Dropsy cure?

[Banana80]

I think that one of my zebra danios has dropsy. We noticed just now that he/she is HUGE! She is as wide as she is tall. Her scales on top are spiked and she looks scary. Her belly is white and she looks like she has some red spots too.

First, is that dropsy?
We *just* healed a black phantom tetra with fungus and just got him back in the tank 3 days ago... are these things related?
Is there a cure, or do I just wait for her to die? We've put her in the hospital tank and started treating her with Mardel Maroxy, which we used on the fungus.

Please help, this is only our second sick fish in a year (okay besides the ones that just dropped dead)

Suzanne

 

[mcshell]

if you see her scales sticking out, it's dropsy.
dropsy is very difficult to cure. you will want to separate her immediately, make sure she has clean water.
try to use maracyn-two. it says it can cure dropsy. however, i seldom see fish recover from dropsy, since usually when you see the scale sticking out, something has gone wrong badly with the fish already.
good luck... you'll need it.

 

[madfenris]

Dropsy success

I had a Red Robin Gourami just come down with dropsy, it looks like after 5 days of treatment he's on the road to recovery. Problem with dropsy is it's a symptom and not a specific disease. It can be caused by virus, baterial and even fungal infections or a combination of several of these brought on through complications from the original infection. Treatment usually has to involve attacking all three possible sources, and often the treatment can be as rough on the fish as the disease.
I used Maracyn-2 as the anti-biotic, Pimafix and Melafix as anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agents. Now my gourami never inverted (from what I hear this is just about the hopeless point) and he has begun to shrink back down. Oh from what I understand don't stop feeding.

Good luck

Mad Fenris

EDIT - P.S. - I have heard that the fish may never completely shrink down and that generally dropsy is not contagious, but it is recommended to seperate it, especially if it goes, to avoid other fish catching it through cannabalism

 

[mcshell]

Good to hear!
I've recently saved a female betta from dropsy with maracyn 2 as well.
I discovered her with scale sticking out quite early, and then i placed her in a separate container hanging inside the tank. I change her water every day, and used maracyn 2 for 5 days. She's getting better now, and started eating. Yay!

 

[NoDeltaH2O]

I could really learn a lot from all of you. Every time I've had a fish with dropsy i've euthanized them. I always thought that by the time you noticed dropsy and the scales standing on end that it was too late by that time.

 

[madfenris]

Quick update, my Gourami (known affectionately as Bonzai for a red dot surrounded by transparent tissue on his tail) has come round he's now down to 1.25 normal size, his fins are growing back (damaged though him rubbing against things I believe as no signs of standard rot) and he's become relatively active again.

Bad knews is seems the other male Red Robin is starting to present. (Hrrmm)

Mad Fenris