Need help with shubunkin.
- Thread starter bettagurl
- Start date
flaringshutter;1980642; said:
Those were my thoughts... Even if she dies, at least it wasn;t in the tank she was in with 3 males trying to mate with her.
It is dropsy, a common disease amongst freshwater fish. I recently had a Wolfish that had its abdomen area swollen to the point where he was stuck flowing at the surface of the water (like a submarine filled with air remaining at the surface). I tried a recommend remedy, but my Wolfish could not swim properly, hunt, and has not eating for weeks. It was suffering and I had no choice but to put it down (freezing). But maybe there is still hope for you; here is the remedy:
"Treatment:
Dropsy is not very contagious; however, if a fish is diagnosed with dropsy, it is important to not remove it from the aquarium because the infected fish will contaminate the separate water and end up dying. If there are multiple fish, treat the afflicted fish in a specially established "sick tank" (Quarantine). Dropsy can spread from the ill fish, possibly causing stress among the other fish in the tank community. This extra stress may make the others vulnerable to dropsy or other forms of disease.
Treatment may consist of antibiotics targeting the causative agent. They work best in the very early stages of dropsy. A more hands-on approach is to raise the aquarium's temperature a few degrees - slightly higher than usual. Adding Epsom salts (Magnesium sulfate) to the water (at a rate of 20 mg/L) helps to encourage the fish to expel unnecessary damaging fluids." (Fish dropsy, wikipedia.org)
"Treatment:
Dropsy is not very contagious; however, if a fish is diagnosed with dropsy, it is important to not remove it from the aquarium because the infected fish will contaminate the separate water and end up dying. If there are multiple fish, treat the afflicted fish in a specially established "sick tank" (Quarantine). Dropsy can spread from the ill fish, possibly causing stress among the other fish in the tank community. This extra stress may make the others vulnerable to dropsy or other forms of disease.
Treatment may consist of antibiotics targeting the causative agent. They work best in the very early stages of dropsy. A more hands-on approach is to raise the aquarium's temperature a few degrees - slightly higher than usual. Adding Epsom salts (Magnesium sulfate) to the water (at a rate of 20 mg/L) helps to encourage the fish to expel unnecessary damaging fluids." (Fish dropsy, wikipedia.org)
I disagree with that information. Dropsy isn't an illness in itself - it is combination of symptoms caused by many different illnesses. The excess fluid building up in the abdomen causes the distended abdomen, popped out eyes, and listlessness characteristic of dropsy. The only time it is contagious is if it is caused by a bacterial infection, but in nearly all cases dropsy is due to poor water quality. Often the dirty water provides the opportunity for bacteria to take advantage of weakened fish. This causes kidney/liver failure, resulting in the buildup of fluids.
Salt baths can help, as can adding epsom salt to the water. Heating the water can help in some cases, but some bacteria are more active at high temperatures and you could speed the death of the fish. The best treatment by far is clean water and medicated antibacterial food.
If you have a fish vet, take the shubunkin in and have them draw off the fluid in the body cavity. This will decrease pressure on the kidney and liver, not to mention the other organs, and can be the key to recovery.
Best of luck.
Salt baths can help, as can adding epsom salt to the water. Heating the water can help in some cases, but some bacteria are more active at high temperatures and you could speed the death of the fish. The best treatment by far is clean water and medicated antibacterial food.
If you have a fish vet, take the shubunkin in and have them draw off the fluid in the body cavity. This will decrease pressure on the kidney and liver, not to mention the other organs, and can be the key to recovery.
Best of luck.
