you need to change water, especially if that isnt a heated 100 gallon
tank. suck some water down, add the dechlor and then add 86oF water
to the tank. the water needs to be pristine, just adding ammo lock
isnt going to do it.
dont keep adding antibiotic to the tank water. it will take 2-3 weeks
for the scales to come down, then another month at the higher temp and
then very slowly lower the temp looking for "re" pineconing. she may
have to live at higher temps, but the other fish wont mind.

dont combine this treatment with anyone else's recommendations. nobody
else has been able to treat dropsy except using Jo Ann's methodology.
as you noted at the start, most people say it is hopeless or suggest
adding regular salt to the tank... which actually worsens the problem.

anybody know where to get antibiotic food online it would be good to
chime in now. Ingrid

On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 15:35:20 -0400, wrote:

"Goldie" is still hanging in there.
I've got her in her own separate tank, and she has adapted ok.
She is very swollen with the scales still sticking out.
I have the water temp at a constant 86-87 degrees. I could not
find any rommet B, so I am using maracyn-2 in the water, which
contains 10mg minocycline in each packet.
She is still eating and pooping. I'm keeping the water clean and
fresh. Nitrites and nitrates are 0, but she does keep prooducing
small amounts of ammonia, which I get rid of with an ammonia
neutralizer (and also sucking out the bottom a couple times each day
to get rid of poop and uneaten food.
I've got very good aeration going. And I've got some epsom salt
in the water.
I think I've done about all I can do. The only other thing would
be antibiotic food.
I'll just have to let time pass and see if she can make it
through, although I'm still prepared for the worst.

Dr. Solo, can you think of anything else?

She first came down with other signs about mid-august (pop-eye and
cloudy eye, dark spots, etc (see 8-22 post) but those cleared up.
The dropsy swollenness and pineconing appeared about 5 days ago, on
9-5.
The probable cause was a lapse in care on my part, neglecting to
change the water when the nitrates got too high. (I aalways thought
ammonia and nitrite were the dangerous ones, not nitrates.)
I've learned alot in the past 3 weeks.

For anyone who might be interested in this ongoing situation, I
will keep up occassional posts.
I would still be interested in hearing from anyone with helpful
suggestions.

Dave123