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DROPSY INFECTED TANK!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!


BurgersandGuppyFries
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So, I have a 29 gallon freshwater tank, that has 3 guppies, 2 baby mollies, 1 black skirt tetra, 1 glowlight tetra, 2 serpae tetras, 1 female betta, 2 khuli loaches, 1 hillstream loach, 3 snails. I also have 2 bettas and a nursery tank full of baby guppies. I am worried about all of them. One of my guppies had dropsy that got really bad, she started to gasp for air and I decided it would be best to euthanize her. Now another one of my guppies has dropsy, she has it pretty bad and has white stringy poop, and after doing research that means she has a parasite. Uggh. I just don't want ALL of my fish to die. Now that same guppy has her dorsal fin ripped off, must have been my male guppy. The other female guppy is full of babies, and doesn't show any signs that I can see, but is now stressed out from the male guppy. The male has a little bit bigger belly, but that is it. My female betta is partially blind, so she is always stressed as well which makes her vulnerable. I am also worried about cross-contamination because I use the same gravel vac and bucket and don't disinfect before using. I bought Maracyn Two, but now I am questioning if that will work. I am about to pick up a test kit since I ran out. I do a 15% water change weekly. I feed them every morning and I try to in the evening. I feed them Omega-One Freshwater Flakes. I did a bunch of research and they all said it was the best. Please help me I am desperate.😰

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In addition to what Colu said, I think the water test kit should be the absolute first thing you do. Perhaps one of the parameters would stand out as a potential problem. Dropsy is more of a symptom of a bigger problem (possibly a bacterial or parasitic infection), so you want to do your best to find and address what that problem could be, to protect the other fish. In the meantime, try to minimize light, and other environmental factors that can increase stress.

As for treating the fish with dropsy, that is a tough one. I recently fought that battle, and lost. I did try my absolute best though. I used Furan 2 along with Kanaplex, in addition to Epsom salt in the hospital tank. The fish went 6 days on this treatment. He didn't show improvement, though he didn't get worse, either. At the advice of a forum member, I ordered a med called Ciproflaxin. Within an hour of the first treatment of Cipro, the fish died. It must've been some strong stuff, or perhaps the fish was so weakened from the 6 days of treatment up until that point. I felt terrible, but ultimately I know that I tried my best to fight the good fight, and that gave me some peace of mind.

Good luck.

 

 

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I am sorry sorry you lost a fish to this too. But to answer your questions, I also feed them frozen bloodworms once a week or so to all of my fish. I try to do 25% but I have all of the other tanks that can take a while. I know that testing is very important and I promise once I test I will get back right away. I have done a lot of research into the meds, but I just am having a hard time deciding if it is worth it. I mean don't get me wrong I want to do all I can for my fish, but I don't want them to die suffering. I have a 10 gal. that I could use to set up as a hospital tank, to treat them if that is the best option. I will try to get some photos

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I just discovered one of my bettas has dropsy. He is the one in my profile pic. Ughh. Meds arrived here this morning. Should I just treat all of my tanks, even if I don't know if they have it? Is Maracyn 2 safe on plants? I think I want to set up my 10 gal as a hospital tank, but I don't have an extra sponge filter, can I just use a hang on one? I have another air pump and airstone I could use for aeration, if that is all it is for. Could the baby guppies be affected too? Please help me. I don't know what to do. I have never had dropsy in any of my tanks before.

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Dropsy is a symptom of a larger problem. It could be a number of things, and it could take a bit of time to figure out. Slow down. Take a breath. You are going to start with what you can control for now, with the plan that you will keep trying to find the source of the problem as more things be come availble. 

Start with clean water in a clean tank--don't go crazy, just do a normal water change. You are providing fresh air, not sterilizing everything.

Keep the temp stable, and the light off unless you need it to check on symptoms. They get a calm dim room, just like a sick person.

You can start treatment with what you have. It may not work, but it may. If you suspect parasites, you may want to get an anti parasite med, like API general cure or Fritz Paraclense. If you are in the US, the co-op ships very quickly. Maracyn can be combined with these--but I do not know about Maracyn 2, maybe someone else has used it.

If you feed at all, feed lightly, the best quality food you have. (some of us use a variety-this is the time for tiny amounts of your best--DO NOT over feed)

As soon as the test kit arrives, read directions carefully and take a pic of the results. Post it and we can try to trouble shoot further.

Start a bucket of 10% bleach solution and dip sterilize your tools between tanks, at least 5 minutes to soak--rinse in tap water before using.

Edited by Brandy
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Thank you so much, I ran the tested and forgot to take a pic, I was busy making sure I did them right. But I promise her were the results.

pH - 8.2, I know REALLY high, but I think it is just the water that I have is really high, I am probably going to get a pH down solution for it.

Ammonia - 0 ppm

Nitrites - 0 ppm

Nitrates - A little higher then 0 ppm. It doesn't make sense. I have had the tank up and running since December. How do I solve this? And I tested my bettas tank I will post the pic. I think I am going to set up a hospital tank for the sick fish in the 29 gal. I am going to treat with Epsom salt and the Maracyn 2 a little later once they are settled in. I will minimize feeding and will feed the best food I got. I am going to do the same for my betta. I am going to leave the bottom of the hospital tank bare bottom and use a hang on filter, heater, and airstone in it. I know one of my guppies got tore up and I think has a internal parasite, which isn't good. Would salt or Maracyn 2 help? I just want to get a good plan established so I can sleep! The first picture is of my bettas water parameters, and the second is the nitrate levels in my 29 gal.

Fishies Test.jpg

Fishie Nitrates.jpg

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To me, that looks like no nitrates. Perhaps your cycle was lost, but its good that there does not seem to be ammonia or nitrite.

As for PH of 8.2, I don't see it in that pic, but I would not try to artificially lower that. I think that will be fine for livebearers. They tend to like a higher PH and harder water. Speaking of which, do you have a way to test the GH? I like the Tetra strips, because they have GH and KH on them.

Being livebearers generally thrive in harder water with good mineral content, perhaps your GH is very low, and part of the problem.

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Ok, so I have a hospital tank all set up, but just 10 minutes ago I found the female guppy that wasn't looking good before lying on the bottom of the tank barely breathing, so I don't think she will make it. I think I have a treatment plan set up though for my betta and the infected fish in the 29 gal. I will have to wait and see if it plans out. Thank you for all your help!! I will keep you posted.

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