New GBR has Dropsy

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sudz

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Oct 14, 2005
Messages
1,275
Location
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Came home from work, did the fish count of my new German blue rams. Tank has been set up and stable for years (albeit overgrown until about 8 months ago)

Spotted one of the rams with something I haven't seen in over 10 years: Bloat/dropsy.

I don't have a QT tank. I used a pitcher and he swam right in. its currently floating in the tank, hooked on a wall. He's Still behaving normally, breathing is elevated.

Pitcher is about 4 liters, I put in 3 drops of some very old Meth Blue, but know that won't really help dropsy. What can I do? my LFS is closed for the day and I haven't had to medicate my tank in literally a decade. No other fish are showing signs, and hes still eating and swimming normally.

Thanks in advance.
 
Dropsy is usually a bacterial infection .
Some try antibiotics which I believe are not available without perscriptions in Canada.
IMO and from much reading once the dropsy with 'pine coning' is visible the internal damage is too far to be cured.
I would Euth the infected and keep close eye on rest.
 
The few fish that I've had that exhibited "dropsy" refused to eat, and all died. Since your ram is readily eating, maybe the problem is not the bacterial infection normally associated with dropsy but constipation. Might try feeding the ram garlic. I believe sea chem sells a garlic food soaking product, omega one has garlic pellets. Good luck.
 
The few fish that I've had that exhibited "dropsy" refused to eat, and all died. Since your ram is readily eating, maybe the problem is not the bacterial infection normally associated with dropsy but constipation. Might try feeding the ram garlic. I believe sea chem sells a garlic food soaking product, omega one has garlic pellets. Good luck.

He's very pine-cone like, and there is a fair bit of poop when I swap out his water. I don't think its constipation. I caught the dropsy at most 8 hours after it started, as I was admireing them in the morning, and then when I came home from work, I noticed he was a bit bloated (almost with scales raised) and an hour or two later, much more "spiky" when I created this post.

In my past experiences, dropsy has been fatal, but since I started salt treatment so early, I'm hoping he pulls through. :-(

Going to LFS on my way home from work to see what they have to treat it as well. Anything I should look for in particular?
 
It's been many years since I had to deal with dropsy. The idea of treating with salt never occurred to me, but I like that option. It seems the going trend recently is a more natural, non med approach to fish diseases. I always treat with non med methods. Thank goodness I don't have outbreaks very often. If you are convinced the symptom is dropsy, then the ram likely has an intestinal bacterial infection. I would treat with medicated food along with salt. Garlic laced foods seem to be the latest treatment of choice, especially in the Marine side of the hobby. Sea chem appears to be the most popular brand for all things aquatic for AA members. I use omega one and some of the old standbys. Let AA know how things turn out. Dropsy is usually a one way street. If the ram survives, your treatment method might help others.
 
It seems like his swelling has subsided a bit. I went to 3 LFS and all of them didn't have the medication. One had just ran out and it appears that they won't get any back, ever. This leads me to believe its been regulated. The drug I was looking for was: Kanaplex.

So, I'll keep up with the epsom salts, and Methelene blue. Hopefully he pulls through. He's still eating and pooping.
 
He's on the rebound! No more pinecone scales. Forgive my QT tank...it's a juice pitcher hung on the inside of the tank.

Going to continue treatment for 24 more hours then lower salinity. Over a day and reintroduce. Also been doing twice as many water changes on main tank... But I think my tap water is the culprit. It has ammonia in it.


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