What do you understand by dropsy?
Dropsy, initiating it from here what dropsy in fish means. It’s a disease when swelling or oedema due to excess fluid inside the tissues occurs of fish. It is more like a symptom than a disease. When this symptom arises, there is a chance of several infections. Either bacterial or parasitic infections have entered. These are making the fish weak, fatigued, bulgy eyes, skin lesions and many more. Thus, some precautions should be kept in the psyche also because they are part of treatment. First of all, when you get a feeling that there is something wrong with the fishes in the tank. Then make haste and call the vet once you or the doctor identifies whether any of your fish is suffering from dropsy or not. You can go-ahead for the treatment.
To know more about different Saltwater and Freshwater Aquarium Fish Diseases, click this article “Aquarium Fish Diseases: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments“.
Quarantine the fish if you got to know that one of your tank fish is suffering from dropsy. It is an initial and beneficial step. Quarantine of fish will provide a new environment for the infected fish. You will have to pay proper attention to it. At least after quarantining the infected fish, you do not have to worry about the rest of the fish. As from now, they won’t be harmed. Then, take good care of the fish by providing high-quality food. And, continuous change of water within a gap of two weeks. Also, maintaining the temperature which is suitable for fishes and at which temperature the fish was living. It is crucial to keep the temperature according to it. As any change in the temperature can cause high stress to the fish. And it can die out of shock.
Can Fish Recover From Dropsy?
It depends on how you and when the treatment of dropsy fish disease is initiated. Dropsy can be fatal at times if it remains untreated for a long time, also if the owner of the fish tank could not recognize the symptoms of dropsy at an early age. Thus, if the owner observes the signs, the initial step is to quarantine the fish at that instance. And start treating it accurately. Then there is always hope. Continuous effort and special treatment towards your infected fish can help your fish recover soon. And regain their previous spot in the same tank after treatment.
How Do Fish Get Dropsy?
Fish inside the fish tank are free yet caged. They can roam easily inside the fish tank. They have no fear, yet they are only restricted to a specific area.
Overcrowding of fish should be avoided as much possible. Buy a new one instead but never think of adding too much fish in one tank. Adding several fishes in a single container can somehow raise the risk of the fish getting dropsy. At first, you won’t be able to observe. But they will show the signs anytime soon. It might be possible that not only one fish but more than one fish have been diagnosed with the disease.
People nowadays are aware of what ascites or oedema is. But the science these days has forgotten the word named dropsy long back. People call it oedema in the fish, lately. Edema always meant inflammation or swelling. Here in fish, the swelling of soft tissues in the body cavity arises. In the area like abdomen — the accumulation of water and other fluids. Scientific word derma means skin or body cavity. It is somehow related to the French word hydrops, which means water. Thus, the accumulation of body fluid or water inside the body cavity of fish is dropsy.
Causes of Dropsy in fish
One of the significant purposes of dropsy in fish is the poor quality of water. If the water inside the fish tank isn’t changed regularly. Then it is at high risk to give the fish a deadly disease. Use proper cleaning agents for your aquarium. Maintain proper hygiene and a balanced environment for your fish. Survival of any living being is difficult if their surrounding is polluted. The same is the matter with fish. Food of fish is one main reason of dropsy in fish. If the quality of food for fish is not good, then it can harm fishes. Also, it would be better if you provide them with the required food as per their species.
There are some fish which aren’t from the same area. They had different surroundings before. Thus, they are now living in a completely different place. Even the environment matters since a new environment can give fish extreme stress. And this can be harmful.
Antibiotics and relevant medicines to cure dropsy
There is some medicated food for fish going through dropsy. KanaPlex is one of them. It is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that is easily absorbed inside the body cavity. No need to inject it inside the body. It is well-known to cure dropsy in fish. It is an antibiotic that is good at curing bacterial and fungal infections in fish. The treatment of swollen belly, bulky eyes, tail rot. And similar symptoms that are caused due to dropsy. And on the other side, Melafix for dropsy is a well-known antibiotic in terms of treating. They are the quickest and easiest way to handle this disease.
