Dropsy Question

[JamieTron]

I have had a female betta for almost 3 years now, I bought her from one of those little jars from walmart, I felt sooo bad. She was placed in little betta tank when I first got her...then a few months later a large bowl and now she is a 5 gallon tank by herself. She grew a lot since I've had her, she is as big as my oldest male betta in body size.

I know she is quite old now, she has slight cataracts on her eyes....but I noticed she has gotten quite fat! She always did when she was ready to breed (I never have bred her though) but now it is unusal, I am afraid it could be dropsy. My tank is very clean and has a great filter, so I was wondering how she could get such a disease, but as you all know that's nature right.

Anyways Her whole body swollen looking, but with no pine coning of the scales. She has beautiful colors still, and she is still a very aggressive eater. She swims quite a bit, she was always active, she is a little less active now, but I wouldn't say that part is a concern yet. But sometimes it appears that she has trouble keeping upright when she swims close to the filter now (weakness swimming?)

I was wondering if I should be concerned that she may have dropsy (is this common in older fish?) I would like to try to treat her as she has been through a lot with me, but is there a point if it is dropsy? has anyone had success with treating it?

[JamieTron]

Images are here


http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/kitty143.jpg
- from the side



http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/kitty141.jpg

-showing belly


http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/a...a/kitty140.jpg

-top view of body

[Twistersmom]

It does not look like dropsy in the pictures.
She does look pudgy, maybe fast her a few days or feed her some daphnia.

[JamieTron]

Ahhh okay, I was hoping she was just a pudgy girl, she was always a little fat, but now she is just well you see...I'll try the fasting approach :)

thanks for your input, I have never experienced dropsy in my tank fish before. I appreciate it!

[doggyhog]

Not dropsy. You just have a little Chub on your hands. :) Careful how much you feed her.

[CodeRed]

Beautiful girl x3

[Splinter492]

you might be over feeding her, but it could also be the beginning stages of dropsy, or she could be pregnant and be over fed. it could also be swim bladder.

[JamieTron]

Hrmm okay I will fast her for a bit, I have been feeding her every two days lately due to the fact that it is warm the apartment I live in anyways. But maybe if I cut her back a few days it'll help.

I will keep an eye on her, if her scales start to raise I'll message you guys again in a panic.

I'll also keep an eye on her for buoyancy problems as well


Thanks for all your help, this helps ease my worries for now :)

[JamieTron]

Hey guys, I noticed her eyes are bulging, I bought maridel to treat the pop eye. She has had two treatments with 3 more to go. I also noticed her scales look strained like almost trying to lift now, I am quite concerned now that I have seen this. I am not sure if pop eye can occur due to dropsy or not so I am treating it separately... :(

ughhh I fear the worst now :( At least she is still active, full of color and eating so far. Should I now be concerned it is dropsy since the scales are lifting?

[dramaqueen]

It sounds to me like she's beginning dropsy.