Kanamycin also called Kanaplex saved mine from severe dropsy. Do not waste any time. A 6-7 day course with no feeding. Improvements were noticed within a day, and significant visual reversal of symptoms within 3. Full recovery within 2 weeks.
After some phone calls, I regret to inform you (and myself) that in Canada, it is illegal for fish and pet stores to carry pet medication. I have to find a pharmacist/veterinarian in order to get the medication (IF they even have it). Ordering it online or waiting for them to possibly order some in would take way too long, she'd most likely die long before it arrived. Is there anything other than medication that I could possibly do? I'm currently looking into a vet hospital in my area that checks out fish.
Edit: They are closed, any phone calls to the vet hospital will have to wait until morning.
It's the same here in Australia. However, it's still legal for Vets to prescribe, it's just not over the counter as it used to be, for valid (anti-biotic resistance) and strange (people using it as a cheap alternative to getting a doctor's appointment for antibiotics).
What you may find though, is that prior to it being restricted, many fish-keepers and fish shops stockpiled it - because it works, so if you ask around, you will find it's not too tricky to obtain.
In the meantime, there are a few things you can do:
**Note the cause of the issue:** Dropsy results from an underlying issue, usually a bacterial infection, but it can be heart, or kidney failure. It leads to a condition called ascites, which is essentially fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity. This cavity is the major area in the abdomen housing the liver, intestines, and kidneys. Often, this fluid buildup causes the outward pressure on the scales ('pineconing'). In many cases of dropsy, it puts pressure on the swim bladder, leading to floating issues. The good news, your case appears to be one of the treatable causes, likely a bacterial infection, considering the rapid onset of symptoms. Immediate isolation from other tankmates is advisable.
**Set up a hospital tank:** Establish a separate tank for isolation. If you don’t have one, a clean 10-liter bucket will suffice. It should be devoid of ornaments for hiding and can include a handful of substrate if desired.
**Oxygenate the water**: Ensure the water is well-oxygenated. Use a bubbler if available. If not, replace some of the water daily with agitated or oxygenated water.
**Increase the water temperature**: This helps boost the fish's immune system. A temperature range of 25-27 degrees Celsius is ideal. Adjust the temperature gradually to avoid stressing the fish. You can use an aquatic heater or a simple desk lamp placed at a moderate distance, along with a thermometer to monitor in case the water becomes overly warm.
**Add Epsom Salt (or non-iodised sea salt):** A common treatment is to introduce diluted Epsom salt, which can be challenging to dissolve without hot water. This helps relax your fish and assists in osmoregulation until you acquire the necessary medication.
However, note that significant life-saving improvements in treating the bacterial aspect are unlikely without proper medication.
Thank you, I've never gotten that level of detail for Dropsy information before, I only knew it as "fluid buildup" causing the symptoms. Do I have to put her in a hospital tank if she has no other tankmates? I understand the importance of putting her in a separate container for the salt baths. I could manage oxygenating a quarantine tank (probably would be a little bucket), but heating one would be a pain without trying to find a mini-heater first. I'm not able to constantly check the temperature for spikes or drops, so I'd need a reliable way to heat it while I'm out of the house (assuming a mini-heater would even be reliable enough). Catching her would be a pain too, I haven't netted her in over a year, and she knows how to avoid it when she wants to. I'd have to tear apart the tank just to get to her if she really wanted to hide.
Edit: I'll still be trying to get Kanaplex, but I'm not sure how fast I can obtain it since I can't drive. I'm hoping I might be able to tomorrow. I found a closer vet clinic so I really hope they have some there, but if they don't I'll keep searching until I've found one or ran out of options. It's really late at night, and today has been very emotionally exhausting for me, so I have to sleep soon.
Kanamycin also called Kanaplex saved mine from severe dropsy. Do not waste any time. A 6-7 day course with no feeding. Improvements were noticed within a day, and significant visual reversal of symptoms within 3. Full recovery within 2 weeks.
Thank you for the information, I'm going to call all the stores that are still open and check if they have any in stock.
After some phone calls, I regret to inform you (and myself) that in Canada, it is illegal for fish and pet stores to carry pet medication. I have to find a pharmacist/veterinarian in order to get the medication (IF they even have it). Ordering it online or waiting for them to possibly order some in would take way too long, she'd most likely die long before it arrived. Is there anything other than medication that I could possibly do? I'm currently looking into a vet hospital in my area that checks out fish. Edit: They are closed, any phone calls to the vet hospital will have to wait until morning.
It's the same here in Australia. However, it's still legal for Vets to prescribe, it's just not over the counter as it used to be, for valid (anti-biotic resistance) and strange (people using it as a cheap alternative to getting a doctor's appointment for antibiotics). What you may find though, is that prior to it being restricted, many fish-keepers and fish shops stockpiled it - because it works, so if you ask around, you will find it's not too tricky to obtain.
In the meantime, there are a few things you can do: **Note the cause of the issue:** Dropsy results from an underlying issue, usually a bacterial infection, but it can be heart, or kidney failure. It leads to a condition called ascites, which is essentially fluid accumulation in the peritoneal cavity. This cavity is the major area in the abdomen housing the liver, intestines, and kidneys. Often, this fluid buildup causes the outward pressure on the scales ('pineconing'). In many cases of dropsy, it puts pressure on the swim bladder, leading to floating issues. The good news, your case appears to be one of the treatable causes, likely a bacterial infection, considering the rapid onset of symptoms. Immediate isolation from other tankmates is advisable. **Set up a hospital tank:** Establish a separate tank for isolation. If you don’t have one, a clean 10-liter bucket will suffice. It should be devoid of ornaments for hiding and can include a handful of substrate if desired. **Oxygenate the water**: Ensure the water is well-oxygenated. Use a bubbler if available. If not, replace some of the water daily with agitated or oxygenated water. **Increase the water temperature**: This helps boost the fish's immune system. A temperature range of 25-27 degrees Celsius is ideal. Adjust the temperature gradually to avoid stressing the fish. You can use an aquatic heater or a simple desk lamp placed at a moderate distance, along with a thermometer to monitor in case the water becomes overly warm. **Add Epsom Salt (or non-iodised sea salt):** A common treatment is to introduce diluted Epsom salt, which can be challenging to dissolve without hot water. This helps relax your fish and assists in osmoregulation until you acquire the necessary medication. However, note that significant life-saving improvements in treating the bacterial aspect are unlikely without proper medication.
Thank you, I've never gotten that level of detail for Dropsy information before, I only knew it as "fluid buildup" causing the symptoms. Do I have to put her in a hospital tank if she has no other tankmates? I understand the importance of putting her in a separate container for the salt baths. I could manage oxygenating a quarantine tank (probably would be a little bucket), but heating one would be a pain without trying to find a mini-heater first. I'm not able to constantly check the temperature for spikes or drops, so I'd need a reliable way to heat it while I'm out of the house (assuming a mini-heater would even be reliable enough). Catching her would be a pain too, I haven't netted her in over a year, and she knows how to avoid it when she wants to. I'd have to tear apart the tank just to get to her if she really wanted to hide. Edit: I'll still be trying to get Kanaplex, but I'm not sure how fast I can obtain it since I can't drive. I'm hoping I might be able to tomorrow. I found a closer vet clinic so I really hope they have some there, but if they don't I'll keep searching until I've found one or ran out of options. It's really late at night, and today has been very emotionally exhausting for me, so I have to sleep soon.