Betta Is Sick! Need Help

[loggerbomb]

Hey gang, I was hoping someone could help me and my fish. For some reason he has gotten very swollen in his stomach, he isn't swimming much like he had been for the last week and he is breathing very heavy. The swelling came on very fast, say in the last 8 hours or so. He was swimming around like normal, than he started hanging out by the heater like he did when I first moved him into the tank, so it was hard to see him and now he is perched on a plant. His stomach seems to be lighter than normal, though he did have a patch there that always had been lighter than the rest. Not sure as what to do.

He seems to have lost even more colour over the last couple of hours! At one point I thought he died! I put him in the "cup" that I got him in when I bought him. Thought maybe it would be better if he didn't have to fight the current and if he does have something, better to treat him in there....

 

[stang1]

If his stomach is swollen it could be constipation. Boil a pea and mush it between your fingers and feed it to your Betta, If it is constipation that should do the trick.
If you could post a pic that might help someone identify the problem.

 

[loggerbomb]

Well I haven't been able to get a good close-up of the fish. So can't help there. I also don't have any peas to feed the poor guy either. I'll have to wait till the stores open in a few hours. Though I don't understand how him being constipated would make his colouring dull so much???

 

[stang1]

If a fish is stressed it's colours will fade, I suppose it's a bit like us, when we are ill we tend to go a bit pale!

 

[loggerbomb]

If a fish is stressed it's colours will fade, I suppose it's a bit like us, when we are ill we tend to go a bit pale!

So other than the pea trick, is there anything else I can do to help the poor guy out? Will he finally pass and be better, or will he just get sicker?

I am just worried/concerned because I have never had this happen to the other 3 bettas I had.

 

[stang1]

If it is constipation and he does eat the pea then he should be fine.

 

[loggerbomb]

Well he's got some colour back, tummy still swollen, but I don't expect that to go away in a flash. Don't have any peas yet either....

 

[stang1]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

 

[zoekin8yg]

Are his scales sticking out? Look at him from above does he look like a pine cone?

 

[loggerbomb]

Are his scales sticking out? Look at him from above does he look like a pine cone?

Yeah his scales are sticking out. Thats a sign of the dropsy is it not? I geuss I'll put him back in the big tank as its nice and toasty for him. Which is better the tetracycline or the Kanamycin?
I tried the pea trick but no dice. He won't eat it.

 

[jollysue]

I just lost my red fire bubble nester VT. When I changed his water, I did not remove him, and I just syphoned and then refilled with the hose. After, he was very unhappy and layed on the bottom. He swelled up, went pale, then pineconed and died within a couple of days. I believe he got caught in a current and damaged his swim bladder during the water change. A word to the wise, take care when doing waterchanges. These VT are really very delicate.

A damaged swim bladder seldom recovers.

 

[loggerbomb]

Raffi is dead.

Woke up about 15 mins ago and he was gone.
I wish I would of noticed him going all pine cone earlier. At first he was just puffed out and it looked like he just needed a good poo. Alas, when I came home last might and checked on him, he was pine coned. Couldn't get any medicine for the guy as no stores were open.

What I don't get if he was that sick, how come he got all his colour back? I mean when he first puffed up he went right pale, but than a few hours later he was back where he was.
I am just really disappointed that after getting him in that bigger tank and seeing how better he was doing in there he just up and dies.

RIP Raffi.

 

[jollysue]

Sorry, RIP, Raffi

Chances are the meds would not have helped.

 

[stang1]

So sorry for your loss.
Raffi

 

[zoekin8yg]

Don't beat yourself up over it, once dropsy is properly noticeable its usually fatal, even if you notice early its very rare that you can cure it. RIP little fishie