Hi,
My Calimari definitely has dropsy. All the signs. And today looks abit pineconish. When I got back from vacation a few days ago, I just thought he had gotten plump. WRONG!! I could kick myself! He is having troubles swimming properly.

Could I please get some specific info on treatment. I just put him in the 10 gallon hospital tank that I cleaned out with Hydrogen peroxide. I added new fresh water with one of the filters from the larger tank (the other fish seem fine). I added Prime and 2 tbsp on my salt. Just added Marcyn 2. I am treating with Medigold too.

I will get a heater and am going to run out and get epsom salts. Do I treat 1/8 tsp /per 5 gallon? I get confused about this .3% concentration too -- I don't want to oversalt. As I said, I did add abit of salt already to the tank (2 Tbsp).

I'd appreciate the guidance.
Thanks, Lisa

Sorry to hear that Calamari isn't doing so well.......

For epsom salt, its 1/8 tsp per 5 gl. The 0.3% solution is for aquarium or rock salt, but epsom salt is about the only one you should be using. Epsom salt has been known to draw liquids out of the body, which is exactly what dropsy is. The fish can not do that anymore himself for various reasons.
Do you know how the dropsy came upon? Any water changes with the temperature being off? ....

Sorry you having trouble with fishy. My fishy had trouble with Dropsy too about a month ago and it was so big it looked like a porccupine with scales.

This is what I did and I it worked so hopefully it will work for you. But I used aquarium salt instead. For three consecutive days I gave my littly fishy salt dips twice a day. Salt concentration is about .6-.8%. Check out the salt dip instruction on this site. Remember that you can't just leave your fishy in the dip. MUST WATCH IT CAREFULLY FOR SIGNS OF STRESS.

After the third day I stopped with the salt dips and the fishy went back to normal. Hope that helps with your problem.

Thanks for the answers. I do have another question. Do I add 1/8 tsp of epsom salts repeatedly (each day)? So far I have 2 TBsp of aquarium salt and then I did add 1/8 tsp of epsoms.

I still get confused about what quantity of aquarium salt equals a .3% concentration. For my general info, could someone just fill me in please?

I will look at the salt dip instructiions too. Thanks.

I'm not sure what brought this Dropsy on but he had been getting bumps then ulcers on 2 earlier occasions. My other fish, Puddle had popeye and this weird bump on the left -- I had posted about it awhile back. He didn't make it

I was on vacation for 6 days and returned to my swollen fish. There was some ammonia in the water unfortunately. All other parameters are good. I have been finding it hard to get the tank cycled again after using Maracyn meds.

I did have 4 in a 30 gallon (so alittle overcrowded unfortunately). I now have 1 in an 10 gallon hospital tank (Calimari) and the other 3 in their 30 gallon.

I hope Calimari survives this. Thanks, Lisa

For your salt concentration, since you're using epsom salt it should be 1/8 per 5 gal like ranchugurl said. And you dont need to continue adding salt unless you change water.

As far as your medicated tank is concerned, here is what I ususally do to medicated water. I do a 30% to 40% water change the first day and then 25% water change for 4 more days. By the fifth day your water should be rid of any meds. Be sure to recondition the water after every water change.

Hope calamari makes it.

I've gone thru several pounds of aquarium salt in the last 2 weeks, and this is what I do based on a salt level test kit. For 0.3% I use 1.7 tsp for 1 gallon and 8.3 tsp. for 5 gallons. There is a lot of misinformation out there, and I also suspect the amount of salt to use depends on the coarseness of the particles. My goldfish seem pretty salt tolerant because when I went by recommended dosages without the salt test kit I had the fish in 0.54% rather than the 0.3% I wanted. It didn't seem to bother the fish. As for Epson salts, I know nothing. Good luck.
Milo

Thanks for the helpful information!!!!
Lisa