How to Cure Dropsy in Freshwater Fish?

Names: Bloat, Dropsy
Disease: Type Bacterial or gram-negative
Cause/ Organism: Multiple causes, generally stress or environmental.

What is Dropsy?

Dropsy is the buildup of fluid inside the body cavity or tissues of a fish. As a symptom rather than a disease, it can indicate a number of underlying conditions, including bacterial infections, parasitic infections or liver dysfunction.

(A picture from our customer with a Female Betta Fish have dropsy disease)

What are the symptoms of Dropsy?

• Swollen belly
• Scales stand out
• Bulging eyes
• Loss of color/ Pale gills
• Feces pale and have a long string
• Fins clamped against the body
• Ulcers
• Loss of appetite

Symptoms vary extensively. Some fish present with the traditional big belly, others display skin lesions, while still others show many symptoms at all. This variability is what makes diagnosis harder. Nevertheles, in majority cases, a number of symptoms are observed, both physical and behavioral.

These symptoms are the result of the progression of the infection. Internal organs are affected, most specially the liver and kidneys. Anemia occurs, causing the gills to lose their normal red color. As the abdomen fills with fluid organs are pushed apart, occasionally causing the spine to curve. Scales protrude from the body, giving the appearance of a pine cone. This symptom is a classic suggestion of a severe infection.

What cause Dropsy in an aquarium fish tank?

The bacterial agent that causes Dropsy is one of several gram-negative bacteria generally present in aquarium fish keeping. The underlying cause of fish getting infected in the first place is a compromised immune system that leaves the fish susceptible to infection. This can be as the result of stress from a number of factors, similar as the following:

• Poor water quality
• Ammonia or nitrite spikes
• Large drop in water temperature
• Stress from transportation
• Lack of nutrition or balance diet
• Aggressive tankmates

How to treat freshwater fish and fish tank with Dropsy disease?

Generally, a single or short- term exposure to stress won't compromise the capability of the fish to fight the disease. In utmost cases of lowered impunity, the stress exposure has happened for an extended period of time or several stress factors have occurred in rapid succession.Treatment
Dropsy is hard to cured. Treatment is geared toward correcting the beginning problem and providing a proper care to the sick fish.
• Move sick fish to a hospital tank or a separate fish tank
• Add salt to the fish tank, 1 tsp per gallon
• Feed fresh, high- quality foods (Frozen Foods are highly recommended)
• Treat with antibiotics

A broad spectrum antibiotic specifically formulated for gram-negative bacteria is recommended, like Fritz Maracyn 2. Always follow directions on the fish medicine for duration and dosage properly. It's important to move the infected fish to another tank to separate them from the healthy fish. Meanwhile, perform a water change on the original tank and cover the fish nearly for the appearance of symptoms. Salt should be added to the Hospital tank at the rate of one tablespoon per gallon of water. Keep the tank clean, and perform weekly 10% to 30% partial water changes. Give a variety of fresh, live, premium quality fish food. Frequently this will cure the infection in cases that aren't advanced. Keep the fish under observation for several weeks after symptoms vanish.

How to prevent Dropsy to happened?

Prevention is the best cure. Nearly all the factors that stress fish enough to cause them to be susceptible to infection can be averted. Because poor water quality and the environment is the most common root cause of stress, tank conservation is critical.

Other factors to keep in mind include

• Perform regular water changes
• Keep the Aquarium tank clean
• Clean the Fish tank Filters regularly
• Avoid overcrowding overstock the tropical fish tank
• Don't overfeed
• Use flake foods within one month of opening
• Vary and healthy the diet

To prevent Dropsy in the fish tank, If the tank is well maintained with regularly water change and the fish fed a healthy diet.