Dropsy?

[MBRMan]

Dropsy??? Please help!!

I am worried about my fancy calico goldfish. He seems to have gotton a bloated tummy, and droops his tail, and just isnt himself (sometimes he will just sit at the bottom of the tank belly resting on the rocks :sad: .. He is still eating, but not with the vigor he used to. This has been going on for a couple weeks. We have a black moor, and another calico and a regular fancy goldfish in the tank with him. The rest have acted a bit funny, but none with the bloated tummy. We thought at first maybe he was constipated so we have been giving them peas, but it doesnt seemed to have helped.
His scales arent popped out, but look as if they could, he just looks very bloated and fat.
Does this sound like Dropsy?
If so, what can we do for him?
What about the others, should they be treated with him??
Please help! I dont want him to suffer.
Thanks in advance

 

[jm1212]

1st- how big is the tank? any tank under 55 gallons would be to small for all four of them
2nd- do you feed them flakes? fancys have a tendancy to have swimbladder issues if they eat from the surface too much
3rd- what are your readings for ammoina, nitrite, and nitrate?

 

[MBRMan]

Hi
They are in a 29g, but get 1/3 water changes daily, usually they are quite happy, the other fancy is a female and has spawned for 9mo straight.
Nitrite & Ammon are 0

Nitrates are 20

As for the flake food, once in awhile they get it, for the most part they get Hikari floating pellets.

I really feel like its dropsy, just dont know what to do for him

 

[Candycat21]

Sounds more like swim bladder disorder...caused from taking in too much air while feeding. Do you soak the pellets for a few minutes before feeding? If you do, it will elliminate the need for the goldies to feed from the surface. All food given to them should be fed below the waters surface so that they don't develope any swim bladder problems.
Look at your fish from the surface of the water....does he have that pineconing effect at all? Even slightly? If not, I doubt it's dropsy, but I can't see the fish so I could be wrong...
Swim bladder can be caused from injury as well, so it could be multiple things causing it.