Black Moor... Dropsy?

[Raiven]

Hello fish experts! I have a problem with my black moor... He is nearly a year old. The other day I noticed his left side had what appeared to be an injury/sore...a couple scales missing. The next day, he began to "pine cone."

I currently have him in a hospital tank with Epsom salt bath. He remains very active and has the normal goldfish ferocious appetite. Basically, he seems normal other than the pine cone raised scales.. and occasionally, I'll see a white spot on his left side where the original "injury" started. It's like a white bump, but falls off, and will appear again near another scale. (I don't think it is a parasite? I think it's more of a tissue issue? Not sure..)

Any advice on what I should do to help him or what this is? Is it for sure dropsy?? He is not lethargic or listless. Again, he is currently in Epsom salt bath and I do have Metro Meds fish food on the way (I wish the meds would get here sooner...) Any advice would be wonderful. I do not want to lose this guy!

I'll try to post a picture of him in a bit.

 

[Raiven]

Here are a couple of photos. It's hard to get a good picture of him, as he is moving around quite a bit. The white spot is not permanent... The white spot seems to appear just before or after a scale falls off. Any ideas?

 

[jlk]

Welcome to AA!!

How are the parameters in the qt? How much Epsom did you add? Can tell us anything about the tank he came from (size, stock, parameters, water change schedule, have flukes been addressed)?

Adding the Epsom was a good first step. Metromeds is the best means for treatment if you are not able to get veterinary help. He is quite severely dropsied at this point but the fact he is still active and eating is a positive sign.

 

[Raiven]

Thanks for your reply. I am doing 50% water change in the hospital tank daily, as I know goldies are dirty and he's used to a much larger tank. Also, the Epsom salt bath I have him in is 2 teaspoons per 10 gallon, replacing what I change out each day. I have seen many recipes for the salt bath, one being 1/4 of a teaspoon/ 10gal, but this seemed low to me? And this seems to keeping him at least alive and relatively happy, considering, at the moment.

He's usually in a 75 gallon with only one other tank mate -- a white veiltail goldie who is 3 years old. He is happy and healthy. No signs of raised scales, no weird white bumps. The veiltail actually seems to bully the Black Moor when I feed them. He tries to push him out of the way with his nose. I usually feed at both ends of the tank to try to combat this. I change the water about once every 2 weeks, around 50%. The tank has an Eheim canister filter. The tank has been up and running for 3+ years. I changed 50% after I took my Black Moor out, just in case. (Veiltail is living like a king in the 75 all alone!)

I first considered maybe it was flukes, but the white bump that appears really looks nothing like the pictures that I see of flukes. It doesn't move, is rounded, and quite hard looking. The white spot in the picture is gone now, and there is a smaller one in a different spot, still on that left side where the scales are the worst. It really does almost look like a lump of hard tissue. I considered using Melafix to help the sore spots where the white bump appears, but I haven't yet, as I didn't want to add anything unnecessary to the water. Should I maybe try the Melafix?

He's still active and hungry today. Every morning when I go check on him first thing, I get nervous about how I'll find him, but other than the raised scales, he seems happy. I hope he hangs in there until the meds arrive.

I am not an expert when it comes to helping a sick fish. I have never experienced anything like this, so I'm kind of grasping at straws and trying to gather as much information as I can and do what I can to try to save him. I appreciate your advice very much.

 

[jlk]

Thanks for the info! Great job keeping these guys in a 75g! My only concern would be the water changes- I would increase these to weekly, especially if you are not testing the water parameters (numbers would be very helpful to see anything is of a concern).

Ok, your moor. I can not see what exactly the white spots are and I am not 100% positive on what they maybe beyond symptoms of a systemic infection. Flukes are not visible to the naked eye and long term exposure to them will result in problems such as systemic infections, dropsy being a classic symptom of this. Almost any goldfish from a commercial source has likely been exposed to flukes so addressing this early is important (my reason for asking about flukes).

I would use caution on the Epsom salt dose in a 10g. Short term, this may be ok but long term (beyond 7 days) this amount of Epsom can cause other health issues in goldfish such as anemia. This is why you are seeing the recommended dose as a tank treatment limited to 1/4tsp. Separate baths are generally a better option.

Melafix will not help in this situation and I suggest not using it as it may only create further issues. Water changes and the MM (once you have them). If your not going to have the MMs for a couple of days yet, you can try API's General Cure as either a tank treatment or soaking food in this as it contains both metro and prazi.

The most successful history of dropsy treatment in goldfish is Baytril injections, however, you would need to seek veterinary aid with this. I sincerely wish you luck in trying to battle this and please ask if we can be of any further help!

 

[Raiven]

I just tested my 75 gallon with the API liquid kit and the results are:

pH 8.0 (we have hard water)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10

My fish is looking slightly better, slightly less swollen. And yeah, unfortunately there isn't a vet that sees fish around here, so the MetroMed will have to be the best I can do.

 

[jlk]

Thanks! Your water is fine and high ph, hard water is actually the best for goldies so no worries about this. Please ask if we can be of further help!

 

[Raiven]

Just wanted to update -- My Black Moor has made a recovery. I lowered the Epsom salt concentration in the hospital tank to 1/4 teaspoon after his swelling went down. I have been feeding him Metro-Meds since I received them in the mail. His two week treatment will be over tomorrow. I am SO HAPPY that he didn't die. He is looking great! I will try to get a photo of him when I get him back into his 75 gallon.

I don't know if the dropsy will recur, but I am happy to say that he survived this!

 

[jlk]

That's wonderful news!!!