What Can It Be?

[jungle jim]

please can anybody throw a light on this problem, a zebra danio about 7months old has developed a slightly swollen body which has made his once straight lines look like a sound wave, also he has a red mark on one side of his body that looks like a sore, he is very active but has gone off his food.All the other residents are unafected and water quality is good, could he or should i say[ she ] be pregnant or constipated, your comments would be appreciated.

 

[WILDER]

Can the fish maintain its balance in the water, are scales sticking out, the sore does it look pink with a white edging around it, can you post water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nirate,and ph, plus size of tank in gallons, how many fish and which type.

Not the writer of this information below.
Ulcer Disease



Symptoms:

Fishes presenting with large red open lesions, ulcers or sores on the body have ulcer disease. Other symptoms may also include eroding flesh, reddening at the base of the fins and vent, and the fish may also experience a loss of appetite and darkening of color.



Cause:

Internal bacterial infection caused by Aeromonas and Pseudomonas. This disease is most often seen in fish that have been kept under poor conditions or recently imported.



Treatment:

Check your water conditions to ensure that they are within the optimal ranges for the type of fish you are keeping. If not, perform an immediate water change. Ulcer Disease is highly contagious, therefore the entire tank and all fish, even those not yet showing symptoms, should be treated. Treatment with Kanacyn, Furacyn, or Nitrofura-G are recommended.







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[Bloo]

I'm afraid I think it sounds a lot like dropsy

See this topic of mine ....

 

[tttnjfttt]

I haven't seen bloating in a danio make their lines bent, so asking this just to be sure. Does his spine appear to have become deformed?

 

[Bloo]

See this one extract

Sadly danios dying of dropsy is part and parcel of keeping danios. Their lifespan is 2-3 years only and because they are mostly from fast flowing streams they are quite prone to suffering internal bacterial infections in a tank situation where the water quality inevitably cannot match the streams

I have tended to find that flake food can bring it on - especially if there is too much in the tank and it decays a bit or - worse some gets caught around the tank lid and ferments before dropping into the water.

Wolfs advice is spot on, however I would also strongly consider melafix a natural antibacteiral agent - it makes the tank smell nice too!

There are two things that can cause dropsy
one is water quality (or lack thereof)
the other is an internal bacterial problem.

My advice bloo
is to treat with interpet no9 anti internal bacterial
if things havn't improved by day 4 dose again.
if you need to dose a 3rd time perform a 50% water change first.

BTW a 40% water change every week is too much IMHO
I would only do a 20% at most.

 

[WILDER]

That what i was thinking ttnjfttt, as i thought it sounds bent.

Tending to agree with bloozoo2
Not the writer of this information below.
Dropsy



Symptoms:

This disease is very common among African Cichlids, and is commonly called "Malawi Bloat," even though it affects fish from Lakes Tanganyika and Victoria. Dropsy is also very common within the Carp family and among Anabantids. It is characterized by swelling of the body and especially abdomen, which causes the scales to stand out with a pine cone appearance. Eyes may protrude or cave in. Reddening at the vent and/or base of fins may be observable as well as body ulcers and long pale feces. In advanced cases, skin discoloration and scale loss may also occur. Sick fish will not show any desire for food. They will often hang near the bottom, resting on the gravel, or at the top, gasping for air. In the latter stages of this disease, the fish may lose its equilibrium and hence ability to swim properly.



Cause:

Three main causes for Dropsy have been identified. The over use of salt (NaCl), prolonged exposure to poor water conditions, and improper diet, which lead to a parasitic infection. Other causes include poisoning, internal injuries and cancerous tumors. The swelling is not the disease itself, but rather a symptom, which is caused by a build-up of fluids in the body cavity due to internal organ failure.



Treatment:

Treatment of this disease is difficult, as by the time it is recognized, permanent damage to the internal organs of the fish will have occurred. Immediate treatment must be performed if there is to be any chance for survival. Metronidazole (Flagyl) and or Clout are the best medications for treatment of Dropsy. Notwithstanding, not much is known for certain about the etiology of this disease and some experienced aquarists use antibiotics to fight Dropsy. For oxytetracycline, baths of 20-100 mg/litre for five days is suggested. For tetracycline hydrochloride, treat with baths of 40-100 mg/litre for five days. And for minocycline hydrochloride a dilution of 250mg/10 gallons of water is recommended. On day 2 change all the water and add the medicine again at the same dose for another 2 days. Increase aeration during treatment. Do not use minocycline a third time in a row. Caution: tetracyclines are photo sensitive so turn the tank lights off during treatment and cover the whole tank with a blanket. If the fish is still eating, you can soak the food in a concentrated solution of the antibiotic before feeding.

You can read more about this disease, treatment, and how to prevent it in the future by reading our article: Malawi Bloat.

 

[jungle jim]

Can the fish maintain its balance in the water, are scales sticking out, the sore does it look pink with a white edging around it, can you post water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nirate,and ph, plus size of tank in gallons, how many fish and which type.

Not the writer of this information below.
Ulcer Disease



Symptoms:

Fishes presenting with large red open lesions, ulcers or sores on the body have ulcer disease. Other symptoms may also include eroding flesh, reddening at the base of the fins and vent, and the fish may also experience a loss of appetite and darkening of color.



Cause:

Internal bacterial infection caused by Aeromonas and Pseudomonas. This disease is most often seen in fish that have been kept under poor conditions or recently imported.



Treatment:

Check your water conditions to ensure that they are within the optimal ranges for the type of fish you are keeping. If not, perform an immediate water change. Ulcer Disease is highly contagious, therefore the entire tank and all fish, even those not yet showing symptoms, should be treated. Treatment with Kanacyn, Furacyn, or Nitrofura-G are recommended.







Top of page All contents of this web site are Copyright © 2001

 

[jungle jim]

Hi you guy`s thanks for all your imput, water stats are ph 7.6 nitrate10 ammonia0 and nitrite 0 scales are flat fins all upright keeps in a straight line when swimming,the tank holds 80ltrs has 10 zebra danio`s and 8 glowlight tetra`s is densly planted has a 12" airstone plus the pump agitates the water surface,i think thats all i can say, thanks

 

[WILDER]

You will need a bacterial med for the ulcer, good luck.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fbas.co.uk/Ulcers.html