dropsy?

Navfish

Fish Fanatic
Joined
Mar 16, 2022
Messages
192
Reaction score
68
Location
United States
Due to the possibility that my fish has dropsy, I came here.
gave info and they stated that it looked like my betta from the top does not have dropsy.

however...someone informed me that it seems like he has prolapse instead.
-just need more conformation if this is right since I have not heard of this thing before

He is in a 10 gallon planted tank, 2-3 weeks old, pretty new tank.

he was transferred from a 5g tank a couple days ago

Noticed bloated and stomach turn white and see his organ starting a couple days ago (the day before I put him in new tank)

-He was also fed a ton of bloodworms like 6 by accident and I thought he was bloated 2 days before I put him in the new tank
-swelling however hasn't gone down since (not too severe bloating)


No pineconing from top so its dropsy.
-also he was dealing with internal parasites a couple weeks prior to this happening.

A little lethargic

eating well and the last time I saw him poop was 2 days ago and it was brown

current treatment: water changes every other day 50% starting today.
+kanaplex and epsom salt starting yesterday.
-Should I stop this treatment?

Plz help determine what he has and what treatment should start??!?!!!

water parameters:
Ammonia/nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10

Photos

What do you guys think?
 

Attachments

  • D5351194-899D-4A74-8E55-943FB29F8145.jpeg
    D5351194-899D-4A74-8E55-943FB29F8145.jpeg
    225.1 KB · Views: 43
  • 2B7B8B46-B286-4990-AC1D-9436A0D46AE2.jpeg
    2B7B8B46-B286-4990-AC1D-9436A0D46AE2.jpeg
    123.4 KB · Views: 39
  • EBB93E95-619E-4DDB-AB28-A61AC364B15B.jpeg
    EBB93E95-619E-4DDB-AB28-A61AC364B15B.jpeg
    253.9 KB · Views: 51
  • 4988BE2C-4B9A-4507-919A-6594957988F0.jpeg
    4988BE2C-4B9A-4507-919A-6594957988F0.jpeg
    90.2 KB · Views: 28
  • B1F8BAEE-0CBB-490D-B8A9-938C86577E6F.jpeg
    B1F8BAEE-0CBB-490D-B8A9-938C86577E6F.jpeg
    101.9 KB · Views: 31
  • D368172E-4A82-4E3D-96E8-2AF53B2E164E.jpeg
    D368172E-4A82-4E3D-96E8-2AF53B2E164E.jpeg
    83 KB · Views: 29
  • 42561C63-0027-421E-8722-C00584727EEE.jpeg
    42561C63-0027-421E-8722-C00584727EEE.jpeg
    239.4 KB · Views: 33
Last edited:
He definitely doesn't have dropsy, I see no pineconing. There is no need to do salt baths, just increase water changes and try fasting him for the bloat. You could also try feeding some daphnia which acts as a natural laxative for bettas.

edit: How much, how often and what do you feed him? How often do you usually do water changes and how much do you change each time? Since you have had other bettas who died from dropsy it would beneficial to try to figure out the cause of the bloat/dropsy so you can take preventative measures.
 
Last edited:
If a fish is eating well and doing normal coloured poop, and it hasn't got fat overnight, and the scales don't stick out around the belly, then it doesn't have dropsy :)
 
He definitely doesn't have dropsy, I see no pineconing. There is no need to do salt baths, just increase water changes and try fasting him for the bloat. You could also try feeding some daphnia which acts as a natural laxative for bettas.
Okay thanks, I wonder why he thought that it was advanced dropsy. Here is why I thought it was dropsy. Now that u seen this, do u believe it is dropsy?
Im worried since it's white under his belly as you can see.


I feed him 2-3 pellets a day and the occasional frozen bloodworms (1 once a week). When I first saw the bloating, it was after I fed him accidently a lot of bloodworms. But it has been 2-3 after that incident and he is still bloated.



About the other betta who died of dropsy.
He was in a split 5 gallon with this one right here and he was a long finned red betta. Water parameters were perfect everyday and suddenly, one day he was pooping white poop and sank to the bottom the next morning. He was like that for a day before I decided to give him epsom salt and kanaplex. I put him in a quarantine tank. Next day it got even worse and the bloated got humongous. White was at the bottom of his stomach and he was not moving at all. Treatment didn't work and he died 2 days after.

This betta below, Loki, was perfectly fine during this.
 

