Dropsy? Maybe?

[frenchfish]

I noticed on December 30th that my betta looked a bit odd: he was a little swollen on one side. I called my local pet shop and they suggested I use epsom salts and Maracyn and Maracyn 2. I was going away, so I had my parents look after him for me, and they reported that other than being kind of swollen he was doing fine, and eating like a pig.

Lately, however, he's been acting very strangely. He is still bloated as before, more on the left side than the right, but now it appears as if he's having trouble swimming- like his tail is heavy. His color is as bright as it used to be, and his fins are fanned out like usual. He just says either on the bottom or on his plant, goes up to the surface to get air, and then floats down, tail first, back to where he was.

I, of course, panicked and thought dropsy, but he does not appear to have the "pinecone" symptom that everyone mentions.

I stopped feeding him yesterday afternoon in case it was constipation/something wrong with his swim bladder.

My parents had him for a couple of weeks before I came home and I know they were feeding him a lot more food than I usually give him.

So, what do you think? Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I could do? I've been continuing the epsom salts (he's in a 2 gallon heated tank so I've been putting 1 tsp in 5 tablespoons of water and then giving him two tablespoons.) Should I up the salts? They do seem to help.

I really don't want him to suffer. I've had him for just over a year so I don't think it's anything to do with old age.

Thank you for reading and for any responces I may recieve.

 

[afireinside]

Well, if he's swimming at a downward angle constantly, he probably does have dropsy.

 

[frenchfish]

He isn't swimming downward constantly, only when he wants to go from the top to the bottom. Sometimes he swims around the tank at the bottom.

I was kind of hoping that it might have something to do with him swim bladder and wasn't dropsy, as I'm sure you understand.

 

[SRC]

Dropsy is signified by the raised scales, not swimming funny. You are doing right by laying off the food for a few days...try a boiled/shelled pea and then fast him another couple days before feeding again...he could just be constipated and bloated..which is affecting his swim bladder.

Also, you might want to change his diet..sometimes that itself can cause the constipation. After you fast him and give him the pea...try feeding him frozen foods instead of processed ones. If you are feed Freeze Dried Bloodworms (or any freeze dried products for that case)..that could be your culprit

I think the epsom salt is 1 TBSP (tablespoon) per 1 gallon, not 1 TSP (teaspoon). I could be wrong though...I've never used Epsom salt..I only use Aquarium salt.