Dropsy

[BOD]

Im treating one of my dwarf gouramis for dropsy, ive given him 4 doses over 12 days, on the bottle it says, at one dose then the 2nd on the fourth day, but he's not getting better, shall i just carry on, it doesnt seem to be affecting his appetite, he's still swimming around merily and eating well, he's just fat, i think he's just started to pine cone, so i dont think the meds are actually working, im guessing he might die soon

 

[Bloo]

Once they start pine coning, that's pretty much it I'm afraid
It's extremely rare that a fish will recover from that advanced stage.
I had a female swordie that kept going for almost a month - happily eating and swimming away and very active. But meds didn't help and she just got bigger and bigger ......until she eventually just died.

 

[BOD]

ill stop adding the meds then i think its a lost cause!

 

[Bloo]

I think if the fish isn't responding to meds and getting progressively worse, it migth be time to get a dose of clove oil out and kindly put the fish to sleep (but please ensure you know how to use the clove oil method).

 

[consp]

Nooo! It is possible to treat them at that stage. If he is swimming and eating fine then do NOT stop the treatment. Only stop the treatment and carry out euthenasia if your fish is obviously suffering. Eg: Refusing to eat, not being able to swim properly, not reacting to anything.

One way to tell how ill a fish is - If you can catch it with your bare hands then it is really sick.

If he is doing fine in all other aspects then please don't stop the treatment. With good water quailty, the right meds, and extra care fish can recover from dropsy.

If your water quality is bad then stop the meds and get that right first. You should only use treatments in perfect water because if the water is still bad it will make the fish sick. It's a bit like sitting in a room full of people smoking when you have asthsma - You take your inhaler in there it's not really gonna do the difference... you're still sitting in a room full of people smoking.

 

[Bloo]

Nooo! It is possible to treat them at that stage. If he is swimming and eating fine then do NOT stop the treatment. Only stop the treatment and carry out euthenasia if your fish is obviously suffering. Eg: Refusing to eat, not being able to swim properly, not reacting to anything.

One way to tell how ill a fish is - If you can catch it with your bare hands then it is really sick.

If he is doing fine in all other aspects then please don't stop the treatment. With good water quailty, the right meds, and extra care fish can recover from dropsy.

If your water quality is bad then stop the meds and get that right first. You should only use treatments in perfect water because if the water is still bad it will make the fish sick. It's a bit like sitting in a room full of people smoking when you have asthsma - You take your inhaler in there it's not really gonna do the difference... you're still sitting in a room full of people smoking.

By the time the dropsy displays pine coning, there has already been advanced stages of severe internal organ damage. There is no "sure fix" for Dropsy. Meds know to possibly help in the early stages are: penicillin, tetracycline and naladixic acid.
Recovery even in the early stages of dropsy are very rare - and at the pine coning stage almost unheard of.

I believe the fish is suffering when bloated like a balloon for weeks

 

[BOD]

ok so im confused now....today is supposed to be dose day do i give it or not?

I do know the clove oil method and have some, but the fish does not look like its suffering he's still eating and swimming!

 

[Bloo]

The call is yours. If you are happy that your fish is happy and has a chance to survive, then try your best
That's what I did with mine - but in the end she just died

But if you think your fish is suffering severly and meds are *not* helping, then it might be time to call it quits.

Follow your dosing instructions and hope for the best.

 

[CluelessScot]

just out of interest, what is this clove method?

 

[Bloo]

just out of interest, what is this clove method?

This is a good description - as I'm too lazy to retype all of that this time of night !
(larger fish = more clove oil)

 

[CluelessScot]

Wow thats the best way ive heard to put a fish out of its suffering... i heard that you can put them in the freezer but that would suck

kev

 

[consp]

I find that a knock to the head is the fastest method