Help, Platy With Dropsy!?

[orangefish]

I have recently had a sick guppy which died from unknown reasons, and my platy has just come down with the same symptoms. I am almost certain that it is dropsy, as her stomach is bloated in a very irregular shape, her scales are protruding outwards underneath, and she is regularly siting on the bottom of the tank. I have read in lots of books that dropsy cannot be treated and that the fish needs to be isolated, but this fish has been like this for 2 weeks in the main tank as I didn't know what disease she had. Is it too late for all the other fish (they seem fine at the moment)? Is there any way I can treat the dropsy?

Please help asap! Thanks

 

[WILDER]

What are your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph. As your tanks abit overstocked.

Once scales stick out last stage of dropsy, organ failure. They rarely make it once scales stick out.

I would isolate the fish to a hospital tank. Add epson salt. One teaspoon to a gal.
Bacterial med.

Do any fish look skinny.
What does it look like when your fish go to the toilet.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I was advised to do a salt bath.

1 table spoon of salt in one gallon of water for up to 30mins twice a day. See if it helps.

If you don't have a spare tank get a breeding trap and put her in there .

 

[orangefish]

Thank you for the help. Unfortunately, I came home today and found her dead but i kind of think it was for the best.
My water stats seemed to have been fine recently- pH 7.8 (which is normal for me), nitrite 0 and ammonia 0.
I am not sure if there is a molly that has protruding scales too, but she has really wierd markings and has always been a bit of an odd shape and she isn't acting wierdly- so it may be nothing. Hopefully that's the end of the dropsy baut in my tank (fingers crossed).

 

[WILDER]

Sorry for your loss.
R.I.P.

Just preform a few water changes over the next few days on main tank.

 

[orangefish]

Sorry for your loss.
R.I.P.

Just preform a few water changes over the next few days on main tank.

Thanks. Is dropsy contaigous?

 

[WILDER]

Thanks. Is dropsy contaigous?

Yes. If a fish pecks at the dead body it can pass onto the fish.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I'm sorry to hear that. However at least she isn't suffering any longer. Keep a close eye on your other fish and just make extra sure.

 

[orangefish]

Oh ok, i really hope that was the end of it. Thanks for the help, and if I have any more cases i'll just come back and ask for some more help

 

[WILDER]

Good luck with the rest of the fish.

 

[orangefish]

Well I have tried my best to sort out the water situation (as I have high nitrates) but have struggled, and consequently my fish are still getting diseases. I think one of my neon tetras has dropsy now. She is still swimming with the schoal and doesn't have protruding scales yet but she is abnormally large and the bloatedness is unevenly distributed on her body and she is not eating.
Shall I put her in a salt bath? My LFS recommended 1 tablespoon of salt per 20 litres. Thanks

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Separate her if possible, fast her for 3-4 days (in case it is constipation), feed her de-shelled pea on the 4th day and see how it goes from there.

Salt bath; I was recommended 1 teaspoon per gallon, twice a day for no more than 30mins.

 

[WILDER]

What your tap nitrate reading.
What your tank nitrate reading.
How often do you hoover the substrate.
When did you last squeeze a sponge in old tank water.

Your overstocked. Best to over filter when you are overstocked to help the filter cope with the stocking.
Another filter, or you will have to reduce your stocking.

 

[orangefish]

Separate her if possible, fast her for 3-4 days (in case it is constipation), feed her de-shelled pea on the 4th day and see how it goes from there.

Salt bath; I was recommended 1 teaspoon per gallon, twice a day for no more than 30mins.

Thanks, would it be ok to skip straight to the salt bath, as it can't do any harm can it?

What your tap nitrate reading.
What your tank nitrate reading.
How often do you hoover the substrate.
When did you last squeeze a sponge in old tank water.

Your overstocked. Best to over filter when you are overstocked to help the filter cope with the stocking.
Another filter, or you will have to reduce your stocking.

I have another thread about the nitrate problem and am yet to be able to solve it nor find the cause of it- and as a result I have had a lot of ill fish.
My tank nitrate reading is between 50-100mg/l
My tap water nitrate reading is around 25mg/l
I hoover the substrate every week or 2.
I squeezed the sponges in the filter out about a month ago.

I did a water change with 20% bottled water that had no nitrates in it and there is yet to be any change in the water stats- it is still about 50-100mg/l. Is it possible that bogwood could be the cause of it, as I know that it rots over a long period of time? Thanks

 

[WILDER]

I would stick to tap water as bottled water the ph can be alot different from tank ph.

If your tap nitrate reading 25mg your tanks nitrate reading should be around the same.

Are you over feeding.
Not doing enough maintainance. Should be maintaining the tank once a week with a gravel vac and water change.
The filter not coping with your stocking.

Remove all ornaments and give the substrate a good hoover.
Replace filter floss or matting with new.
Squeeze one of your sponges in old tank water.
Water changes over the next few days.

If your nitrate reading dosn't go down you need another filter to cope with your fish.