what will treat DROPSY?

Question

i cant find any info on specific meds i can purchase at popular pet stores! a couple sites recommended feeding my fish antibiotics... if i go this route, can i use cephalexin-- how do i 'feed' it to them? i'd much prefrer to buy a fish med from petco, petsmart, or walmart- but what kind?

Answer 1

I'm not sure where you will find it but one of the very best medications for dropsy is sold under the name brand Furanace. One of the places you mention may carry it, if not many smaller pet shops do. It is particularly good as it is well absorbed by the fish. What you have read bout feeding antibiotis may be refering to medicated foods that are available at most pet shops. They come in several types, be sure to get the antibacterial food.

I couldn't find any information concerning the use of cephalexin on fishes or it's absorption rates in fish. Probably because it's a fairly new medication and therefore still rather expensive comapred to antibiotics sold for use in aquariums. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic, so if absorbed would be effective.

Hope this helps.

MM

Answer 2

Antibiotics--and even then, usually by the time you see the signs and can identify it as dropsy, it's too late. I've heard some people say they did Epson salt baths for many many weeks and all that and their fish lived a little longer. However, most of the time by the time it's scales are sticking out and it's body is bloating, it's too late and no amount of treatment will help. Tetracyclin, Kanacyn, Ampicillin, etc. If your fish is still eating (a good thing), I think Gel-Tek has a Penicillin (or one of those "cyclin/cillin" antibiotics) out and you can soak the fish's normal food in it for 10 mins before feeding just to get as much of the med inside the fish where it can do some good (however, I don't know how effective it is).

Answer 3

I don't have any experience with the antibiotic you mention either, but have treated dropsy successfully using broad spectrum antibiotics (tetracycline, Binox). Several other good ones are already mentioned. WalMart isn't likely to have much of use, but the other stores should. Also, try independent stores - they might carry a wider variety of brands, so you should be able to find something other answerers have mentioned.

This link has some additional info for you: http://www.goldfishinfo.com/ailment1.htm#dropsy

Answer 4

Firstly - dropsy is usually always fatal.

Secondly, Dropsy is caused by a range of things - you wont know what caused it unless you cut your fish open after he dies and have a look.

Things that can cause dropsy -
parasites, bacterial infections, viruses, stress/poor conditions, cancer, and a million other things.

as you can see, this makes treating dropsy really hard.

Id start with a bacterial remedy, then try a parasite remedy, but by the time yu get to this it will probably be too late.

Usually, any broad-spectrum antibiotic medication will work (IF that is the problem) - just use it according to instructions - you usually add it to tank water - dont overdose as it will kill the fish.

Also, remove the infected fish from the tank if you have other fish - but make sure you treat BOTH tanks.
.

Answer 5

if the fish just got DROPSY, use the antibiotics. I administered it to the fish using a pipette. I held the goldfish with one hand, and stuck the pipette into its mouth. unfortunately, I caught it too late and he died. if the fish has had DROPSY more than a few weeks, I would consider euthanizing him.

Answer 6

get furan-2 which is a antibiotic

Answer 7

ask a vet