Betta Fin Rot + Conspitation/Dropsy

[BeccaBlain]

Hey, all. I had to go on an impromptu trip to Northern Ontario on Wednesday, and I had to leave my fish alone. (In a cycling tank, no less.)

I came home to find Pearl and Steel in good form, happily demanding their supper. Moe, on the other hand, has fin rot and constipation, possibly the starts of dropsy. I quarentined him immediately, and treated the tank with both parasite guard and fungus eliminator by Jungle (as the stores near here don't carry BettaWhatever, etc)

He had been fasted 5 days, and was just fed peas. Any suggestions/ideas of how high his chances are? He looks like hes 9 months pregnant and ready to burst and giving me a pathatic look, but he was MORE than happy to devour the pea I fed him. (the other two boys got their normal food, in a slightly smaller amount, and a little bit of pea as well.)

I think that was the right thing (only thing?) to do, but I'm not sure ... I've been in a car for 10 hours and I'm bloody exhausted.

Thanks.

 

[steppy104]

sorry...i don't know about these kind of things. but good luck on gettin him better....as hard as ur trying, he'll probably pull through...it's great that you care for ur fish so much...keep up the good work!

 

[astroboy]

If its dropsy, then by the time he shows the pine cone its too late.

Give him a chance, if he starts to lay sideways on the bottom gasping for air...i think it may be best to put him down.

 

[Sorrell]

I've had bettas lay on their sides and heave for a whole day and be fine the next after some stress coat and salt.

Have you added salt?

 

[Dakota Ice]

He's most likely just constipated, all my bettas went through that bursting look, but came out fine. The pea should help. If the scales start to stick out or look like a pinecone, post back with the water levels, etc.

Good Luck!
Dakota

 

[BeccaBlain]

Thanks for thereplies, everyone..

I hadn't added salt to the quarentine last night, I was going to, but I fell asleep before I remembered to do it XD (Go figure, eh?)

I don't have a testing kit for the water at the moment, but the other two fish in the tank were fine, and not even pissy about having fasted for 5 days. Moe was looking a little pecky right before I left (and I suppose I'm surprised he made it the five days alone..)

His scales have not gone pine cone yet, but pieces of his tail is falling off

The worst part about this is the fact hes trying so hard to be a good boy for Mommy, hes begging for food, and otherwise being his good old self, for the most part. Minus pieces of his tail, that is.

I'm hoping I'm not too late with the fin rot, and that the medicine/salt will help. The pea hasn't helped as of this morning, unfortunately.

How long does it usually take for the pea to take effect? Should I give him another does of pea this morning? (He really does seem to like gobbling down pieces of pea.)

Thanks,

Becca

 

[wuvmybetta]

Go ahead and give him more pea then. You don't feed dried foods do you? Like freeze dried brine and bloodworms? Those will rip up the insides of a betta.

Is there any noticable poo in his tank? If he's constipated you can give him an epsom salt bath.

 

[cation]

wuv, does this dry food warning include betta bites? (and similar pellet food?) Might be time to change the way I feed 'em. I just don't want to feed them frozen BW's all the time - seems decadent.

 

[wuvmybetta]

No,not pellets, I've just heard so many bad things about freeze dried foods doing a number on the intestines. It makes me wonder if there's an underlying problem when people report an ill fish. It's hard to decipher the problem when you don't know the fishes diet,water change routine etc.

 

[BeccaBlain]

I feed freeze dried treats once every week or two. Not very often. I usually feed flakes or pellets, depending on the fishies taste. Moe likes pellets.

He also enjoys a snack of califlaur every now and then as well.

There was some I saw when I got back on sunday.

This morning, he had white poop stuffs, I'm thinking it may be an internal parasite of somesort, in other words, dropsy.

The primary tank I had him in was treated for parasites as well as for fungus, and his current set up is as well.

I think the cycling tank lowered his immune system enough where he caught something. The other fish are more sturdier and are of better lines than poor Moe, so they got away without getting sick during the cycling.

I'm just keepin an eye on him. He lost interest in food this morning, so wouldn't eat much if any of the pea he was offered, so I'm losing any optimism I had, but eh, as long as the fishie fights, I'll fight right alongside him.

Poor, poor Moe.

 

[wuvmybetta]

I'm thinking it may be an internal parasite of somesort, in other words, dropsy.

Dropsy isn't a parasite, it's an internal bacterial infection of the kidney. You're treating for parasites and fungus and I don't think that's what you're dealing with You need an antibacterial med and a strong one at that.

 

[BeccaBlain]

Poor poor Moe!

How much are antibacterial meds, and what brands are considered good?

At least he is pooping now, at anyrate. That is a definite improvement. Is white poop a sign of a bacterial infection, then? I don't want to have to hunt a store thats open on a wild goose chase unless I have to

At least he seems to be content enough. Hes active and darting about his little quarentine tank like a good little fishie. And he goes into delighted mode when he gets fed peas. Hes probably thinking he died and went to fish heaven with how I'm pampering the poor little boy.

Thanks

 

[BeccaBlain]

Oh, and I forgot to add, I know I definitely have fin rot, so the fungus medication is utterly justified. He still has traces of it on his tails, so hes going to keep getting said medication until it is all gone. I don't want that to turn into advanced rot. Losing the bits of his tail was already bad enough!! Heh.

My pretty stubborn beautiful Moe.

>.> <.< >.>

 

[wuvmybetta]

uhhhm, finrot is also bacterial Can you get ahold of some bettamax? Most OTC meds require heavy aeration and such, plus they're hard to administer because of the small tanks bettas live in, most meds are intended to treat tanks around 10 gallons.

 

[BeccaBlain]

Well, the fungus stuff I have is anti-bacterial as well then, because fin-rot, gill-rot and other rots are listed on the "this is what I specifically" treat label... let me actually look at the label on the thing instead of talking outta my butt

Yes, its fungal and anti-bacterial.

"Clears cotton fungus, red sores, gray skin, fish bloat, fin and mouth rot, white film on eyes, red streaks on fins and swim bladder disease."

That good enough?