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I found 1 gold fish today with it''s scales all ...

Sent to Pet Experts August 10 2008 at 1:27 PM
   

I found 1 gold fish today with it''s scales all sticking out and it''s body bloated. What is it and what is the treatment.

 

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Age: <1; Breed: goldfish

Already Tried:
nothing, I just saw it.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
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August 10 2008 at 1:38 PM (9 minutes and 24 seconds later)
         
Reply to TROPICAL FISH AFICIONADO's Post: It is in a pond formed by a liner that is a year old. Has natural filter(water pumped up through lava rocks with alot of plant material growing above. The water then falls down a 12 inch waterfall to larger pondwith 12 plant or so.) I do not know how many gallons there are. It took three to five hours to fill it, I think.
There are pobably 25-30 4" gold fish, 15 1" gold fish and 1 6"gold fish and 4 Koi about 5", several frogs and there were 2 western painted turtles who walked away last week.
Answer
August 10 2008 at 1:40 PM (2 minutes and 3 seconds later)
         
Your goldfish is suffering from a condition called Dropsy. Dropsy is caused by either unfavorable water conditions, a bacteria or a parasite with the latter being the least likely.
It's primary symptoms are bloating and scales sticking out.

As the fish is in a pond with other fish then
the best way to treat this is by isolating the affected fish in a quarantine/hospital tank if possible.

The next thing to do would be to add 1/8 teaspoon of epsom salt per every 5 gallons of water as the epsom salts will help draw out some of the fluid.

Change 50% of the tank water every 3 days so as to provide ideal water conditions and also try and feed some live and/or frozen foods as they are nutritionally superior to flake foods and thus will aid the fish in recuperating.

Do the water changes and epsom salt treatment for 6 days and if no improvement is seen then begin treating with a medicine called Maracyn which is an excellent anti-bacterial medication, see link below.

Please keep in mind that curing Dropsy is not easy and is an uphill battle especially if caught late.

Listed below are some links to pages that will touch upon the subject of Dropsy.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4838

http://www.goldfishinfo.com/ailment1.htm#dropsy

http://www.goldfishconnection.com/articles/details.php?articleId=160&parentId=12

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/Dropsy.html
Reply
August 10 2008 at 1:48 PM (8 minutes and 8 seconds later)
         
Should I do anything to the pond? I know I better have the water tested and watch everyone else. Is Dorpsy fast spreading and is there any more subtle signs to looke for?
Answer
August 10 2008 at 1:57 PM (9 minutes and 29 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
The best thing you can do for the pond is maintain excellent water conditions.

The only way to confirm the status of the water is by testing it. Test results should be ammonia and nitrites=-0- and nitrates 20ppm or lower.
If you don't have a test kit handy just take a water sample to your local pet/pond store and they will usually test for free. If the test results are different from what the ideal results
should be then a 25% water change would be in order.

Now there is something that you can add to the pond as a preventative, TetraPond Pond Fish Treatment, see link below, but I would wait to see how the water tests results are before adding the product as if ammonia and/or nitrite are present then they would negate the effect of the
TetraPond Pond Fish Treatment.

There are no other subtle signs as the major and only indicator of Dropsy is scales sticking out giving the fish a "pinecone" look.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=5163+5304+5408&pcatid=5408

Edited by TROPICAL FISH AFICIONADO on August 10 2008 at 2:02 PM
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