Black Moor is not well...

Question
Hi,

I have 2 fish, a black moor and an oranda...neither is doing well but the black moor is especially sick...
I've had the black moor since March/April, and we bought the oranda recently (about a week ago)...

Black Moor: he was always such an active little guy. A few days ago I noticed that he was getting fatter but nothing else looked out of the ordinary so I didn't think much of it. However, just the other day he started spending an awful lot of time on the bottom of the tank. And now that I've looked more closely, he seems to be exhibiting signs of dropsy (droopy attitude and fins, scales sticking him out and making him look a bit like a blowfish...) His eyes seem normal, they're not larger or anything. However, he also has another problem, there are little white dots on his tail and on his body...Earlier today, he would come up to feed but now I've tried feeding him some peas, even put them right up to his face, and he's just not eating anything...I'm really starting to get worried...

Oranda: the oranda also has white dots on his tail and body but he's just as happy as ever and shows no other weird symptoms or behaviours...and he's eating normally...

The tank isn't very big, it's a bit over a gallon...we've had it since we bought the black moor (he's our first fish)

We use an airstone and we also have several fern-type plants that we bought and no one knew the name...(java ferns perhaps?)

I haven't measured the pH, ammonia, or nitrite levels...

I try to change the water every week or so...we usually do  about a 50% change...we used to do 100% but we realized that was a bad thing so we stopped...

I've put in a bit of sea salt as I've read that it could help...I've also fed (or rather tried to feed) the black moor some peas...but he refuses to eat anything...

I don't know what to do and he's such a cute little guy...I'm afraid he's dying...what can I do to help him?

Thanks in advance...

Answer
Hi Kat,
It sounds like your black moor does in fact have dropsy. Unfortunately its really bad news since your fish has progressed to the advanced stages of dropsy with bloating, scales sticking out, and refusing to eat. There is only a small chance he'll make it. This is because dropsy is actually a symptom of many things, whether it be viral, bacterial infection, kidney failure, tumors or possibly even parasites. The only thing you can do is try your best. But keep in mind that dropsy victims are rarely cured. It also sounds like your Black Moor and Oranda have white spot or ick parasites. You'd need to start treatment on them right away. So what I'd do is make close to a 90% water change, and start a medication. What's tricky here is we have to treat for two different illnesses. With the white spot you can cure it if you catch it early. But with the dropsy you can only try your best with an anti-bacterial medication.
Mardel's medications are all usually compatible with each-other and your best bet may be to try them out on that. Maracide is made by mardel and it will treat white spot. And Maracyn-two is an anti-bacterial medication that should be compatible with the maracide.  Maracyn-two can also help guard them against secondary infection due to their weakened immune system from the ick.

Keep up with those water changes throughout, even if the medications say not to. It's perfectly safe and vital to keep your fish healthy. I'd do 90% every day. Make sure the gravel is clean also. It would be best if you moved your goldfish into a much larger tank. An inexpensive 10-gallon would be 100 times better than what they are in now. The 1-gallon tank they are in now can be a very dangerous situation for them. Goldfish produce a lot of waste and ammonia levels can build up shockingly fast in such a small tank. Try to get them into a 10-gallon tank with a power filter and cover. They will be so much healthier and better off in this and it will help them recover better.

For now, start the medications, keep up with those daily water changes and hope for the best.
Salt won't be necessary as long as you have the medications.
I'm really sorry about your goldies, I hope you can save them.
Best of luck!
Karen~
For more on Dropsy:
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/Dropsy.html