Swollen side, scales seem to be sticking straight up

Question
I know you're not an expert on goldfish, but I believe this applies to many fish, maybe even those that you do know about. I have a Red Cap Oranda goldfish, and lately, it has been gasping for air. Its sides are also swollen, and the scales seem to be sticking upwards. I don't know what is causing this and how to cure it. We have an unheated, 10 gallon aquarium, and we change the water once every one or two weeks. However, my dad vacuums the gravel, and he sometimes accidently touches our fish. Could this be the cause of our fish's swelling?

Answer
Hi Anna,
 Touching the fish will not cause any problems.   Your fish has what is often called "dropsy", which doesn't really mean anything other than that it shows that particular set of symptoms, i.e., scales sticking out, etc.   There are many possible causes of this.  Less than ideal water conditions is one possibility.   Are you overfeeding the fish, such that uneaten food collects in the fish tank?   Good clean water is the most important thing for keeping a fish happy and healthy, far more than any medicine.   Rather than changing the water entirely, you should be changing only 25% once a week, every week.  That is much better because it replaces the water but does not disrupt the important bacteria that live in the tank.

-- Ron C.
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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