Attachments

  • E02C4DAD-D1B9-444B-AC8C-347FEBD27AEB.jpeg
    E02C4DAD-D1B9-444B-AC8C-347FEBD27AEB.jpeg
    90.2 KB · Views: 37
  • 6CFFEC90-EA9B-4569-8579-F6D7ED7966B3.jpeg
    6CFFEC90-EA9B-4569-8579-F6D7ED7966B3.jpeg
    101.9 KB · Views: 36
Last edited:
Okay thanks, I wonder why he thought that it was advanced dropsy. Here is why I thought it was dropsy. Now that u seen this, do u believe it is dropsy?
Im worried since it's white under his belly as you can see.


I feed him 2-3 pellets a day and the occasional frozen bloodworms (1 once a week). When I first saw the bloating, it was after I fed him accidently a lot of bloodworms. But it has been 2-3 after that incident.

That's not much food, I usually feed my plakat 6-8 pellets per day depending on how hungry he is. From the photos it looks like he's not underweight but he is definitely on the slim side.

Yeah I have no idea what that person is seeing. I do not believe it is dropsy. This level of rounded belly is totally normal after a large meal and it is nothing to worry about as long as it goes down by his next feeding. He doesn't even look bloated tbh just very full.
 
So the white under his stomach is nothing to worry about?


Thank you all for the help! I swear I was going insane the past couple of days.

If anyone disagrees and believes it is dropsy, let me know!

Huh. I just took a closer look. It could be a prolapse or fungal infection. Either way increasing your water changes will help promote healing. I would recommend 50% every 2-3 days.
 
Okay thanks, I wonder why he thought that it was advanced dropsy. Here is why I thought it was dropsy. Now that u seen this, do u believe it is dropsy?
Im worried since it's white under his belly as you can see.


I feed him 2-3 pellets a day and the occasional frozen bloodworms (1 once a week). When I first saw the bloating, it was after I fed him accidently a lot of bloodworms. But it has been 2-3 after that incident and he is still bloated.



About the other betta who died of dropsy.
He was in a split 5 gallon with this one right here and he was a long finned red betta. Water parameters were perfect everyday and suddenly, one day he was pooping white poop and sank to the bottom the next morning. He was like that for a day before I decided to give him epsom salt and kanaplex. I put him in a quarantine tank. Next day it got even worse and the bloated got humongous. White was at the bottom of his stomach and he was not moving at all. Treatment didn't work and he died 2 days after.

This betta below, Loki, was perfectly fine during this.
Oh no! That's some bad news. Will Espom salt baths help?
 
Oh no! That's some bad news. Will Espom salt baths help?

No, but regular aquarium salt may if it is some kind of fungal infection. Though, I would stay away from salt baths since they are very stressful for the fish and in this case keeping the water extra clean would imo be the most beneficial thing.
 
Okay thanks, I wonder why he thought that it was advanced dropsy. Here is why I thought it was dropsy. Now that u seen this, do u believe it is dropsy?
Im worried since it's white under his belly as you can see.


I feed him 2-3 pellets a day and the occasional frozen bloodworms (1 once a week). When I first saw the bloating, it was after I fed him accidently a lot of bloodworms. But it has been 2-3 after that incident and he is still bloated.



About the other betta who died of dropsy.
He was in a split 5 gallon with this one right here and he was a long finned red betta. Water parameters were perfect everyday and suddenly, one day he was pooping white poop and sank to the bottom the next morning. He was like that for a day before I decided to give him epsom salt and kanaplex. I put him in a quarantine tank. Next day it got even worse and the bloated got humongous. White was at the bottom of his stomach and he was not moving at all. Treatment didn't work and he died 2 days after.

This betta below, Loki, was perfectly fine during this.
No, but regular aquarium salt may if it is some kind of fungal infection. Though, I would stay away from salt baths since they are very stressful for the fish and in this case keeping the water extra clean would imo be the most beneficial thing.
okay got it! Will update on him after a couple of weeks. Going to do frequent water changes like u said. Thanks!

With what u said about him having prolapse, from what I can see. Only on his right side, I can see someone sort of organ of his and it is white so im assuming its not fungal right?
 
okay got it! Will update on him after a couple of weeks. Going to do frequent water changes like u said. Thanks!

With what u said about him having prolapse, from what I can see. Only on his right side, I can see someone sort of organ of his and it is white so im assuming its not fungal right?

Sounds like a plan. If it isn't fuzzy looking then it most likely is not fungal. If it is a prolapse then there isn't much you can do except keep the water clean and hope it sorts itself out.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top