i noticed a few days ago that 1 of my flame tetras has a large belly i moved them from my 10 gal to my 40 gal today and noticed another 1 or 2 looked quite big aswell i thought might of been expecting but now dont think so

read up on that dropsy seems like it is that but not showing any other signs of it ie protruding scales and the like, fish seems happy is eating and all that

how long does it take for scales to start protruding to able to identify if it is dropsy what meds can i use for it and have i left it to long already?

sorry no water stats at the mo shall do in a bit as have been swapping tanks round today just a thought if it is dropsy and i have switched tanks will it still be in the 10 gal and will the water need treating did about a 50 % water change on that 1 yesterday


any advice appreciated
cheers howard

10 gal
ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite 10
ph 7.6
high ph 8.0

40 gal
ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite 20
ph 7.6
high ph 8.0

This post has been edited by spitfire: Apr 19 2006, 08:35 PM

Could be constipation as well, what do you feed the fish, what does it look like when the fish goes to the toilet, try some shelled peas to flush the fish through first.
Also frozen daphnia is good helps the fish digest it food.

thanks for the reply they were just on flakes for a while have just introduced frozen bloodworm into there diets last week and also nutafin max complete micro granules

Yep there diet has to much protein in it which can lead to cosntipation and swim bladder problems.

Need more frozen food variety, and veg in there diet, try the peas, frozen peas boiled for a few minutes, let cool down,pop out of shell, squeeze between fingers and add to the tank.

ok cheers for that wilder will start on that first thing in the morning any other suggestions on diet other than the daphnia?

I would try and feed them tonight if you can.

Frozen foods.
Brimestrimp
daphnia
tubilex worm
micro worms
there is also a pack of frozen foods with 5 different foods in it try and get that.

Veg.
Peas
grated carrot
lettuce
cucumba
spinach
sproats
cabbage
even fruits

Algae tablets or flakes most fish will eat them as well.

This post has been edited by Wilder: Apr 19 2006, 08:46 PM

thanks alot for that not had chance to get to lfs today but have given them peas today also drop a cucumber in once a week anyway for my plec but will get some of those you mentioned once again thanks

All my flame tetras are quite fat little things and I do try to mix their diet (mainly bloodworm, flake daphnia with the occasional sweetcorn, peas, cucumber)

thanks for that marcus got to lfs today and picked up some daphnia and micro worm so starting them on that today

Good luck.

yeah my tetra was really fat, i dont know what kind it was but i thought it was pregnant.
but it died, so i must of obiosbly feed him to much