# Is this dropsy?



## OpalBones (Apr 10, 2014)

Yesterday I noticed my smallest platy female had ruffled scales but no dropsy belly, in fact she looks caved in and emaciated and I don't know why. I currently have her in a one gallon quarantine and over night there was NO poop in the tank in the morning. Every other time I have put platy in quarantine (when a pregnant female was about to give birth) there bottom was covered in poop by the morning. I tried to feed her last night but she takes the food, (this time it was medicated metronidozal flakes in case this is caused by worms) she would swallow then a few mins later throw it up. Could this be caused by constipation?


Usually when I feed the platies their NLF community pellets they each pick a pellet to bite and spit out multiple times until the pellet is soft enough to chew up and she did this with the others like normal. There is also slices of boiled cucumber in the tank every other day that they platies nibble on so she has always had food available.


The other platies are all female and look great, one is even popping out babies again.


I have had her for about three months, she was quarantined with the other new platy for about two weeks before adding her to the tank and she has been fin up till now. The brown stuff is sand from the tank I picked up when netting her.


Tank Size: 20 gallons, high
Cycled: Yes
Stocking: 4 female platies, 1 female betta, 1 mystery snail
Planted: yes, moderatly-light
Food: New Life Spectrum: Community pellets, Cucumber slices, Sometimes metronidozole flakes




Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 20
Temperature: 78 F




Is this dropsy, constipation, of something else? Sorry for the low quality pictures. You can see her caved in the middle and lumpy near the end. Her scale ruffling happens from the middle of her body then goes back to her tail.


My poor little girl.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

I'm sorry, I'd say there's a 70% chance it is dropsy. Though dropsy isn't usually contagious, I would still quarantine Her. Dropsy is usually just organ failure, but sometimes can be caused by a bacterial infection or parasites. I'd also give her some extra grub and maybe even some medicine while she's in there. An antibacterial like methylene blue maybe?


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## Littlefin (Oct 18, 2014)

The curving of his spine sounds worrying. It could be fish tuberculosis. 
If she does have fish TB, then not even bleach can kill it. It's very difficult to get rid of, and unfortunately, like dropsy it is often fatal. 
However if you do want to treat your fish, i heard that Kana plex helps with fish tb and other forms of dropsy.


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## OpalBones (Apr 10, 2014)

Yikes those are both frightening. She is still swimming around like normal today. I fed her part of a pea yesterday and there is not a bit of poop in her quarantine tank and the lumps near her tail look larger. I'm treating with some Melafix which I hope will help if it is an infection. I stick my hands all in the large tank all the time so I hope it isn't TB. Thanks for the replies!


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## OpalBones (Apr 10, 2014)

More pictures. Her caudal fin is now trailing white fuzz. I really hope it isn't TB. I think the bent spine look is from her extreme emaciation. I tried feeding her a pellet and she swam up to the surface and got it but then spat it out and gave up. I wonder if that is how she got so emaciated and I thought she was eating fine like the others.


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## Littlefin (Oct 18, 2014)

The bending is probably an illusion because of the pineconing. I doubt that melafix will help much, please try to get kana plex ASAP. Until then, i recommend using epsom salt. Poor girl


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

Had a female with very similar symptoms to yours. She started looking like this but was still active and ate well so I left her in the tank hoping she would just pass on when she was ready as I didn't know what to do to help her and I couldn't find any answers online. 

She lived like this for quite a while before I finally decided to euthanise her. Reason being she kept strong attacked by one of my males and he wouldn't let her eat. Euthanasia seemed like the better option as her quality of life had deteriorated pretty badly...


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## OpalBones (Apr 10, 2014)

Thanks for the replies. I have been unable to get any stronger antibiotic but this is kind of weird... I think she is doing better. She seems to be putting on weight, the lumps near the end of the tail seem smaller, she is pooping, and even her scales seem a little less pineconing, and she seems more active. 

Its funny you would say that, Kisiel, because one of my other female platies has gotten more aggressive as she has matured and I can see her chasing the other girls around the tank from time to time. I wonder if I should remove her or maybe add a male to the tank to keep her busy.


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## OpalBones (Apr 10, 2014)

Unfortunately she passed away Friday night.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Sorry


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## Kisiel (Jul 30, 2014)

I'm so sorry to hear that


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