Left My Tank For A Weekend

[AmyStroodle]

Soo I went away for a long weekend this weekend, fed the fish before going, have live plants and the light on a timer to give the tank 8 hours of light.
 
Somehow, not to point fingers, the light was switched on to be on constantly.
 
When I got back the tank had a gooey greeny/brown surface covering the top of the water in the main tank and all the bits at the back where the filter and what not go. The plants look to be close to dying and my poor little fighty fishy seemed to be struggling to break through the "goey surface" get get air.
 
I turned my pump on to full, and its got that tubey thingie on that puts air into the water, and it seemed to clear the main tank up quickly.
 
 
However! The fighting fish seems to be loosing scales on it's face, it was moving about too much to get a decent picture, and I've been told it might have dropsy.
 
I plan on doing a 50% water change as soon as I get in from work but other than that I'm complety lost on what to do! D:

 

[AmyStroodle]

Never mind … I think I've fixed it and I don't think it's scales are falling off. 0.0 
 
I'll do a water change anyway and retest. :]

 

[nick.darke]

As I understand it, the symtoms of dropsy are usually that the body or belly of the fish swells up and this leads to the scales sticking out, hence it's occasional name 'pine cone disease' like this poor chap (not my image);
 

 
From what you describe I don't think dropsy is the problem.
 
So what was wrong?
 
N

 

[AmyStroodle]

.

 
Ah. I noobishy thought dropsey was when it dropped scales. 0.0
 
I'm not sure what the problem was to be honest. After putting my pump on full for a while to clear the greeny brown skin on the water surface I haven't had any more problems.
 
Going to do a water change soon and test the tank again.

 

[nick.darke]

No worries AmyStroodle, as long as things are on the mend it's all good.
 
N