Should i be worried?

[MSG]

Oh gees, that sort of looks a bit like the beginning stages of dropsy. My girls have always loved to eat, but their bellies were NEVER that big. The one in your last photo her belly is 2x the size of my girls.

I actually bought 2lbs of epson salt for $1. Glad I didn't order a case. Not sure ratio you're supposed to use. It might be 2tsp ES Salt/gallon?

Confirm with someone first and make sure you measure everything out properly and dissolve the salt before adding the fish.

[fairy74]

Originally Posted by MSG

Oh gees, that sort of looks a bit like the beginning stages of dropsy. My girls have always loved to eat, but their bellies were NEVER that big. The one in your last photo her belly is 2x the size of my girls.

I actually bought 2lbs of epson salt for $1. Glad I didn't order a case. Not sure ratio you're supposed to use. It might be 2tsp ES Salt/gallon?

Confirm with someone first and make sure you measure everything out properly and dissolve the salt before adding the fish.

I did find out and she is now in a 1.5 gallon with epsom salt and IAL..i hope its not dropsy. What actually causes that and could it be passed on to her tankmates?

[teeneythebetta]

I agree looks like dropsy to me... :(

Dropsy is usually caused by poor water quality, or could have been transferred from another fish, or something that was in the water of an infected fish. Dropsy is more of a symtom of internal parasites.
Did you get any new live plants or snails recently?

Dropsy
•Symptoms: Your betta will have a bloated belly and raised scales. They will look like a pine cone. This is usually a fatal disease caused by an internal bacterial infection resulting in internal organ failure but many have had success bringing fish back when treated quickly.
Early Symptoms: Swollen eyes (important), Gray belly (important), Clamped fins, Lethargy. If your fish has swollen eyes and a gray belly, I suggest that you treat it for Dropsy.
•Treatment: If you spot the early signs of Dropsy then treat him/her with ES at 1-2tsp/gal and Jungle’s Anti-Parasite pellets while performing 100% daily water changes. It helps to increase the temperature to 84*F. If he/she has begun Pineconning then do the full course as described below:
Performing daily 100% water changes. Increase the temperature to 84*F. Add 1-2 tsp/gal Epsom Salt. Use API General Cure OR API Erythromycin OR Maracyn II and/or Maracyn for best results. Feed something containing Metronidazole, for example, Jungle’s Anti-Parasite pellets. If caught early, Dropsy is curable.

You can't treat snails because the salt or medication will kill them... The snails don't get dropsy themselves, just transfer it.

I would treat ALL of your girls, any bettas exposed to her or any tank equiptment can be infected.

Wash everything with vinegar and hot water, change all of the sorority tank water...

[fairy74]

I did have a plant added about a month ago but that was dying so i depotted it and have planted its roots(still not looking good though)

I have no snails and all other fish are acting and looking normal.

If she does have dropsy what does this mean for the other fish and tank?

[Goldie2nd]

Hmmm well she does seem a little big but I had a female before she mgiht have egss but just tom ake sure fats her for a few days she should be fine. :)

[MSG]

I wouldn't bother with the medicated food. I have those jungle parasite pellets & my fish absolutely HATE it. If you want to see a fish spit food out all day long, feed it some of that.

Each container comes with probably 500-1000 medicated pellets, but what good is it if the fish spits it out 20 times or eats it after the medication has dissolved in the water after a couple hours.

I've never seen a fish dislike a food so much. I think mine did eat the pellets, but it must have taken several hours

[Goldie2nd]

wo dropsy sounds horrible!

[MSG]

I've had one fish that came down with dropsy & the rest of the fish were fine. As long as the one that's sick is removed before it dies, you should be okay. If they die in the tank and the fish pick the body apart then you will have a reason to be worried.

The zebra danios were the ones that always came down with dropsy for some reason. My gang of rosy barbs seem immune to it.

[teeneythebetta]

Long story short I had a sorority for about 5 days, and despite the fact that I quarantined the girls, the new ones had signs of popeye, dropsy, etc.

My girl I had long before the newbies didn't look infected but I treated her with maracyn & epsom salt for 5 days. It won't harm them but should kill any infection they may have, if they have it at this point it's very early and should be treatable if action is taken.

[fairy74]

Well i now have three girls in the 30 gallon along with six cories,another 3 betta girls together in QT and another 2 in seperate containers in QT and now the sick girl in yet another small tank.
What the hell am i doing.

So i guess its best not to add the other girls to the 30 gal yet,they have been in QT for about a month now.