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About Lauren
Expertise
I can answer all questions on breeding and caring for fry from any type of fish, water quality, testing and altering the pH value, toxins, foods and feeding advice, live, frozen, kitchen and other foods that are suitable for your aquarium fish, causes of diseases and how to cure them, where to place aquariums, setting up aquariums, aquatic plants, general information, fish anatomy, calculations and imperial to metric conversions. I can also tell you the origins, compatibility with other fish, adult size's, ease of keeping out of 10, diet requirements, pH range and temperature ranges on all fish. I can't answer any questions about salt water aquariums. Any questions I struggle with I will be willing to give an educated answer from research.

Experience
Breeding of Betta's, Guppies, Mollies, Platy's and Goldfish. Wwork experience at local pet stores.

Education/Credentials
Working at out local pet shop.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Pet Fish > Fish > Bloated fish

Fish - Bloated fish

Expert: Lauren - 11/4/2009

Question
Hi, I have a goldfish which in the last few days has become very bloated. It's scales are sticking out slightly and it spends most of its time sitting on the bottom. It is still very much alive and occasionally swims around for a brief period. I've been looking on internet forums and such, many are saying it's dropsy and many are saying it's constipated. I've put some aquarium salts in today as that's what I was advised at the pet shop, whilst telling me that it was probably just stressed. Please help!

Answer
I would say its deffo Dropsy..

Symptoms: Big fat belly, not pregnant
Huge Swelling of Body
Bulging sides and stomach
Scales almost popping off
Scales may be forced outward
Eyes may pop out

Dropsy General Description:
Dropsy is not really a disease. For all intensive purposes we will call it one. It's really an internal bacterial infection usually caused by poor water quality.

Fish may recover with no treatment and may die despite it. There are multiple possible causes. Sometimes it's not contageous, but sick fish should be isolated and treated since determining the actual cause may be impossible. The swelling is because the fish is absorbing water faster than it can eliminate it, and it can be caused by many different problems. High nitrates are one thing to check. Internal bacterial infections, including fish TB, are other possibilities. If there are no water quality problems, you may want to attempt antibiotic treatment in a separate tank.

There are multiple possible causes. Usually caused by kidney damage. Kidney damage may be caused by overuse of drugs or a disease. Eventually the swelling will cause the scales to raise, giving the fish what is called the "pine-cone" appearance.

You can best see this by viewing your fish from the top. Fish may also stop feeding, appear off-colour, become listless and/or lethargic, have sunken eyes, and hang at the top or stay at the bottom of the aquarium.
Dropsy Treatments
Dropsy is not very contagious; however, Fish usually die from this, but in some cases where the problem is due to bacteria, if detected early enough, it can be treated.
It's possibly the hardest internal bacterial infection to cure. There are a number of medications available such as penicillin, tetracycline and naladixic acid. The fish usually doesn't make it. By the time the scales begin to raise, however, it is very fatal to the fish. Salt baths can help to draw the fluid out of the fish. A variety of medications can be purchased that treat dropsy, which sometimes occurs due to an internal bacterial problem. Medications for external bacterial problems only will not be effective for this problem.

Dropsy Prevention
Poor water conditions are often the culprit. Gouramies, Cyprinids (barbs, danios, etc), guppies, betta and goldfish are prone to this disease. Goldfish are said to be somewhat more prone to dropsy than other fish. High nitrates are usually the culprit. Clean Water, is a must! Clean Water, should I say that again? Good water conditions prevent this.

Good luck with your fish and i do hope he gets better

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