I Think It's Dropsy : (

[Torchwood~Mindfreak]

I spent the night at my friends house and when I came home the following evening my favorite fish, my male dwarf gourami was dead with no visible signs as to why. And one of my female guppie's scales were sticking out and I just noticed a white circle behind her head on the right side of her back. I tried to take some pictures. I think she has dropsy. Is there any thing I can do to try and save her? I don't have a hospital tank (bad I know) but I have a small unused one gallon but it doesn't have a filter or heater anymore. By the way she's in a 37 gallon with 5 harlequin rasboras, 5 serpae tetras, a zebra danio,a platy, and about 5 other guppys. Please help in any way you can.

 

[star4]

It does look like dropsy to me, quite far gone too. Not a lot you can do really except lots of water changes and an antibacterial medication. Check your water stats to see if you have increased ammonia or anything. I would treat the whole tank as you have already lost one fish and have another one sick.

 

[walkers101]

Unfortunatly as star said it looks too far gone to me and would consider euthanising the poor thing (imo)

 

[Torchwood~Mindfreak]

The local fish store is closed on sundays but If I can convince my mom to drive a bit I can get to petsmart. I was looking through their medications and saw this one. Does anyone know if this will help? If not can you sugjest any that petsmart carries?

 

[star4]

I dont know that product myself, but reading its a broad specrum antibacterial, it would be worth treating the tank if your water stats are not showing increased ammonia or something, but with that guppy with the pine coneing thats the later stages of Dropsy, he/she hasnt long left to be bruital.

 

[Torchwood~Mindfreak]

Alright thanks. I did water changes and cleaning today and I'll go get that and treat the tank this afternoon. I put the guppy in my breeder net so the males wouldn't bother her.

 

[star4]

Good idea. If possible try adding an air stone to the breeder net or place it near the filter to give her a bit more oxygen when you put the meds in. Fingers crossed she may pull through.

 

[Torchwood~Mindfreak]

Well no such luck when I got home she was dead. On the back of her head was what looked like a blood spot, that white spot was bigger, and it looked like right beside it on her side was a wierd bulgy green thing under her scales... I'll continue out the 5 day treatment of the tank just in case. But in other news last night I saw my first guppy(or any at all that I've bred)fry in my tank! Atleast someones doing good lol

 

[star4]

So sorry she didnt make it. I am a bit concerned about the weird bulgy green thing! sounds like a fish lice, did it look anything like this?

Fish lice usually feed on the slime coat and can pierce the skin, without the protective slime coat they are more susceptible to bacterial infections, which can lead to dropsy. I would suspect if it was lice thats were the blood spot could have come from. Not very common in aquariums though unless they have come in on new fish or plants.


Congratulations on the fry though.

 

[Torchwood~Mindfreak]

No it didn't look at all like that it was inside her and a darker green, maybe an organ or something? And thanks