The Truth about dropsy, and how it will affect your Betta fish. Plus... how it actually affects other varieties of tropical fish.
What Is Dropsy and Can It Be Cured?
The state of dropsy in the Bettas or in fact in all other types of tropical fish isn't a disease but more like a symptom of a typical bacterial type of infection.
The most outstanding symptoms of fish dropsy is a swollen like and/or bloated type of condition where the scales of the fish stand out like in sharp pine cones.
If your Betta fish gets dropsy you should treat it as a serious condition> Treatment is required immediately otherwise your Betta pet could die. You really do need to administer the appropriate treatment as soon as possible. Refer to the section: "Proven Cures For Betta Fish Diseases" for the name of the appropriate medication.
What Is The Cause Of Dropsy?
In most cases it's gram negative bacteria that's lodged itself firmly in the Bettas body tissues thus affecting the Bettas kidneys and bringing about the retention of excess fluid along with water in the Bettas body.
It's the fluid retention which makes the Betta seem to bloat significantly. Another area of concern, and why Bettas are prone to getting dropsy is directly related to the condition of the water. If it is stale or polluted then the bacterial can easily attach itself to the Betta fish. It will cause the very same effects on the Bettas kidney, and the unsightly swelling of the belly and in some cases the whole body.
Proper Treatment Of Dropsy In Betta Fish
You must remember that dropsy in Betta fish is extremely serious disease symptom and you must treat it with upmost urgency.
This along with numerous other diseases can afflict both fresh and tropical salt water fish in a tank aquarium. In addition, if it's left and neglected it will not only kill your pet Betta but any other variety of fish you have introduced in the tank. In some cases the owner has had to totally replace their aquarium!
It really does pay to do periodic checks on your pet Betta and watch out for any signs of dropsy. This advice also applies to looking out for other serious Betta fish diseases as well. Do this and you'll guarantee the health and wellbeing of your pet Betta fish for years to come!
If the disease symtoms have gotten away from you, it would be wise to consult a fish doctor at your local pet store. An expert can quicklylocate the cause, and advise you of the appropriate treatment for dropsy in your pet Betta.
The following simple steps can help you to deal with a serious case of dropsy in your aquarium fish tank:
(1) Change a quarter of the the water immediately you notice any signs of disease symtoms such as dropsy in your pet Betta. (2) Make sure that you treat water with special chemicals as mentioned in the section on what type of water to use. And (3) after you've treated the water it must **NOT* be re-used anywhere else.
Next thing you should do is put the diseased Betta fish into a quarantine aquarium tank. You'll need to also treat any other varieties of 'unaffected' fish as well--just to be on the safe side.
Important: You should administer a prescribed dose of antibiotic to kill-off the infection. Use medicines such as Neomycin, Kanacyn, Maracyn, or even "tetracycline drugs" as well as anti fungicides for treatment of the aquarium tank water.
Another very important procedure you should implement is... a medicated fish bath on all of the aquarium fish. This should be done at least 2 times per day using methylene blue, Epsom salt, and electrolyte balancing salts to totally remove any fluids from your pet Betta fish and to also maintain a balance in electrolytes.
Side point: Check the labeling carefully before you apply any type of medicine during the bath procedure. Usually the instructions along with the correct quanity to use is clearly mentioned on the label of the bottle. It's probably best if you first consult somebody at your local pet store before going ahead with this procedure.
So, as you can see dropsy is one disease systom you really want your pet Betta to avoid. Using propr care and the right treatments will return your fish to a happy and healthy state again.
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