Now a sick fish too!

[myswtsins]

Today I found one of my other fish (I have the injured goldie) sitting on the bottom, bloated, pinecone scales and missing scales with a sort of gel where the missing scales are (could be fungus? but didn't really look like it). Seems like dropsy of course. I know their are many reasons for the signs of dropsy though, tumor, swollen organ, fluids building up because of bacterial or viral infections or an infestation of internal parasites even. What should my first course of action be? It is separated from the main pond ATM but with the other fish still using my spare tank the best I could do for him is the tote that he is in. I DO have a microscope now but I can never seem to "see" anything with it.

EDIT: I do have an isolation basket that I can out into the pond.

This video shows it best but pictures are attached as well.

 

[Tula]

I'm sorry to see another sick fish I'm not an expert, but I've read over the years, there are only certain things that result in sickness and often water quality is associated. Parasites are always present, but become problematic, when the immune system is compromised.

Just a few points to consider:

Are you over stocked?
Have you checked your water parameters?
Since you have a scope, have you tried scoping these two fish?
Have you looked at their gills?

Again, I'm so expert, just a fellow fish lover, sharing information I've read over the years.

 

[myswtsins]

Way under stocked, about 4,000g with 30ft stream and several waterfalls, 10'x3' bog filter, waterfall filter and large gravel pit basin with 20 goldfish and only 2 are near full grown, most are in the 6" range and several are new babies. 0-0-0 ammonia, nitrite, nitrates (tons of plants).

I have not scoped these fish. I have tried to scope several other fish though. I scoped fish I bought this year that were in QT and dying (costia is what the best guess became). After salt treatment deaths stopped and after 5 weeks with no deaths the 3 survivors were added to the pond, they are still doing great and have almost doubled in size. After that I did buy another 6 fish and all but one of them died too. Lone survivor was in QT for an additionally 4 weeks after any deaths and added to the pond recently, he was never seen again though. Worried!

Other than that I can not think of any recent changes or stressful situations. Other than the other fish getting hurt and developing fungus on her wounds (which I am told is not contagious?) The water temp has been between 64 and 70 so I cut back feeding a bit.

I have not looked at their gills. What is the best method to do this?

Upon more reading dropsy seems to start behind the head and work it's way down the body. That is not the case here.

I tried to feed him some deshelled peas just now but he had ZERO interest.

 

[Tula]

I think to look at their gills, you just gently lift the edge up, carefully. Obviously, you'd have to catch the fish first and perhaps anesthetize it, so as to not stress it.

I wish I had answers for you. Did you source all these fish from the same place? Did you disinfect your QT tank after costia ?

Again, I wish I had answer.......got to be upsetting.

 

[myswtsins]

Very upsetting, thanks for trying!

The original fish were all from a neighbor and the 2 new batches this year were from the same store (only place that had them). Yes I disinfected with a bleach solution in between batches.

 

[Faebinder]

Fungal infections on the surface should be easy to treat.

Bring both fish in a 30 gallon tank, add antifungal to the water, put a filter without the carbon. Change all the water every 3 days, keep adding the medicine. Two weeks and you should see a difference enough to put the fish back in the pond.

Not a fish doctor here but I'm presuming this is fungal. If this is bacterial then you gonna need medicated food because the other fish did have it deep enough. OF course you could treat both (water with antifungal and medicated food). If the fish don't recover fast enough they may need to stay in for the winter.

It's a guessing game now since you cant scrap.

As for the pond, change all the water and treat with potassium permanganate IMO or if you must use an antifungal that has formalin it but that may kill your algae and some snails if you got any.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Dropsy, as you have stated, is a symptom of several different fish health issues....all internal.
External treatments will produce no positive change in this condition and may do more harm than good. Scrapings are also worthless in diagnosing internal disease. Medicated food is about the only option that you have not really knowing what the real medical issue is.
Epsom salt, not regular Sodium Chloride, may or may not help in drawing some of the excess fluid from the fish's body. This only treats the symptom. Feed Medicated food for about a week, if no change treat with Maracyn Two. If still no change after treatment, there is nothing more that can be done for your fish as the condition is likely not bacteria-based but viral-based for which there are no cures.

 

[myswtsins]

Fish passed this morning. Could someone point me to a good autopsy/necropsy guide? I can't seem to find anything that tells you how to do and what to look for.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Fish passed this morning. Could someone point me to a good autopsy/necropsy guide? I can't seem to find anything that tells you how to do and what to look for.

Need veterinary training to be able to do a necropsy.

 

[Tula]

I'm very sorry about the loss of your fish. In the below link, this koi vet, does a necropsy on a fish that had dropsy.

Again, very sorry for the loss of your fish.