I think my guppy has dropsy

[MorknMindy]

This morning when I went to feed the guppies I found one of the females had swollen up so large that her scales are sticking out so I think she has dropsy. She is still eating well and the water looks good ammonia 0 nitrite 0 ph 7.2

I was just wondering if there is a treatment or if I should just put her out of her misery now.

We no longer have a quarantine tank due to over active guppies it is now our guppy tank. So I have no way of separating her.

[MorknMindy]

We have just checked the water hardness and it is way up don't know how we are using the same filtered water we have used all along any ideas before I lose the lot would really be appreciated.

We are testing the water filter now

[Pegasus]

Hi MM, nice to see you on the boards

Sound very much like what you say... but it "could" be just overly pregnant, as they get pretty fat when bulging with fry, especially in the fully mature females.

You comment on:

due to over active guppies

I don't know if this is the cause, but constantly breeding and interbreeding with the same batch of guppies over a prolonged period can often lead to undesireable traits showing up over time.

Many of these traits are deformities, poor finnage, fish that get sick quickly, and sometimes bent spines.

The answer here is to introduce some new strains with the best of the selection you have.

Often dropsy is fatal, but there are some cures that are said to work, but I can't say I have had much luck with them.

There are a few threads on the subject here if you use the search at the head of the page.

All the best,

Bill.