RE: Mysterious post-spawning disease - some answers to your questions

[Tom Mroz <tmroz@art-inc.com>]

- - water source and conditions (pH, dGH, dKH, assuming that ammonia and
nitrites were OK) - in my general experience, various pH and hardness have 
been problems.  My tap water is the least problematic at about 160 ppm and 
high 7 pH.  Of course, some of these fish won't spawn in this water though.
- - any recent introduction of new fish in the tank not in most cases
- - gender/species/age various species as previously indicated, mostly male, 
age - typically after a few spawns, so mature, but not "old".
- - previous medications given  in most cases, none, but sometimes salt
- - was the affected fish moved to another tank after spawning Not in any 
ofmy cases
- - sequence of onset of the symptoms and time they lasted  As previously 
indicated
- - medications given after the problem occurred  As previously indicated
- - were other fish in the tank affected  Never a non-apisto.  Rarely the 
mate or other apistos in the tank
- - outcome (fish dead/survived)  Always dead.  Dropsy is known to be nearly 
always fatal if not treated about 12 hours before the first symptom 
(there's a trick!).  My memory tells me I had a successful dropsy case 
once, but it was a long time ago, and I don't think it was an apisto.  I 
once kept some nijsseni going for about 2 weeks with repeated use of 
Kanacyn, but they went south as soon as I stopped treatments.

One reason the male may get sick is the expenditure of energy for spawning, 
causing a weakened state.  Of course, the female appears to put out even 
more energy, and has a bigger physiological change, so you would think she 
would have the problem, right?

Tom