Dropsy Treatment, Help! Urgent!

[Hawkins]

I am sure my Cherry Barb has dropsy. It is swollen, and the scales are sticking out. I just checked her now and she has red scales, or looks as though the scales are missing!

I need help, quickly!

I know epsom salt is good, but what about normal salt?
or is there anything else that will help?

I read that if you turn the temp up by a few degrees it can help, so I did ..

I am sure it is dropsy, but she is still very happy and active.

I just need a treatment for her!

thanks

 

[Colin_T]

if it is dropsy and the scales are sticking out you are better off putting the fish down. If the fish dies in the tank and others eat part of it they risk becoming infected with the same bacteria that caused the dropsy.

If you have a quarantine tank you can put it into that.

 

[Hawkins]

if it is dropsy and the scales are sticking out you are better off putting the fish down. If the fish dies in the tank and others eat part of it they risk becoming infected with the same bacteria that caused the dropsy.

If you have a quarantine tank you can put it into that.

But it looks very happy and is active. I had 6 fish but 5 died and this is the last remaining, its my first tank and ive had it for almost 2 weeks. the last one to die was last Wednesday so I don't think it has caught anything off them.

I read that it can be due to bad water quality, which I think might be the case because I have not done any water changes because i assumed the one fish would not produce enough waste to need changing, and I do not have a water testing kit so i cannot be sure.

I am going to my LFS in a hours time, so I will be getting a testing kit, and asking for advice off them. also i want to introduce new fish today because its been a week since the last death so any bad bacteria should have gone, and because the fish seems lonely on its own. maybe the dropsy is because of stress because of loneliness AND the bad water quality.

 

[Colin_T]

Dropsy is caused by fluid build up inside the fish's body cavity. It can be caused by bacteria destroying internal organs, or organ damage/failure brought about by rough handling or chemical poisoning. The most common cause is an internal bacterial infection.

If the tank has only been set up for 2 weeks then it is probably cycling, (developing beneficial filter bacteria that will break down fish food and waste in the water). If the tank is in the middle of cycling it will have an ammonia and nitrite reading. You should not add any fish if this is the case. Ammonia and nitrite will cause problems to fish and can kill them.
It takes about 4 weeks to fully cycle a tank.

It is preferred not to add any new fish to a tank if you have lost fish within a couple of weeks. Also if you have sick fish don't add any more until everyone in the tank is healthy and has been healthy for at least 2 weeks.

 

[Sambo]

I had dropsy in my old tank. Once the scales start sticking out and the fish looks bloated I believe that there is no effective treatment for this stage. Sorry dude.

 

[Hawkins]

It's recovered now! It's not fat and the red streaks are going.

I bought a testing kit and the only problem was the 0.5ppm nitrate, but its going down now.


thanks for all the help

 

[WILDER]

I wouldn't cut the med to short as it could all flare up again.
Do you mean a nitrite reading of 5 and not nitrate as that nitrate readings fine.

 

[Colin_T]

It's recovered now! It's not fat and the red streaks are going.

good stuff, well done

 

[Hawkins]

I wouldn't cut the med to short as it could all flare up again.
Do you mean a nitrite reading of 5 and not nitrate as that nitrate readings fine.

yes i meant nitrite, just a mere slip of the finger
(i know A and I are at other ends of the keyboard LOL)