Bloated Danio

[FishLover4+1]

Hi! I was checking my fish today and I noticed that one of my leopard danios has swollen up quite nastily. Generally there are three that are fatter than the other two, so I've always presumed that those were the females. Anyway, she is much fatter than all the others and seems to have trouble staying horizontal - she keeps tipping upwards. She also seems to have red streaks, like veins, on her belly. I don't have a test kit so I can't tell you the nitrites etc, but my filter did break a few weeks ago. I put in an old filter with one of the cycled sponges in, but it was only designed for 12l tanks (mine is 90l). My new filter arrived but was weirdly shaped inside so I couldn't get the cycled sponges in, so I left the little filter in for a week. She doesn't have any signs of pineconing, so I'm guessing it isn't dropsy. I didn't have any normal peas soI shelled some sugar snap peas (I figured they'd do the same thing) and put a few in. Does anyone know what's wrong with her and what I can do to help? Thanks

 

[the_lock_man]

Without test results, it's very difficult to say, but both method and symptoms point to ammonia poisoning. Leaving the little filter in was the right thing to do, but then you took it out, and all the bacteria with it. You left the tank with a completely uncycled filter.
 
If you still have the old cycled sponges, cut them around to fit in the new filter. Also, immediately, do a massive water change, change as much of the water as you possibly can, making sure to refill with water as closely matched in temperature as you can. Just leave enough water in the tank to allow the fish to swim upright.
 
When you are able to, you need to buy a liquid-drop test kit, and you need to tell us the results of the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate tests. This is an essential piece of equipment, which no fishkeeper should be without. I strongly recommend you don't buy the paper strip tests, as they are notoriously inaccurate, and will not give you a decent picture of what is going on in your tank.

 

[FishLover4+1]

Thanks Lockman! I've done a 60% water change today and I'm going to do a 25% water change every day for a while. I'll try and nag my parents about getting a test kit again but it's unlikely maybe I'll just have to use some of my GCSE money. I stupidly threw away my old filter and its sponges... Maybe I'll try some of those quick-start drops.

 

[the_lock_man]

Feel free to show your parents my post, if you feel it would help to convince them it's necessary.
 
An API test kit is £20 + delivery online - maybe ask for one as a Christmas present?