Apisto with Dropsy

[dan2x38]

I am sure my female apisto cockatoo has dropsy... I noticed she was bloated yesterday. Tonight she was bigger and I think the scales were raised a little. Set-up my QT added a little Epsom Salts. Also some Marcyn. I am making up some fish flakes with Metro. How does that sound?

[KLKelly]

Can apistos handle real salt and how about water hardness? 

With my goldfish who survived dropsy - we salted to 3tsp/gallon with freshwater aquarium salt and increased hardness with concentrated liquid calcium.  GH was increased to 15 drops.  I doubt an apisto if its not african could handle this treatment. 

Medicated food I think is the most important thing though.  Would it eat a gelfood - binding the metro in a gelfood would be better.  250mgs/25grams of gelfood.  You could make it with MaracynII in it also.

[dan2x38]

I added Maracyn I. I read about using grain alcohol to medicate food. So I bought some awhile ago. Tonight I took some spirlina flakes, Metro & grain alcohol mixed together until very damp. This dissolves the meds so the flake soaks it up. Then the alcohol evaporates over night. By heating meds some of their properties are lost and some are ruined. I got this method off the Hikari site.

No I have no gel food treated. I do have HM gel food but no meds. I had no other meds accept Fluke Tabs, Clout, BiFuran+ and Malfix which none of will help. I wanted to start something for a bacertia infection and gram negative I thought was the best start? Is there a better med? I think she will eat still so this why I mixed up the Metro with food. Plus the spirlina will likely not cause any consipation making things worse.

Doubt she has a chance... 

[KLKelly]

I forgot you had that method with food.  If it is dropsy its a crap shoot.  Abdominal swelling does accompany it often.  If it is bloat maybe the metro will be enough for her to recover.   The Maracyn will give her an extra shot to overcome infection.  I wish I knew more about fish other than goldfish

[pcole6765]

Apistos are actually south american. I have added aquarium salt to my tank when one of my fish recently got ich. They all did fine but one went missing.

[fischkopp]

In my experience: as soon as an apisto bloats it will be too late for a treatment and he will very likely pass over within the next 24 hours. Sorry to say

[dan2x38]

In my experience: as soon as an apisto bloats it will be too late for a treatment and he will very likely pass over within the next 24 hours. Sorry to say

Yeah I pretty much figured that. 

[dan2x38]

Knock on wood - crossing fingers - hope I am not cursing her!

She is still alive. She was eating and swimming a little. Since she was eating I feed her my HM medicated Metro food. For awhile I only feed her spirlina or veggie flakes and tiny crumbled up amounts. She was showing signs she was underfeed. Even knowing the risk I decided to try a little something different - to feed hi-protein food at small amounts. I used FD Brine Shrimp (51% protein) and other feedings crushed up FD Krill/Mysis Shrimp (62% protein) - TopFin FD Shrimp Medley. My thinking was an increase in amino-acids would help her heal. I added spirlina later in small amounts. What did I have to loss?

She is displaying, swimming in mid tank and eating no problem but limiting the feeding still. She has gone down in size a great deal. I did a lot to try and save her since Mar. 25th. She is not totally recovered but I am sure hoping. Dropsy is usually a death sentence. In fact have not been successful with bloat recovery so dropsy I was sure she'd be dead by morning.

She has gone through a lot in almost 3 weeks which is a good sign; I hope?