Blisters on fish?

[Donna (UK)]

Hi All

My boyfriend and I pulled out a baby fish from last year as it was
swimming around the top of the pond. Upon looking at it, it has a pine
cone effect (second fish to get dropsy now) and on its sides it has
what looks like round blister type lumps... Any idea what this is, I
have tried looking for parasites but am drawing blanks as can not find
any photos to compare it to.

Thank you

[Frank]

Donna (UK) wrote,
>Upon looking at it, it has a pine
>cone effect (second fish to get dropsy now) .....

Not saying that it isn't dropsy, but there is a couple of other reasons
why it could look that way (bloated). It could be constipation. Another
reason for bloating could be a parasitic problem. If it's bloated and
_won't_ eat, it could be internal hexamita (malawi bloat). You will
need to treat the rest of the fish within the pond also. Treated with
metronidazole medicated food - pond dose is 1/2 teaspoon per 1/2 pound
of food - Don't feed for a week to 10 days, to make the fish feel like
it's starving - then feed the medicated food for 5 to 7 days. You might
also have to treat the water if they still won't eat... If it's bloated
but _does_ eat, it's likely to be internal parasites (likely worms) and
is treated with fluke-Tabs, or Praziquantel mixed in food. 1/4 teaspoon
per 100 grams of food - feed 3 to 5 days. UK - you might not be able to
buy Metronidazole and have to go with a livestock de-wormer called
Fenbenzadole. Dose at 1/4 teaspoon per 20 gals. Treat day one - day two
do a 50% water change, day three another 50% water change, and so no
for three weeks, ending treatment with two 50% daily water changes and
add carbon to remove the medication.

>and on its sides it has
>what looks like round blister type lumps...

Being in a pond, my first guess would be a cold water protozoan
infectation called Chilondonella, also water treated with Metronidazole
for 10 days. Due to poor water quality. If you can't get the
Metronidazole, a 3% salt dip for 30 sec. followed by a quickcure
treatment for 3 days might work....
Could also very well be a parasitic fungus called Saprolegnia, treated
with an anti-fungus medication *and* an anti-parasite medication
(fungus guard + quickcure), 3 to 5 day treatment.

>second fish to get dropsy now.......

With dropsy, the fish not only blows up, but both its eyes bulge out
almost like pop-eye. Treating it is like flipping a coin, and that's
treating it here in the USA where we can get the medication needed. The
water needs to be free of any salt. 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom Salts per 5
gals. feeding Erythromycin laced food, or Romet "B". Takes 4 days to a
week for the disease to even start to resolve. Treatment takes 30 days,
and like I said, 50% of the time, the fish won't make
it................... Frank