The owner should have a bottle of Melafix in their cupboard. It’s not you who will decide; you can need it anytime. The best thing about Melafix is that it is free from any side-effect. It can be quickly occupied. It can be used in water or food as you need. And do not have to be injected. Most of the diseases can be cured through proper treatment if diagnosed at an early stage. The treatment process is indeed better than treating the fish with antibiotics.
Is dropsy contagious or not?
Many people aren’t aware if dropsy is contagious or not. Let us tell you that contagious means easily infected from one being to another. That is whether this disease dropsy is transferable or not. This disease can maybe infectious or maybe not. You might think, why, it is because when the condition in fish is a bacterial infection, then only is transferrable. But if there is a problem of swelling of the abdomen or the bulging of the eyes, then it won’t get transferred. Still, they need a treatment in which they will be cured.
Preventing Measures from Dropsy in Fish
As it is said, “prevention is better than cure.” It is better to prevent the fish from any kind of disease rather than worrying about a cure. Same as that, fish is the one who needs to be prevented from the environment. Polluted water and other means which are harmful to their surrounding. As there are most of the tropical fishes and they have come from a different environment. So they need proper hygiene, their temperature, the appropriate amount of water. The environment which is unsuitable for the fish will ultimately lead it to go through a phase of stress. And certainly, this will make the fish ill and if noted wisely, can kill the fish.
Stress in a fish suffering from dropsy
Some most common type of pressure in the fish is here. Sudden changes in the temperature, pH, the hardness of the water. These parameters are crucial and should be kept in mind before placing any fish inside the tank. Make sure the water inside the tank is of good quality and not polluted. It is requested to change the water inside the tank very often. For a specific fish, it is not fit to keep them in a particular kind of water. Like, you should never keep a brackish fish inside freshwater. It is hazardous since they can not survive in this environment.
Bullying of fish can lead them to a certain level of stress which can harm them and weaken them in every possible way. At times, there are even injuries of bullying which can lead to infection or stress in the fish. Checking of pollutant’s presence and the parasite is essential. As it is crucial to keep a safe environment for them. Diet is essential; it is a part of daily life. The diet provides us with energy and efficiency, which allows us to work. Similar it is for fishes. They gain energy and the ability to live and swim.
How to recognize the symptoms
Common factors that can be observed in a fish are mentioned here to decide. They will let you know whether fishes are harmed by dropsy or not. At first, check on them. And if symptoms are observed, then look for a cure. The first one is your fish refusing to eat, lethargy and fatigue are prominent symptoms. If they are suffering from this disease, focus on their eating habits. They are the initial symptoms that can be observed, as loss of appetite will make them pale and weak.
Fishes will also undergo behavioral changes if they are suffering from dropsy. They won’t look the same anymore. They will appear less attractive, paler. Fish inside the fish tank is a source of attraction. And when they suffer and go through the phase of weakness. They won’t be vibrant anymore. Clamped fins, paler gills, redness of the anal region can be observed. Also, bulky eyes, kidney infection are some of the significant symptoms of this deadly disease. So focus on treatment and try to cure it as soon as possible.
How to treat your fish after getting affected by dropsy
Treatment of the fish is an ultimate goal once you diagnose your fish with dropsy. The initial step is to isolate the fish. That fish is showing all the signs and symptoms of being infected by dropsy. Early you notice, it will be better for all the other fishes as well. Since they won’t come in contact with the fish which is harmed. Although dropsy may or may not be contagious. It’s still better to quarantine the fish. And treat them according to it in a separate area. It will be beneficial in every sense. As you need to take more care of this infected fish as compared to others.
Now, fill up the tank with fresh and clean water. But make sure you keep the temperature of the water the same as the previous tank. It is mandatory since it can harm the fishes as this will help the fish to adjust. Or else there is a chance of death of that fish due to pH shock. Also, bright and freshwater will help you to treat dropsy in fish in an effective way. Because this place will be a pollution-free area and they will feel free.
Temperature plays a vital role when talking about keeping fishes. The ideal temperature for survival of fishes is 25⁰C to 27⁰. That is around 80 F. So, it is advised to either elevate or decrease the temperature of the water as per need. It will be beneficial for their speedy recovery. Also, it will nil the chances of fish dying out of sudden shock to prevent dropsy in fish. It is crucial to keep a pace on temperature and not only while treating them.
