Sick fish with scales sticking out

I have two sick fish who happen to be the same breed, some type of tetra. Both of them appear to have their scales sticking out at a slight angle - not severe, but noticeable. Does this mean anything significant? I've had them for several months, and now both of them are showing the same symptoms.

Pinecone fish. Sounds like 'dropsy' or acute kidney failure. The fish have filled with fluid because their kidneys have failed and are so bloated their scales stick out like an angle. Usually by the time a fish is so sick that it's into acute renal failure it is very difficult to do much, and the fish is likely suffering.

I would personally euthanize the sick fish with clove oil. I've never had much luck at healing fish once they're into kidney failure, nor have any of the fish disease experts I've met.

If you want to try treating them, Aquatronics Paragon II is an excellent broad-spectrum medication but it's gotten hard to find. My second choice is Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Furan 2. Don't use either of these in your display tank, and sterilize the quarantine when you're done to avoid growing resistant strains of bacteria.

Likely dropsy - scales start to lift as the fish blows up, then bulging eyes, then death. Early treatment is vital. Acute kidney failure most likely due to eather a large later change or organic laden water = (osmotic pressure shock). Osmoregulation is the control of body fluids. If a fish is unable to regulate body fluids, it will die. I disagree with 'M' adding salt as part of the treatment. By osmosis, the fish take in the surrounding water, salts, ions, etc and rid their body of excess water by constant urination. With dropsy they cannot - the body fluids of a fish contain more dissolved salts than the surrounding water, salt *retains* water, so you _would not_ want to add salt to the tank. Start treatment by adding 1/4 teaspoon of Epsom Salts per 5 gals., feed a medicated food for 10 days, and add 200 mg of erythromycin per 10 gal. It takes 4 or 5 days for dropsy to even begain to resolve - treatment is for 30 days. Kind of a flip of a coin thing - should you treat, or euthanize. Eather way, remove the sick fish from the tank, add the Epsom Salt and feed the rest of the fish with a medicated food for 10 days (preventive treatment).......... Frank