fat belly

Question
QUESTION: hi again christy
this madhav from singapore, remember few days back i sought some suggestion, ok, for the past one month my fish and plants are doing fine, i have anubias, java lace fern and water wisteria, i can see the plant groath also,i have 5 black skirt tetras, 4 orange zebra danios, 7 zebra danios, 2 swordtails, 1 flying fox and 4 rummynose tetras,
the problem is, bellies of my 2 zebra danios keep on growing(i found this 2 weeks back) and 1 died a couple of days back and 1 died today,no strange behaviour, not rubbing body to any decor, swimming and playing with mates around, apitite is also ok.
all others are fine. is this any disease? if it is so, is there any ill effect on my other fishy friends ??

ANSWER: Hi Madhava
I remember you :)  Did you ever get that ph problem figured out?  Sounds like everything's been going good.

That's hard to say exactly what happened to the 2 zebras, especially when there's no other symptoms.  It could've been internal parasites they had.  It also could've been an internal bacterial infection.  Both of those could've caused dropsy/bloat which would cause the swelling stomach.  Usually with dropsy, towards the end, the fish's scales will pinecone out.  Just make sure the water quality is good(ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates).  I would say they weren't contagious, and wouldn't infect the other fish.  But, if the other fish were eating on them after they died, they may be more prone to catch something.  But, I'd say you're probably ok.  Just keep an eye on the other fish.

Hope that helps!!

Christy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi christy,
thx for the reply,
i could not figured out whats causing ph so high.
any way, all the fishes are doing good so i dont want to alter the water chemistry with chemicals,
i heard rummynose tetras are low ph fish but they also doing fine in my tank....now all the levels(ammonia, nitrites,nitrates) are ok(zero) every week im changing 10-15% of water, feeding fish with different kinds of food(daphnia, frozen brine shrimp, frozen blood worms,  granular fish food, live worms etc) fish also growing
now im using seachem flourish excel, i can see my plants growing(plants are jave lace fern, anubias, water wisteria java moss). i dont want to tear my established tank to figure out whats causing ph spike, i want it to run as it is.
what do you say, am i stressing my fish by keeping ph at 8.2 (tank mates are...black skirt tetras, rummy nose trtras, zebra danios, sword tails)
if you suggest me restart the my tank im ready to do so (my objective is to give my fish lovely environment)
pls suggest
Madhav

Answer
Hi Madhav
Sounds like you're doing everything right....that's just so bizarre that it would raise like that.  I would say just leave it be, and definitely don't break it all down and start over.  Doesn't sound like it's bothering the fish.  Most tetras prefer a lower ph, but most fish-including the ones you have, can handle ph from 6.0-8.0 just fine.  Yours seem to be fine, so leave it be.  "If it's not broke, don't fix it" like the old saying goes :)

If you ever end up figuring out what caused it, let me know :)  

Good luck!

Christy