Could It Be Dropsy

[flippajh]

All,

Have a 180 ltr tank Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40, - 1 Angelfish, 2 platy, 1 swordfish, 3 kribs, 1 ram, 5 neons, 1 BN, 1 dwarf gourami. Variety of real plants, bogwood and various rocks, nothing new added, re-homed various tetras week last Saturday.

Noticed after I moved the tetras that the gourami was really, really bloated, looks like it's pregnant, even though its a male! After reading up thought it might be dropsy, but no pineconing, and eating well.

Removed him to hospital tank, 25 litre, didn't feed him for about 3 days and have been medicating with Interpet No 9. Fed him last Wednesday and he ate fine.

He is still massive and don't really know what to do, he's swimming around and acting normal. So it's been a week and 2 days since I moved him, apart from being really big, everything is ok.

Do you think it's Dropsy, should I just keep treating him and see if anything happens? Is there anything else it could be?

Thanks

 

[IMCL85]

A picture would help and did its eye pop out? pineconing is late stage of dropsy. Usually fish that go pinecone dont have much chance for recovery, euthanasia may apply during late stage.

 

[flippajh]

No pop eye at, and no pineconing, just really, really bloated. Will try and get picture tonight.

 

[m00se]

Similar thing happened to mine not so long ago. He got increasingly bloated over the course of a few weeks, and didn't change his swimming or eating habits. Then he started going increasingly listless and hiding more and more often, and then pineconed on me. DGs are very prone to disease, sadly, I believe because of all the inbreeding.

Try feeding him a pea as it may just be constipation backing him up and bloating his gut. I'm afraid it sounds like dropsy to me If he doesn't get better (or gets worse) in the next few days, or his behaviour changes, I'd consider euthanising him. I had to do mine, and although I felt a bit like a murderer, it was better than drawing it out: dropsy is rarely a treatable condition.

As has been said though, we'll know more with photos. Good luck.

Edit: try and get a picture from top-down if you can. It makes the scale-popping easier to see, if there is any. Helps if you transfer him to a very small bowl or something briefly while you get the shot

 

[flippajh]

Ok, managed to get a few pictures, sorry they're a bit dark and the top view isn't brilliant.

It doesn't look like he's pineconing. He just looks like he's pregnant, but as thats physically impossible, I just don't know. Its been about 10 days like this now, and absolutely no change in himself, but just looks like that. Last feed was on Sunday.

Any ideas?




Thanks

 

[IMCL85]

I dont suggest any feeding now. just let him stay in the quantine tank for a period of a week with out feeding and see if the condition is getting any better, if its condition did not change I think pineconing will follow very shortly. From the 2nd picture it really does looks like ur fish is getting the first stage of dropsy. Good luck.

 

[MBOU]

I would say its internal bacteria rather than dropsy, something the dwarf gouramis are so prone to that people like me just give up selling them!

One drawback to this species is that it seems particularly prone to bacterial infection and Nocardia or Fish TB-like disorders. It would be highly advisable to ensure that any fish you purchase are plump, colourful and feeding well, and completely free of sores or red marks before purchase. Treating the bacterial infections these fish tend to carry is often unsuccessful. Some shops no longer stock this species as some suppliers in the Far East seem unable to provide disease-resistant fish. If you're able to find decent stock, they should be very easy to keep once you have them established in your aquarium. [Ed's note: Recent research, published in 2006, has shown that up to 22% of Dwarf gouramies exported from Singapore carry an Dwarf gourami Iridovirus (DGIV). This harmful disease is likely to be the cause of losses.

 

[flippajh]

I bought two of them about 4 months ago now, and the first one died within a month.

This one has been fine, it was just i noticed a couple of weeks ago, he suddenly looked really bloated. That's when I quarantined him. The interpet No 9 is an internal bacteria med, so shall I still keep treating him with it?

Do you think there is any chance of him coming through this? I just feel bad if I'm prolonging his suffering.

I suppose it's just keeping an eye on him and if he starts to pinecone, then put him out of his pain.

Not looking forward to doing that to a lively fish, the only fish I've had to do it to have been on their absolute last legs (or fins!)

Thanks for all the help.

Philippa

 

[BettaChick14]

Yes it really does sound like dropsy...
If his scales start sticking out, I'm sorry to say there isn't a lot of hope.
You could try quarrintining him and NOT feeding him. Then feed him one boiled, deshelled, pea.
If any changes in his behaviour like sitting on the bottom or hiding, then things are not going well for the fish.
Good Luck.

 

[flippajh]

Fed him a de-shelled pea last night, to see if that would help, still no sticking out scales or bulging eyes, just swimming about as normal, did a water change as the bottom of the tank needed vaccing.

Went in this morning to see how he is, and he's built quite a large bubble nest! He's now been in this quarantine tank for two weeks and not got any worse, I'm still medicating with Interpet No 9. But he's still pretty huge. So will keep an eye on him and see how things develop.

Thanks

Philippa