Dropsy?

[Marinemammalover]

Tank size: twenty gallon

Species in tank: 5x zebra danio and 2x honey gourami

Cycled: yes since November

Parameters: all good (within range)

Most recent water change: Wednesday jan, 30

Been treating for: at first ich (heat and salt treatment) then parasites (ich treatment wasn't working

Fish in distress: zebra danio
Appearance: pineconed and heavily breathing at surface
Appetite: won't eat
Status: still in the tank, I plan on taking him out later today because I noticed it late last night and later today is the earliest I can do it

Appearance of other fish: everyone is ok, another fish has been hanging out near the top with this unpineconed

Question: what should I do? Euthanize and do a emergency cleaning? Salt bath?

 

[Hholly]

Once they're pine coned, you might as well euthanize. Sorry.

 

[Fishanatic]

Once they're pine coned, you might as well euthanize. Sorry.

Antibiotics won't work?

 

[Hholly]

Probably not this late in the game.
http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/termsandtables/p/Dropsy.htm

 

[jlk]

Antibiotics won't work?

Rarely. Assuming its caused by an internal infection and not a parasite issue, a viral issue, organ damage, water quality issues or a host/combo of a multitude of possibilities, antibiotics can be tried but they need to be given internally via food or injections. Few antibiotics are skin absorbed. A dropsied fish rarely has an appetite and few aquarists have access to injectable antibiotics or even know how to give them. A vet would be necessary.

 

[Marinemammalover]

Ok so that fish just died sadly outside of the tank ( separated him first) but two other fish are showing signs of dropsy hanging out near the top , one has a curved spine, and breathing heavily. I will separate them and do a water change is there anything I can do? I only have a bucket no hospital tank...... I might be able to get one tommorow but still..... Should they just be euthanized or do they still have a chance? They haven't pineconed yet......

 

[Marinemammalover]

Here is the one with the slightly bent spine.... No bloating that I can see.... Once I separate them is there anything else I can do?

 

[jlk]

To have other fish coming down with similar symptoms is very suspect, especially if one has a bent spine (this is concerning). Its likely either bacterial or viral in nature but you would need a lab for a positive id. If you have access to antibiotics, your welcome to give this a try but I am not sure what you have access to for suggestions.

 

[Marinemammalover]

I have an all in one treatment that I can try (treatment for parasites, viruses, antibacterial, etc.)
I should defintely purchase a quarantine tank right? They are currently in a three gallon bucket together with an air stone and a heater.

 

[jlk]

These are not big fish. As long as you maintain the water quality in their bucket, they should be fine. If your really concerned, purchase a 5g bucket or buy a 10g plastic storage bin to use as a qt- they usually only cost a couple of dollars at any big retailer. Good luck!

 

[Marinemammalover]

Update: I currently have two zebra danios in a bucket with a heater and an air stone. One is seemingly doing fine but I don't think that the other one will make it. Its hard to tell if he is pineconed or not but I think that he is. I am treating them with melafix (API antibacterial) which I hope will work. I haven't been feeding the fish in the bucket because I don't think that they had a big appetite when I tried to feed them in the tank. Also there is this one fish in the tank that I am concerned about (a danio) who stays at this one spot at the bottom and only comes out to eat or if I go near the glass. Should I be worried? And should I feed the fish in the bucket?

 

[Marinemammalover]

Also will melafix help. I looked for marcyn-two but couldn't find any so went with melafix. I also have some aquarium salt would that help?

 

[stepho725]

Omg! Not fair! My Opaline Gourami has dropsy. Just saw something slimyish coming off of her which I read was her scales. I'm heart broken. I don't understand why this is happening??
My parameters are all good! Not fair!
She is my favorite little puppy dog fish!
Added some Epsom salt as I read it might help to reduce the swelling but that dropsy is impossible to treat.
This sucks!!!

 

[Marinemammalover]

I've been adding melafix for almost a week Now and one of the fish seems ok...... He is eating and and swimming around and not pineconed. However, I did notice him lying at the bottom, but he came right over when I walked over. Should I take him out and put him back in the main tank? The other fish has been lkying at the bottom not eating and pineconed. He seemed to be improving in the middle of the week but now he isn't so much. Any advice would be great!

 

[Marinemammalover]

I've been adding melafix for almost a week Now and one of the fish seems ok...... He is eating and and swimming around and not pineconed. However, I did notice him lying at the bottom, but he came right over when I walked over. Should I take him out and put him back in the main tank? The other fish has been lying at the bottom not eating and pineconed. He seemed to be improving in the middle of the week but now he isn't so much. Any advice would be great!

 

[stepho725]

Oddly my fish seems 100% now. Maybe I was just seeing things...?

 

[jlk]

I've been adding melafix for almost a week Now and one of the fish seems ok...... He is eating and and swimming around and not pineconed. However, I did notice him lying at the bottom, but he came right over when I walked over. Should I take him out and put him back in the main tank? The other fish has been lying at the bottom not eating and pineconed. He seemed to be improving in the middle of the week but now he isn't so much. Any advice would be great!

I honestly would give him a bit longer in qt and see how he does over the next week. If he steadily improves, you can move him back to the main tank.

 

[Marinemammalover]

So sadly one of my fish died yesterday and I didn't noti ce it until late last night. I fished him out and decied to do a 100% water change on the bucket because I figured the ammonia would be through the roof. I removed the live fish and put him in a plastic bag with an airsrone. I went and did my water change and added the anti-bacterial to the water (melafix), I then acclimated the fish and put him back in the bucket. OK works up this morning and he has fungus!!!!! Probably from all the handling last night. I plan on using tetra lifeguard which is an all in one antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral medication. The question is can I use it even though there is already anti-bacterial in the bucket? Or should I go out and buy a just anti-fungal???? Please help!!!!

 

[Marinemammalover]

Anyone?!?!?!?

 

[marsh]

Go ahead. It is what I would do honestly. No guarantees but in this case I would act now with the multi-pronged attack