Possible Dropsy

[m00se]

Hi all,

I've noticed my male dwarf gourami has been getting pretty fat lately. He is otherwise perfectly healthy-looking; he swims about as normal, plays with the other fish, perfectly active and is eating like a horse. His belly, while pretty fat, isn't forcing his scales out like the 'typical' pictures of dropsy that you see. I realise he could be just getting fat (from all the eating?) but I'm starting to wonder whether it might be dropsy (although I thought that came on faster than this, his belly has been getting fatter the last two weeks or so).

Water stats:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Just did 30% or so water change on Monday.

None of the other fish appear affected by anything, and, like I say, he's otherwise perfectly well. I can't see anything seriously wrong-looking with him, and he's out-competing even some of my horde of 10 praecoxes for food.

I'll get a photo up tonight if I can get one, but in the meantime - does it sound like dropsy or is he just a bit of a porker?

 

[confused mermaid]

Hi all,

I've noticed my male dwarf gourami has been getting pretty fat lately. He is otherwise perfectly healthy-looking; he swims about as normal, plays with the other fish, perfectly active and is eating like a horse. His belly, while pretty fat, isn't forcing his scales out like the 'typical' pictures of dropsy that you see. I realise he could be just getting fat (from all the eating?) but I'm starting to wonder whether it might be dropsy (although I thought that came on faster than this, his belly has been getting fatter the last two weeks or so).

Water stats:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20
Just did 30% or so water change on Monday.

None of the other fish appear affected by anything, and, like I say, he's otherwise perfectly well. I can't see anything seriously wrong-looking with him, and he's out-competing even some of my horde of 10 praecoxes for food.

I'll get a photo up tonight if I can get one, but in the meantime - does it sound like dropsy or is he just a bit of a porker?

That's the same thing that just happened to me...but of course I thought my DG was just getting fat too and I didn't know what dropsy was. His scales didn't stick out until the very end. I'd say treat him.

 

[m00se]

Sadly, like a retard, I don't have a viable hospital tank set up yet for him. Will have to see if I can get a bucket and dig out my spare heater

 

[WILDER]

What do you feed your fish?
What does it look like when he goes to the toilet.

 

[m00se]

Currently I'm feeding flake daily, frozen bloodworm every few days, peas/sweetcorn/cucumber every other day, with a starve day every Saturday. I haven't seen his poo yet, but I'll see if I can see any later on when I get home from work.

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Don't feed any flakes or bloodworms for a few days.
Are you over feeding the bloodworms as they can make fish bloat up.

 

[m00se]

Just got home. Since this morning, he's got worse-looking. His scales are now pineappled quite badly all over his belly. His poop is white and stringy. Sounds like he's a goner? :cry: Should I euthanise him? Given that I have no hospital tank to treat him in, would that be kinder?

 

[confused mermaid]

Just got home. Since this morning, he's got worse-looking. His scales are now pineappled quite badly all over his belly. His poop is white and stringy. Sounds like he's a goner? :cry: Should I euthanise him? Given that I have no hospital tank to treat him in, would that be kinder?

Well, I didn't euthanise mine yesterday because I for some idiotic reason wanted to try for a comeback even though he was in the shape yours is now....and it was a very slow death for him. I have never been able to euthanise my own fish, but if you can I would suggest doing it. It's kinder. And if you do, let me know the easiest quickest way in case I find myself in that position sometime again. I'm nervous because I have two more DG's.

 

[m00se]

Clove oil and vodka it ended up being. It looked peaceful, which is more than can be said for him earlier this evening. He was gasping at the surface and twitching about like mad earlier today.

I'm so, so sorry, Art. RIP little buddy. I hope I did what was best for you.

 

[confused mermaid]

Clove oil and vodka it ended up being. It looked peaceful, which is more than can be said for him earlier this evening. He was gasping at the surface and twitching about like mad earlier today.

I'm so, so sorry, Art. RIP little buddy. I hope I did what was best for you.

How long did it take?

I'm sorry for your loss...and I'm still sorry for my loss...may Art and ole Blu swim together in the big pond upstairs.

 

[m00se]

About five minutes, maybe a little longer. It was just like he was slowing down and then he just stopped

It's weird, I deal with the death of human beings every day in my job, and this affected me way more. I suppose that's because you have to detach yourself from your work, but your fish are your little buddies.

 

[WILDER]

R.I.P.

 

[confused mermaid]

About five minutes, maybe a little longer. It was just like he was slowing down and then he just stopped

It's weird, I deal with the death of human beings every day in my job, and this affected me way more. I suppose that's because you have to detach yourself from your work, but your fish are your little buddies.

Yes, I had said that in my posts when I was dealing with the situation yesterday that it affected me pretty hard for a little fish. I do spend a bit of time watching them and talking to them though and they do seem to come to the side of the tank when I come home. (I like to think that it's in greeting and not because I'm the food provider) They do tend to relax the mind also (except when theres a problem)

So....are you going to get another one? I would like to when I get back from my trip but I can't really decide.

 

[m00se]

I don't know either. I've lost a female dwarf gourami about a year ago with the same thing. It seems that there are just so many problems with dwarf gouramis that it somehow seems like a bad idea for the long run; almost like they're going to suffer some sort of horrible ailment no matter what you do. It also feels like I'd be trying to replace him, and I don't know if that would sit right. Maybe he'd have wanted me to, maybe not. I don't know. Probably not, if I'm honest, but never say never

 

[confused mermaid]

I don't know either. I've lost a female dwarf gourami about a year ago with the same thing. It seems that there are just so many problems with dwarf gouramis that it somehow seems like a bad idea for the long run; almost like they're going to suffer some sort of horrible ailment no matter what you do. It also feels like I'd be trying to replace him, and I don't know if that would sit right. Maybe he'd have wanted me to, maybe not. I don't know. Probably not, if I'm honest, but never say never

I feel the same....but I can't imagine having a tank without them.