goldfish has "balloned" up!!?

Question

hi one of my goldfish has "balloned" up in size, so much that its scales are sticking out :( this has only occured over the last couple of days ( or at least i handed noticed it at the weekend) i have moved the fish into a seperate tank of water from fear that it will transfer to the other three fish...

hopefully someone can tell me whats wrong with the fish and if there is anythin i can to to help the fish cheers for any help!!

Answer 1

I'm not sure, but dropsy sounds like a possible answer. Especially with the scales sticking out. Or it could be a swim bladder problem.

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hddropsy.htm

Answer 2

That's dropsy!!!!!! defiantly. Poor fish. My own fish died of it about a month ago. Buy some aquarium salt solution from the pet shop and add it to the tank. (it won't do the other fish any harm if you want to take precautions) feed it daphnia (you can buy it in packets) because there is a link between fish flakes and dropsy according to the women in our local pet shop and also buy a solution that treats internal parasites. If your fish is ballooned up it may well be too late. It only took my fish 4 days of sticking out scales to die but all fish are different. Best of luck!!!!! By the way you must keep the water very clean in future (another tip from the women in the local pet shop)

Answer 3

The condition is dropsy, and if full blown (all scales on both sides are standing out) then its fatal. I would try a teaspoon of epson salts (not aquarium salt) in the water and heat the tank to 83. Dropsy is not a disease, it is a reaction to something either parasitic or bacterial internally. When either the liver or kidneys shut down the fish then swells. By the time you see dropsy the damage is done and 99% of the time too late. I'd work on saving the rest of the fish. First things first, check your water perameters, should be zero for ammonia and nitrites, nitrates should be less than 20 ppm. The ph should be stable (the same all the time not dropping or rising). Sometimes keeping them in a unheated tank will make this more common. It has been said that goldfish are coldwater fish, what that means is they can tolerate coldwater with out it killing them, unlike tropicals. However it doesn't mean you should keep them in an unheated tank. They will do much better if the temp is maintained in the mid to high 70's year round. That is info that came directly from show goldfish dealers that I have spoken to, they all keep heat on the fancy valuable fish. I do what they do. Change a lot of water in the display tank if perameters are not optimal, change frequently until they are correct. Visit my favorite goldfish site www.goldfishconnection.com and order Metro-meds and Medi-gold. Metro meds will kill parasites, you must kill parasites before bacteria or you'll never get rid of the problem. Medi-gold is a antibiotic and kills bacterial infections on and in your fish. These fed meds do not interfere with the biological filter. You must do this, because although dropsy itself is not contageous what ever caused it could be.
As for now clean the main tank. Keep the fish in quarentine with heat and epsom salts, and try to get the Metro meds to him real fast, dropsy fish will still eat. There is a possibility if you act quickly to save the fish, but dropsy can return, depending on just how much damage has been done to the kidneys and liver. If the fish does not slowly begin to improve and gets worse, you will have to euthanize by placing him and some water in a zip lock baggie and into the freezer. Once all of the scales stick out the fish is a goner. Try to find the problem that caused the dropsy in the main tank so no other fish have to go the same way.
Healthy goldfish should be bright and alert and moving around all day from when the tank is lit enough to see in the morning until its completely dark and quiet at night. If they are only active at feeding time then that's your warning signal something is not right. If your fish are doing any symptom listed below they are likely stressed and or ill...
floating, sinking, breathing heavy, flashing, yawning, fin clamping, fin flicking, scratching, rolling, drifting, inactivity, hanging out by the filter outflow or bubbles, washed out colors, colors suddenly darkening, black spots, white spots, fuzzy spots, cloudy eyes, protruding eyes, sunken eyes, skinny, scales missing, scales standing out, no flight response, hiding, sudden aggression, curling (except sometimes big healthy ranchu's will do this), ragged fins, gills held open, ulcers, bloating, lack of slime coat, slime coat that is seen trailing the fish, white or clear stringy poop.
Watch your fish carefully, as they usually give the care giver ample warning that something isn't right. Healthy goldfish display healthy behavior, like being active and always hungry, fins up and out, and bright clear eyes, unblemished fins ect. If your fish don't act this way, something isn't right. Hope this helps and I'm sorry about your sick fish.

Answer 4

That's without a doubt dropsy. Dropsy isn't a disease, but a term applied to any number of diseases that cause fluid to accumulate in the fishes body. Most of theses diseases are bacterial organ infections and do serious damage to the fishes organs even before there are any signs the fish is sick. There fore before you can treat it, the damage is done. This makes curing a fish with dropsy very difficult at best. Generally there are very few survivors from dropsy.

You were exactly right to remove the fish from the other fishes, many of these diseases can transfer to the other fish when the sick fish dies.

As much as I hate it, I would suggest you seriously consider euthanizing the fish in question. If you prefer to attempt treatment, the best antibiotic on the market for internal infections is Furanace, second choices would be Maracyn 2 or Tetracycline.

Best of luck to you and sorry to hear of your very sick fish

MM

Answer 5

That sounds like it could be dropsy. If it is, it is essentially kidney failure, and there is not much many can do. You can get some medicine, and put some salt in the tank to see if that helps. Did the fishy act sick before this? Good luck, and I am sorry he is sick.

Answer 6

sounds like a swim bladder problem to me and maybe dropsy as well i would recommend treating the dropsy for the swim bladder problem try feeding your fish daphnia as this could ease the pressure on the swim bladder

Answer 7

moving the fish was a very smart move i have a web sight that u can get any information you want on what the problem is and how to cure it have a look and i do wish you al the luckhttp://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/tigerbarbs.htm

Answer 8

sounds like dropsy to me and none of my fish ever survived from this but glad to hear that you have taken it away from the other fish.

Answer 9

Oh dear are you sure it is a goldfish and not a porcupine puffer!