Rescue: Severe Dropsy and Parasites

[Sakura8]

I was at Wal-Mart just now and I saw this girl. All the others must have been from a new shipment because their water was clean, but hers was yellow and gross. She's pineconed severely and can barely reach the surface to breath. I have her in a Gladware in about an inch of water. I'm off to get parasite medication so I'll post a pic when I get back, if she's still alive. Please, I've never rescued such a sick one before so if you have any advice for me, I'd be grateful. I'll post as soon as I can. Wish us luck.

[DarkMoon17]

Ok, you've got quite some work ahead of you, it was nice of you to rescue her.

You need to do two things: 1) Fight her bacterial infection 2) Make her feel comfortable enough to fight it on her own
So I suggest 2 meds: Jungle's Anti-Parasite Pellets and API Tetracycline combined
To make her feel more comfortable: Epsom salt 2tsp/gal, temp 84*F, daily 100% water changes, tannins/IAL, and either Stress Coat or Kordon's Fish Protector.

Good luck!

[Sakura8]

Bacterial? I saw worms in her cup so I got Maracyn and General Cure . . . thank goodness the pet store is only five minutes away.

[DarkMoon17]

Well then, she has quite the infection... You're fine. Maracyn works too (it's an anti-bacterial). You can combine it with General Cure OR Anti-Parasite Pellets (I prefer the pellets though for internal infections).
SO:
Maracyn
General Cure OR Medicated Pellets
Epsom Salt 2tsp/gal
Stress Coat OR Kordon's Fish Protector
temp 84*F and daily 100% water changes

[Sakura8]

Here she is. She's in a Gladware for now. My room is about 83* (baking here in CA) so she'll be warm until I can move her into an actual tank, right now I want to make sure she can breathe. Do I have to mix up the full 10 gallons or is there a way to mix up only a little?

[DarkMoon17]

Poor thing!

I wouldn't play around with dosing. Get a jug and put in 5 cups of dechorinated water. Add the medicine. Shake/Mix it well. Use 1/2cup per gallon tank water. Save the rest for the other treatments since you will need to do daily water changes and replace the meds each time. Don't mix all the meds in the same jug, that might make them less effective long term.

[Sakura8]

Thanks for the advice. She's in a cup floating in my 10g so she can stay warm enough but she only comes up for air when I push the cup gently.

I took the cup out of the tank - it was like gravity was too much for her to breathe. She's on my desk under the light and now at least she surfaces to breathe.

[DarkMoon17]

Good choice, it is possible that the other fish were stressing her as well.

Do you have any QTs that you can heat?

[Sakura8]

My folks were kind enough to stop by the pet store and pick up a heater on their way home from the grocery store so when they get here, I'll float her in a 2.5g or 3.5g that's heated.

[Sakura8]

What does it mean when they start freaking out in the QT cup? She can barely move but all of a sudden she flashes and darts and swims upside down.