It is recommended to consult with your local fish store about the correct diagnosis as well as a possible treatment. In some cases the belly may be inflated, red spots can be seen on the skin, as well as damage to the fins. This disease is caused by a pathogen on which researches cannot agree. Like Ich, dropsy is extremely infectious. Fish are mainly receptive to dropsy if they have been weakened by stressful conditions caused by poor water conditions or another disease.
Treatment is difficult, therefore prevention is key.
Good maintenance of the water conditions as well as early detection and treatment of other diseases is a good measure. If a fish is diagnosed with dropsy, the ailing fish should be immediately removed and destroyed. They are mostly found around the head and the eyes. A certain amount of gas is always dissolved in liquid in relationship to such factors as pressure and temperature. When these gas levels are to high, the water will constantly attempt to release the gas in the form of small bubbles.