Pineconing scales without bloating -

[catwoman]

Are pineconing scales always associated with bloating? Is it still considered dropsy? My apisto borelli had been sluggish and staying in one spot for a couple of weeks. I finally got him out of the tank and noticed his scales were pineconing but he didn't looked bloated. I put him in quarantine and tried some kanaplax. After 4 days he was just getting worse (face down in the substrate or starting to lay sideways, not eating). I finally put him to sleep. I am just trying to figure out if I could have saved him sooner. It's hard to get sick fish out of a planted tank without tearing it apart. I feel like a bad parent. he was acting sick but he didn't look sick and he usually hid under the bogwood all the time anyway.

 

[WILDER]

Some fish look really bloated with dropsy, but then again some don't but pineconing of the scales is dropsy, and if he was lying on his side it didn't sound good, there is no cure for dropsy usually when they pinecone as thats the last stage of the desease, sorry for your loss.