dropsy, they dont tend to lose colour but go very very dark in colour??? i had a Bolivian Ram that died that way it went very dark grey

Andyandsue

Interesting (and sad), this fish is also going grey, just a light grey. It still has the beautiful color on the tips of it's fins, which is so damn sad. He's now got a pine cone appearance, so I'm sure it's dropsy and I may (read: I make my husband) go the euthanasia route tonight.

Can anyone give any insight as to why this happened and what I can do to prevent it? I started keeping fish in December and have gained so much knowledge, but this is my first loss so I'm pretty sad. My tank gets water changes weekly with a vacuuming, the parameters are always perfect, and the water is crystal clear. All other fish look fine as of now. Can dropsy become an epidemic in my tank?

Lupin

Dropsy is related to several causes. Internal organ damage, bad food quality, bad water quality, internal parasites, etc. There is no way to prevent this from coming, however, any afflicted fish should be removed immediately. There is no telling what exactly caused dropsy. An afflicted fish cannibalized by other tankmates is liable to transmit it to the ones who ate its corpse depending on the causes.

Andyandsue

This is all pretty much what I thought. No way to really prevent it as long as the tank is being maintained properly (which mine is). I removed him right away into my hospital tank, which ironically I just got set up the other day. Apparently just in time.

Sadly, my fish died. I actually saw it die which was even worse... It wedged itself into the corner as it's been doing, then it started to go upside down which it hadn't been doing, one quick flash of his body and he was gone. Oh well. I really did everything I could.

Should I be watching the others more closely for signs of dropsy now? Ugh-now I'm worried about any fish who has a full belly!

Lupin

Yes. I must admit I suffered heavy losses last year from dropsy alone. It happens rarely now and hopefully never will.;)

Andyandsue

Damn. This is going to be an issue, I just know it. My water is perfect and tank maintenance is never neglected so I have no idea how this happened... *sigh*

What do you consider "heavy losses" and did you ever figure out what the cause was?

Lupin

Ah, I lost mostly the characins. Knowing them, they are quite vulnerable to various diseases and even water conditions. All I can figure out is that most fish disappeared mysteriously and in the following days, I caught some fish getting lethargic with bloated abdomens. In this case, I can assume the dropsy managed to spread and this called for elimination of all fish with pine cone and bloated abdomen symptoms. This happened last year and has been my worst experience in several years of fishkeeping. Oh well..We live and learn.