Several Dropsy Cases

[nem2k2]

I was out of the country for 2 weeks just recently, leaving the fish tank care in the hands of my partner (feeding & water changes). When I came back, my gourami seems to be developing dropsy He won't eat anything; I tried feeding crushed pea but he wouldn't eat that either.

I have had a couple of zebra danios get dropsy in the same tank (now there is only one left, he's a bit chubby but seems to have survived ok) so what is likely to be causing these fish to get dropsy?

I notice that the tank pH is quite a bit more acidic than before I went away (it is normally more around 7.0), is this likely to increase the chances of fish getting a bacterial infection & thus dropsy?

Tank: 100L, well-planted, with a piece of bogwood & ceramic pipe
pH: 6.0
ammonia: 0ppm
tank temp: 27deg C

Fish Symptoms:
Gourami with suspected dropsy

Volume and Frequency of water changes:
25%, once per week

Tank inhabitants:
4xClown loach, 1xbristlenose pleco, 7xneon/cardinal tetra, 1x3-spot gourami

 

[WILDER]

The only thing you can do is try an epson salt bath it helps draw the fluids out.
It could also be constipation through not a very good diet, they need frozen foods and veg in there diet.
the clown loaches should not really be in a 100 litre tank, are you sure ammnia and nitrite are 0.

http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/care-mai...alth/dropsy.htm

http/www.fishjunkies.com/Treatments/salt.php

 

[nem2k2]

I tried the salt bath but it did not help.. he sadly died a few hours ago He went much faster than the danios.

I feed my bottom feeders shrimp/algae pellets (+ snails for the loaches) and the rest flake food, should I regularly feed other types of food other than flake for a better diet?

Ammonia is definitely 0, not sure about nitrite (don't have a test for it, I ran out)

The loaches seem pretty happy in there, they have never gotten sick at all. They are still pretty small, I do plan on getting a bigger tank for them once I move to a larger house (hopefully in a few months' time)

 

[WILDER]

Sorry about the fish that died, R.I.P. Yes frozen foods you can buy packs with five different foods in them value for money.
Veg like peas, broc, anything green really.

Look under feeding alot of info there, good luck.
http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/viruses.shtml