# Dropsy?



## Neight (Oct 20, 2012)

My female red platy is showing signs of dropsy. Swollen tummy, pineconing scales, stringy poo, but the funny thing is, her energy is just fine! She's lively as all get out in the hospital bowl, and her swimming constantly knocks the thermometer against the glass. She's gotten a boiled pea, just in case it's constipation, and she seems to have enjoyed it! I haven't seen her excrete waste yet, since she's had it, though, and she's lost a few scales. 
Right now, I don't have very much cash, so she's being treated with aquarium salt and pumped up temps {81 f}. It's been a week, and despite her physical symptoms, she still seems to be at the top of her game, but she's not getting any better. I would really like to put her back in the tank with her friends, but I'm worried she'll worsen and die, and that the others will ingest the toxins that caused her to get dropsy by consuming her body. Any ideas?


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## Freyja (Jun 22, 2012)

You should be treating her with Epsom salt, not aquarium salt. Also I wouldn't put her back in the tank because dropsy is usually a symptom or associated to other ailments.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Agree with the Epsom salts. And keep the water super clean with frequent water changes. Dropsy is usually a sign of internal organ failure stemming from another condition. The outcome is usually fatal (sorry) but having said that, I've heard of fish recovering from it.

Good luck. Keeping fingers crossed for you.


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## Neight (Oct 20, 2012)

Thank you, you guys. I wasn't able to get epsom salts, and she seemed to be doing much better, but when I came home last night, she had unfortunately died. I was very hopeful, but I had a feeling she wasn't going to get better when she started dropping scales. I'll be keeping a close eye out for symptoms in my tank and getting some epsom salts soon, just in case. Thank you, again!
P.S. Romad, no need to be sorry. It's the reality that most fish do not recover, and as sad as it is, it's a fact of nature.


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