HI

I hope that some can advise me on what is wrong with the Kio/carp. I notice tonight that this fish looked like a swollen pinapple (yes I know I should not insult it) as soon as I caught it I noticed it was very red under the scales as soon as I touch the area it started bleeding. Please can you let me know what caused this as I don't want my other fish dying. I have got some photos of the fish if needed.

Thank you

Dropsy

In the case of 'dropsy' or 'pine-cone disease' the fish's body often swells up, the eyes may start to bulge out (exophthalmia) and some or all of the scales may stand out from the body, giving the appearance of a pine-cone, hence the common name. This is an extremely serious condition having many possible causes. It is important to understand that it is merely a clinical description of the condition: there is no actual disease called ‘dropsy'. Dropsy could indicate a contagious infection so it makes sense to isolate any affected fish.

A long-term bath of salt at one-ounce per gallon may help reduce osmotic stress and in general I would recommend a course of antibiotics in case the problem is bacterial. It is reasonable to assume that the condition is stressful to fish and, unless there are signs of improvement, it may be kinder to euthanase the fish, rather than prolong its suffering.

There is no "real" cure for dropsy.

You can try high salt levels and anti-biotics but 9 out of 10 times it is a hopeless cause.

Remember to seperate the koi from the rest.

Wayne