My Platty

Question
Well, my 1/2 inch platy was found dead today, and I was wondering why.A few days ago, her scales started to get ruffled, and was looking pretty fat.The only things different about the past week was we got a glowfish to put into our tank.Any clue?

Answer
Hi Maddie,
I'm sorry to hear about your platy. It sounds like "Dropsy". This disease is characterized by a swollen or hollow abdomen (Ascites). A concentration of fluid in the body tissues and cavities causes the fish's abdomen to become swollen and appear bloated. Swollen areas may exhibit a "pine cone" appearance caused by the fish's scales sticking out.
The condition affects the fish's internal organs, ceasing proper function. Dropsy is fairly easy to diagnose non-specifically, however, it is much harder to diagnose the cause. The main cause is bacterial infection. The causative agent may be introduced through food, poor water quality, a bacterial infection in a new addition. Edema due to kidney failure or ascites due to liver or heart failure are other possible causes.
Dropsy is not very contagious, however Dropsy can possibly spread from the ill fish by causing stress among the other fish in the community. This extra stress may make the others vulnerable to dropsy or other forms of disease. If you see that any of your other fish begin acting lethargic, listless, appear to be getting swollen, have sunken eyes, hang at the top or the bottom of the system constantly or have no interest in feeding, these are signs of dropsy. A simple solution of Epsom salts(at 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons of tank water volume)and the aquarium water, can be very effective in aiding recovery if it is done before the "pine cone" stage. Once the scales start popping out, the internal damage is generally too extensive for recovery. I would also perform at least a 50% water change as soon as you can. And another one in 4 to 5 days. Remove/lessen the possibility of any agents that may cause this problem to continue. Good water quality and a healthy diet are the best ways to prevent all forms of diseases in your fish. I would also set up a small quarantine tank for any new additions if you dont already have one. So you can observe any new comers for a week to 3 weeks before adding them to your main tank to prevent introduction of new parasites, contagions or illness. Im sorry again. Hope this helps explain and helps you prevent further loss.