8 replies to this topic

[lily]

Goodness me this fish keeping is more demanding than raising children.
Tonight I checked the fish and see that one of my original shebumpkin is looking fat, well bloated really. Not a fat tummy but the whole length of the fish. I thought this a couple of days ago but thought(in my ignorance) it was just a keen eater.
Tonight they are sluggish and I have moved them into my little pond thinking maybe it was a girl full of eggs. She looked as if she had goose bumps in that her scales look as though they are standing out not smooth.
I have looked at the illness section and think it might be this dropsy thing.
What if anything can I do tonight to help? It will be tomorrow before I can get any medication and then the evening before Im home with it.

Is there anything else it could be? the others seem fine.
I see it says it isnt contagious but is it likely she has 'caught it' from our pond or would she have come with it?
I cant get the testing kit for the water until tomorrow either so I cant tell you yet what levels are etc.
I feel like a new mother!!

[koiguy1969]

dropsy ...your "shubunkin" has dropsy...quite often fatal! if you just bought it..return it for ones thats healthy!
this is what dropsy looks like:
[ame][/ame]

[lily]

thank you,
I got the fish nearly three weeks ago and I dont know if she could have had it already or caught it when I brought her home.
The pond is only four weeks old.
We wont replace her to lessen the amount of fish we have for the pond size but should I take her back to let the store know she has it or is it too late after nearly 3 weeks?

and can I do anything to help the fish in the meantime? she isnt nearly as fat as the fish in the picture but she has the appearance of an overstuffed sausage.

[koiguy1969]

http://www.gardenpon...opsy-t4552.html

[lily]

yes..
I wonder if we should just put her out of her misery then? How to do that humanely at home? she is about 3 inches long

[koiguy1969]

put her in a bag with cold water add an ice cube or two as the water gets colder it will put her to "sleep" lowering her metabolism and heart rate then put the bag in the freezer....this is about humane as it gets.

[lily]

thanks I will remember that but unfortunately the fish has died on her own when I went to check on her.
Im going to watching the others like a hawk now.

[stroppy]

oh dear lily sorry to hear about your fish

[rdk]

It's never easy losing a fish, that is the worst thing about having a pond. RDK