Dropsy: How to Treat Your Bloated Goldfish?
If your goldfish is looking fat, puffy, overweight, or bloated, it might be dropsy affecting your goldfish. Generally, the size of goldfish is big by nature, carrying voracious appetites and growing by length up to 12 inches, requiring a large aquatic environment. However, when your fat goldfish looks abnormal, there can be plenty of reasons other than dropsy. So, read this article to know why your goldfish look bloated or swollen.
What is Dropsy in Goldfish?
Dropsy is another term used for Edema, which refers to the excessive growth of fluid inside the kidneys of your fish due to bacterial infection. The prime cause of dropsy in goldfish is the unnatural aquatic environment. It can be either too cold or too toxic. Dropsy can lead to swelling and decrease the immune system of your fat fish. Additionally, dropsy is linked to kidney failure, bad osmoregulation, and internal infections. High bio loads in the fish tank make the ecosystem smaller and can cause harmful infections to your fish.
Why Do Your Goldfish Look Bloated?
There are numerous reasons your fish appears bloated or fat; below are the main causes that can take place.
#1. Carrying Eggs
Your chubby goldfish may look slightly bigger from the belly because it might be carrying eggs. It’s common when your female fish is pregnant and not overly fat; it’s an ideal shape in most conditions. You can also confirm if your fish has enlarged vents; it’s where eggs will come out. In this condition, there should be a male fish and freshwater at the right temperature. It is because if eggs stay bound, fish can get sick.
#2. Overfeeding
Sometimes your fish does not carry eggs but still looks overweight. It’s the result of overfeeding or serving the wrong type of foods that can create digestive problems. You can try to serve less or healthier food to your fish; the type of healthy fish food can vary from species to species; hence do a little research. When your goldfish with a fat belly lives in a populated or smaller tank, it also generates more waste, increasing ammonia and decreasing oxygen levels. If your fat goldfish is gasping at the water surface, you must understand that there is poor water quality in the fish tank. And you must replace it with fresh water and serve less food than regular.
#3. Tumour
Your bloated goldfish can also be caused by a tumour, making its size larger. Generally, such tumours look uneven, and there is not much concern until they do not affect fish’s mobility. However, there is hardly any treatment when a cancerous tumour causes your chubby goldfish. Hence, you must provide sufficient space in the tank and change the water after the ideal time. You should also take care of your fish’s healthy diet plan.
#4. Sickness
Sickness is another reason puffy goldfish look larger than usual. The main disease that affects most fish is dropsy. Dropsy is a disease that makes your fish’s size larger, like a pinecone. When you see such symptoms in your fish, you must quarantine it in a different tank; otherwise, it will spread to other fishes. There are some antibiotic treatments for chubby goldfish; however, it’s good to consult with your veterinarian.
How to Treat Goldfish Dropsy?
A healthy environment in a fish tank significantly impacts aquatic pets’ longevity and mobility. If your fish tank is crowded, it will release high ammonia, making your fish more prone to dropsy disease. Hence, follow the below-mentioned steps to take some necessary dropsy preventative measures.
- Turn off all electronic devices like your fish tank’s filter and heater.
- Bring a bucket and reduce the fish tank’s existing water by 25%.
- Take a gravel vacuum or siphon and start cleaning the substrate in the fish tank. It helps to reduce the ammonia count and fish waste from the fish tank.
- Get fresh water from the tap and add it with a conditioning or dechlorinating agent; let it settle for a while.
- Come back to the fish tank and set the water temperature around 25ºC.
- It’s time to add the freshwater you prepared to add to the fish tank. Make sure you do not shock fish; execute this step gently.
- You have refilled the water and cleaned the fish tank; now plug in electronics after cross-checking. Remember, your fish tank’s water PH should range from 6.5 to 7.5.
Summary
If your goldfish do not carry any of the causes mentioned above, it means your fat goldfish is healthy and growing with time. You can bring a larger fish tank that makes your fish feel comfortable and gives a healthier environment. However, you can consult your veterinarian to know about your fish’s health.
