# Cleaning tank after dropsy



## kari9438 (Mar 3, 2015)

We had a betta from PetSmart die from dropsy this week. How do I clean the tank? I've read about using bleach, but I'd rather not because it's bad for the environment. Would vinegar work?


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

No, vinegar would not work. It may kill a small amount of bacteria but it will not kill the things you need to be worried about.

Bleach is taken care of by the water treatment facility in your area, so it's perfectly safe to flush or dump down the drain. 

Dropsy is more of a symptom and not a disease per-say, so since you have no way of knowing what caused your fish to pass away I would recommend using a bleach and water solution.

Even better to use hospital grade Lysol (not the regular store bought Lysol) since it's one of the very few things that will come close to killing mycobacterium marinum.

If you are unable or unwilling to properly disinfect the tank, filter housing, and all tank gear then your only option is to buy everything new. But then again, new items have to be sanitized before use, too. Catch 22.


----------



## kari9438 (Mar 3, 2015)

Thanks! Bleach it is then.


----------



## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

http://nippyfish.net/2009/03/30/how-to-disinfect-sanitize-your-aquarium-with-bleach/ Here is an article I read when I had to disinfect my tank after dropsy. I hope you have better luck with your next pet! Sometimes, they're already infected at the pet store and the extra stress of moving brings out the symptoms.


----------



## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

Here is my routine after dropsy. 

First get 70% isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol). Mix that with a bit of hot water and use that to first wipe down the tank, decor, heater, filter (not the filter media), and rinse the gravel. 

Then rinse with hot water a bunch of times until you can't really smell the rubbing alcohol anymore.

Then make a bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 5 parts water. Wash and soak everything in the bleach for a few hours. 

Then rinse everything again with hot water until you cannot smell the bleach or the rubbing alcohol and everything doesn't feel slimy/slick anymore. 

Then i let everything air dry.

Then I reset up the tank. Put the filter media back in. Make sure that the tank is still cycled. and then add pure ammonia every couple of days to keep the tank cycled until I get a new fish friend.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Dropsy is an organ failure usually not due to any bacteria or anything. I don't clean tanks after a fish dies. But that's just me.


----------



## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

hahaha I'm super cautious I guess and want to make sure that the organ failure wasn't cause by an infection.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

And that's totally fine and understandable  But just letting OP know there are options as well ^_^ Fish keeping is full of options! ;-)


----------



## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

agreed. there are a bunch of different ways to do one thing. We find what works best for us and do that


----------



## Sadist (Jan 1, 2015)

The dropsy that killed my guy was an infection, which I found out after two more fish died the same way  I'm a bit paranoid about it, now.


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

I agree with lilnaugrim. Dropsy, more often times than not, is caused by kidney failure. While rare, it can also be related to liver infections.

If my fish die from natural causes (age) then I don't disinfect the tank. But if a fish dies in either of my hospital tanks, then it was sick and in there for a reason... so those always get sanitized.


----------

