Pregnant or Dropsy?

[FeldmansFish]

Not sure what's wrong with this tiger barb. I fed some flakes a day or two ago but I have no idea why he/she is so fat considering the rest of my barbs are no where near this large. If its not pregnant, how could this be treated?

 

[Darkseid76]

Looks like dropsy.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

See how the scales are pineconing? It looks like dropsy. You can try antibiotics, salt baths and Epsom salt baths to reduce the swelling but the prognosis is usually not good.

 

[FeldmansFish]

How do I do a salt bath and are there any particular antibiotics you recommend?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

How do I do a salt bath and are there any particular antibiotics you recommend?

For a salt dip place 4 teaspoons of salt in a bucket. Add 1 gallon of water from the tank. Make sure its all dissolved. Net the fish and add to bucket. Leave for them for 30 minutes. Net and add back to the tank. During the dip make sure to check the fish regularly. Watch for signs of distress. If the fish is distressed discontinue the dip.

For an Epsom salt bath.

Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is a laxitive. It will help constipated, bloated fish pass feces (poop). You use 1 or 2 teaspoons for each 10 gallons of tank water. Disolve the epsom salt in a cup of water and pour into tank. It should work in 2 to 4 hours. You can redose after 4 hours, but if it hasn't worked in 24 hours, it probably won't work at all.

Various organisms (nonspecific), poor water quality.
Physical Signs: Bloated appearence with scales that stick out like a pine cone. Best viewed from above. Dropsy is not really a specific pathologic entity, it is to describe a general condition of fluid accumulation in the internal body cavity, which has many causes. Dropsy usually signals internal infection and multiple organ failure. It can be compared to ascites in humans in end stage kidney failure.
Behavioral Signs: Lethargy, lack of appetite, grave constitutional signs.
Potential Treatment: Unfortunately, dropsy is *usually* incurable and fatal; however, in rare cases, spontaneous recovery may occur. A strong antibiotic such as kanamycin sulfate can be tried, but because it is an internal infection, usually it does little good.
Other Notes: Take measures to improve water quality immediately. Fortunately, it is not highly contagious.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/fish_palace/tropicalfish_disease_identification.html#ERM