What Do I Do? It's the Dreaded Dropsy!

[DBradar3]

My new tank has recently finished its cycle told by its great ratings and slight tea color (I have live plants). All of my fish are happy, including my black molly who has had his top fin full and up for almost a week now!

However, even with his newfound happiness, all of a sudden, he is deathly sick. His fin is still up, he eats, and he spends time with his female companion, but he has symptoms of dropsy.

TANK PARAMETERS:
-The ill fish is a male black lyretail molly.
-Companion fish are a female platinum lyretail molly and a cory julii catfish. All fish are approximately an inch long.
-Tank is a nearly a month old, 5.5 gallons, using an Aqueon 10 filter and biostone.
-Water ratings: nitrate 0-20; nitrite 0.5-1; chlorine 0; alkalinity 120-180; ph 7.8-8.4; temperature 76.
-Water changed twice per week at 40-50%.
-No gravel vacuum performed yet.
-Fed four times a day with tropical flakes, plus single large pellet (type alternated between algae and bottom feeder). -Barely any food in the gravel.-
-Nothing new added to tank.

I just noticed yesterday that the male molly is not only bloated but his scales are erect, giving him the typical pinecone look. His eyes just started bulbing today.
I have separated him and put him into a hospital tank with aquarium salt and a de-skinned pea.
The truly upsetting thing is the Maracyn 2 is not available anywhere except online, so I won't be receiving his medicine for at least two days if not seven.

Is there anything else I can do to increase his chances? I know the odds say he won't make it, but I can't give up on him.

 

[coralbandit]

A 5.5g is too small for a molly ,more or less 2.
They are large waste creators as is..add on feeding 4 times a day
Dropsy is a symptom (not disease it self) often being bacterial in nature, and too late to treat by the time you recognize.
Your tank does not look cycled?
You have a nitrite reading??
Your parameters should b be 0/0/10-40....
You don't even mention ammonia(using dip sticks?) and your stocking leads me to question your research.
Better look up fish in cycling,and prepare for trouble with the male at least...

 

[Caliban07]

In the meantime hopefully whilst taking heed of corals useful advice, a salt dip would be a better bet at helping with dropsy. For dosing advice use google.

The Molly is struggling to regulate water uptake/removal because the organs that are used to carry out this function have been compromised. There are many reasons this can happen but it's usually always a result of poor water quality.

Adding the fish to a salt bath for no more than 15 minutes will aid in the removal of water due to the phenomenon known as osmosis. Water will pass out if the fish in order to try and equalise the higher solute concentration exterior to the fish.

Even if this works it may only work for a short while and in most cases the fish is likely in trouble long term. Give the fish a chance and then consider euthanising if need be.


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[Sk3lly]

Nitrites in water indicated uncycled/poor water conditions, certainly not 'great' parameters. This has already been talked about so i will leave it at this...

As for dropsy, its a bacterial infection that can cause issues to internal organs such as kidneys and liver. As already stated its pretty much too late to treat once the pinecone effect has set in. Too much internal fluid causing all sorts of damage.

In this case i would suspect bad water conditions has brought this on. I recently lost a betta to dropsy. I researched that feeding bloodworms can cause this due to the parasites they carry. Im sure this was the reason in my case.

Anyway i tried the salt dip, hospital tank but the fish succumbed and passed.

Good luck


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[DBradar3]

A Little Elaboration Please

I know the tank is too small, but unfortunately I was misinformed at the store when I started. I only wanted basic freshwater fish, but I was given mollies and told the 1"-1gl crap. I can't afford to buy a bigger tank right now. So I'm struggling doing the best I can trying to keep my fish alive and happy.
I read feeding a little bit and often was good, but apparently your facepalm says otherwise and you have not said what proper feeding is.
"Your tank does not look cycled?" Is that a question?
"You a nitrite reading??" Didn't I state my nitrite reading?
I'm supposed to have a 0/0/10-40? In what?
I keep getting mixed messages with strips being great and being horrible... What is up with that?

Keep in mind there's a bunch of misinformation out there, and that's why I'm here.

 

[rachelives]

I am a newbie as well, but I can clear up a little bit for you! "0/0/10-40" means Ammonia/Nitrites/Nitrates. Your ammonia and Nitrites should always be zero, because they are toxic for fish. Nitrates should be kept low, through water changes. If you haven't, you should study the Nitrogen Cycle online Also, I personally use the API Masterkit to test my water, which is a liquid kit, and comes recommended by many people that I trust.
I'm not sure that I should be trusted when talking about feeding, but I have heard that fish should be fed at the most once a day, and every other day is just fine. If you feed more than that, the uneaten food will rot at the bottom of your tank and create more ammonia that will stress your fish.
Please, anyone correct me if I have given any misinformation!
Good luck with your tank

 

[Sk3lly]

I am a newbie as well, but I can clear up a little bit for you! "0/0/10-40" means Ammonia/Nitrites/Nitrates. Your ammonia and Nitrites should always be zero, because they are toxic for fish. Nitrates should be kept low, through water changes. If you haven't, you should study the Nitrogen Cycle online Also, I personally use the API Masterkit to test my water, which is a liquid kit, and comes recommended by many people that I trust.
I'm not sure that I should be trusted when talking about feeding, but I have heard that fish should be fed at the most once a day, and every other day is just fine. If you feed more than that, the uneaten food will rot at the bottom of your tank and create more ammonia that will stress your fish.
Please, anyone correct me if I have given any misinformation!
Good luck with your tank

Info is very solid!

Only thing i will add on feeding. A good method is to put a tiny amount into the tank and wait until the fish eats it all. Then add a tiny bit more. When the feeding starts to slow up then stop


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