Dropsy is another common disease found in a fishtank aquarium.
It is a strange problem where the fish becomes bloated with the scales sticking out rather than laying in layer on the body. Many times the eyes will bulge and in extreme cases actually pop out.. The fish becomes lethargic and tends to sit at the top or bottom of the tank. The fish’s color may become pale and it will usually stop eating.
It is known that a fish with the disease is retaining too much water rather than releasing it in a normal manner through the kidneys.
The cause of Dropsy may never be totally pinned down for each individual case. Some think it may be a kidney disease that is causing the fish to retain too much water while others think it may be water quality as the root cause. Still others believe it is an overdose or exposure to some sort of chemical. It is for sure an inner bacterial infection that is the culprit.
You can attempt to treat the fish in a confined tank with some medication like penicillin or another. Consult your local aquatic store guru to find out what is available in your area. A salt water bath will sometimes help.
Certain types of fish seem to be prone to getting dropsy particularly goldfish and guppies.
Use a water test kit to keep your water the aquarium in really good condition so you will know that it isn’t a water problem. Keep your nitrate level in check. Make sure your filtering system is in good working order and change out the active charcoal.
This disease is not contagious but you should isolate the fish just to be sure, and to hopefully cure the problem. There is a high mortality rate when you reach the bloating stage so be prepared for a loss.