# Sick & Bloated Black Skirt Tetra



## GoldieATX (Feb 15, 2010)

So I have a couple of Black Skirt Tetras in a community tank. I noticed just today that one of them has a swollen belly. It also seems to be struggling (head up) near the water's surface and breathing rapidly. It did not eat. It reacts to me and swims away (making photos difficult), but it eventually returns to the upper corner of the tank by itself. It interacts with other fish a bit, but is pretty slow and listless for the most part.

I don't know how old the fish is. I've had it for only 6 months or so. It's in a 60 gallon moderately planted tank with plenty of healthy fish. Water quality is stable and within normal parameters, though nitrates are getting high (20-30ppm), so I'll change water tomorrow.

So, what's the diagnosis? Dropsy/Infection? Just full of eggs? What do you think? 

Sorry for the bad photos. My good camera is _all_ the way downstairs.


















This is a reflection, so both fishes are the problem fish:









Thanks in advance for the help.


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## TheCrabbyTabby (Nov 10, 2010)

Uh oh! Looks like dropsy!! 

Better quarantine the fish pronto just to be safe. Sad to say that most cases of dropsy are fatal.


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## Bree (Dec 17, 2010)

I would do as said above, so quarantine him, then do a water change in the main tank.

Are his scales pin-coning? I can't tell from the shots, if they are then dropsy is pretty much 100% the problem. He could have internal parasites. Try using Maraycn and Maracyn II together if you can, my betta keeps getting this problem, and i feed him boiled peas, keep his water super clean with lots of air but little movement, and dose with the medican stated above. 

I hope this fella gets better, good luck!!


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## GoldieATX (Feb 15, 2010)

There wasn't real pine-coning, but he was indeed pretty bloated and the eyes looked bulging a bit, so I'll go with dropsy. He died overnight, so now I'll just keep an eye on everyone else and hope it didn't spread to any others. Thanks for the replies!


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## UniversalArmy (Mar 3, 2014)

*Black skirt tetra*

Ok so my black shirt tetra is bloated similar to yours but not as bad, he does not hide or anything, he will act normal. The only thing he does not do is eat. His scales are not pine coning, but he is bloated. will someone help me! I don't want him to die because he is the oldest fish in my tank.


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## UniversalArmy (Mar 3, 2014)

And it's also mostly on his lest side too, like his right side is nearly normal....


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## jmf3460 (Aug 21, 2013)

Epsom salt bath then add it to the tank


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