dwarf gourami possibly showing dropsy - what should I do?

[hbeth82]

One of my flame dwarf gourami has a slightly swollen abdomen (or whatever that area is around their pectoral fins), not bad but certainly larger there than my other gourami. No pine-coning yet. He's still eating okay and when I've noticed, not producing that stringy-white poo. Water parameters seem fine (0 ammonia & nitrite, nitrate = 10, water temp 76). This is the same fish that developed popeye about a week ago, which thankfully cleared up within a few days. If it is dropsy, I don't know what the underlying cause / disease is. Here are the best pictures I was able to get of him:



I'm considering isolating him and using epsom salts and possibly medication, but wanted other opinions. Wanted to try to treat this before it gets worse or beyond treating, but don't want to stress or harm him necessarily. Does it look like early dropsy or just a little pudge? What should I do?

Thanks!

[joy13]

They epsom salts will help with constipation if that is what is causing the swelling too. He does look swollen but I don't know the reason. I have had some luck with epson salts but it only seemed to clear up the problem not fix it so it had to repeated several times over the life of the fish. I would start by quarintining it and then decide if it was constipation or something else.

[mfdrookie516]

it could just be bloat... have you tried the blanched de-shelled pea yet? alot of people seem to have good luck with that

[hbeth82]

Originally Posted by mfdrookie516

it could just be bloat... have you tried the blanched de-shelled pea yet?

Nope, remembered that earlier and just bought a can on the way home. I thought it was the skin off the pea that was supposed to help, but it's the nasty stuff inside? So should I try this and if the swelling / bloat / dropsy doesn't subside, then isolate?

Also, would it hurt the other residents to add epsom salt to the main tank? Have rams, cories, tetras, and a mess of plants.

Thanks!

[dkpate]

Get some frozen peas and boil those, then peel them and feel them. I have DG's too and the blue one gets the same way after eating cause he hogs all the food, the red one doesn't cause he gets hand fed. I am 99% sure it's not dropsy, he just ate a bunch.

[hbeth82]

I've kept Ozzy (the bloated gourami) in the main tank and have been feeding everybody peas, which surprisingly most of the fish seem to love. Unfortunately, when a bit of pea makes it into Ozzy's mouth, he spits out most of it. He isn't looking any worse but I don't think he's looking much better, still looks swollen around the lateral fins and breathing a bit heavy, but still eating the regular fish food.

Should the peas have helped by now or does it normally take a few days? Think I started feeding them Thursday.

Also, should I keep him in the main tank and trying letting this run its course or try moving him to an isolation tank so he has the peas to himself? Any other recommended treatments?

[hbeth82]

Also just noticed that Ozzy has the mucus-y poo now as well. Really don't want to loose another one of these little guys. Any advice or is this another symptom of constipation?

[dkpate]

Mine had the same thing when I first got them (the poo part) and it eventually went away after they were fed some good food. I would put him by himself, and fast him for a day or so. Mine breathes heavy all the time and he pretty much always looks bloated. I changed to Hikari Micro Pellets so he gets the good stuff while not eating a ton of food, and it takes him a little longer to eat and the other fish have a chance to get some before he eats it all.
So yeah, I would try fasting, letting him poo, and then feed him a little, see if the poo changes before I medicated. I am serious, my DG looks the same way. I think I have some pics of him in my albums, he's the cobalt blue one.
Good luck!