Inka, you took the words right out of my mouth! :iagree:
Indeed, dropsy is almost always caused by poor water quality and inadequate filtration or inadequate filter maintenance.
I would perform filter maintenance on the main tank today as well as a large water change (50%+) and a thorough gravel vacuum.
Also, adding aquarium salt is a great idea. It hadn't even occurred to me, but it will probably help your fish feel comfortable. Since freshwater fish have a higher salt concentration in their bodies than in the fresh water around them, their kidneys are normally very efficient at pushing out water and reabsorbing salt from urine before it's excreted. Dropsy is usually a symptom of kidney failure, so your little guy is likely suffering from salt loss and stress, making it harder for him to get better. Adding salt to the water will help him retain the right amount of salt and will probably just plain make him a lot more comfortable.
How large is the tank and how many inhabitants?
You may not have enough filtration. Goldfish tanks usually need double the filtration of the average tank. Type of filter is important, too. HOB filters are probably the worst choice, canisters being the best. Also, be sure to vacuum the gravel thoroughly.
Probably the most common problem is overfeeding. I was so bad about overfeeding I started using a measuring spoon to monitor how much my fish ate. That solved my own water quality issues.
Sounds like you're doing great with the dropsy treatment. You might think about getting a cheap HOB filter to run on the treatment tank. Even though HOBs are terrible at keeping a bacteria colony, the tetracycline would kill off good bacteria anyway, and HOBs are good for simple water movement and mechanical filtration, to keep the water clean and poo-free.
Good luck!
Indeed, dropsy is almost always caused by poor water quality and inadequate filtration or inadequate filter maintenance.
I would perform filter maintenance on the main tank today as well as a large water change (50%+) and a thorough gravel vacuum.
Also, adding aquarium salt is a great idea. It hadn't even occurred to me, but it will probably help your fish feel comfortable. Since freshwater fish have a higher salt concentration in their bodies than in the fresh water around them, their kidneys are normally very efficient at pushing out water and reabsorbing salt from urine before it's excreted. Dropsy is usually a symptom of kidney failure, so your little guy is likely suffering from salt loss and stress, making it harder for him to get better. Adding salt to the water will help him retain the right amount of salt and will probably just plain make him a lot more comfortable.
How large is the tank and how many inhabitants?
You may not have enough filtration. Goldfish tanks usually need double the filtration of the average tank. Type of filter is important, too. HOB filters are probably the worst choice, canisters being the best. Also, be sure to vacuum the gravel thoroughly.
Probably the most common problem is overfeeding. I was so bad about overfeeding I started using a measuring spoon to monitor how much my fish ate. That solved my own water quality issues.
Sounds like you're doing great with the dropsy treatment. You might think about getting a cheap HOB filter to run on the treatment tank. Even though HOBs are terrible at keeping a bacteria colony, the tetracycline would kill off good bacteria anyway, and HOBs are good for simple water movement and mechanical filtration, to keep the water clean and poo-free.
Good luck!
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