Female Betta With Dropsy?

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

It looks like one of my female bettas has dropsy

She is bloated and has slight pineconing. I’ve been thinking she hasn’t been acting her normal self for a day, but there were no symptoms, however yesterday morning when I got up to say hello she didn’t come to see me, I thought it was odd and thought sometimes they don’t always come to see me in the morning, so I left her until I came in from work; when she was sitting on the gravel, so I took her out and she is separated.

She is now in a 1.5 gallon filtered tank alone, temperature is around 25 celsius.

Stats:
0ppm Ammonia
0ppm Nitrite
And approximately 5ppm Nitrate.

I added a little myxazin (spelling? – the stuff that turns the water blue anyway), and a quarter tea-spoon of Aquarium salt.

I tried to give her a little pea to eat; which she did eat.

I don’t know if she is just bloated or has dropsy.

This specific girl generally scavenges her food off the bottom of the tank so I don’t know if she has picked up a bit of dodgy food; or if something else has caused it.

Should I keep trying to feed her pea, or should I starve her to see if it is bloating/constipation? What else can I do to help my lil girl along?

 

[aly_starh]

hey!

Id ;et her fast for about 4 days, just to make sure. But if you say shes pineconing then it may well be dropsy as far as im aware once they have pineconed its not treatable.

There is a treatment with Meth Blue, but i dont have nay experiences of using it. MAy be worthwhile google searching meth blue dropsy.

Hope she recovers.

 

[VaegaVic]

Methylene blue is used in aquaculture and by tropical fish hobbyists as a treatment for fungal infections. It can also be effective in treating fish infected with ich, the parasitic protozoaIchthyophthirius multifiliis. It is usually used to protect newly laid fish eggs from being infected by fungus or bacteria. This is useful when the hobbyist wants to artificially hatch the fish eggs. Methylene Blue is also very effective when used as part of a "medicated fish bath" for treatment of ammonia, nitrite, and cyanide poisoning as well as for topical and internal treatment of injured or sick fish as a "first response".

In dropsy, a concentration of fluid in the body tissues and cavities causes the fish's abdomen to become swollen and appear bloated (Ascites). Swollen areas may exhibit a 'pine-cone' appearance caused by the fish's scales sticking out. Fish may also stop feeding, appear off-color, become listless and/or lethargic, have sunken eyes, and hang at the top or stay at the bottom of the aquarium.

The condition affects the fish's internal organs, ceasing proper function.Because dropsy is a symptom of an illness, it may or may not be contagious. However, it is standard practice to quarantine sick fish to prevent stress among the other fish in the tank community. This extra stress may make the others vulnerable to dropsy or other forms of disease.

Most cases of dropsy are fatal. By the time the fish has swollen up enough that the scales begin to raise, the internal damage may be too extensive to repairWater quality is an important factor in prevention of fish disease. Water changes will dilute existing disease agents, and reduce stress on the tank occupants.

Some light reading for you.
Sorry it wasn't better news.

I've also heard of aquarium salt helping to remove the built up fluids, might give that a try?

 

[fluffycabbage]

That was a great explanation

Lets hope she gets better

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

In dropsy, a concentration of fluid in the body tissues and cavities causes the fish's abdomen to become swollen and appear bloated (Ascites). Swollen areas may exhibit a 'pine-cone' appearance caused by the fish's scales sticking out. Fish may also stop feeding, appear off-color, become listless and/or lethargic, have sunken eyes, and hang at the top or stay at the bottom of the aquarium.

The condition affects the fish's internal organs, ceasing proper function.Because dropsy is a symptom of an illness, it may or may not be contagious. However, it is standard practice to quarantine sick fish to prevent stress among the other fish in the tank community. This extra stress may make the others vulnerable to dropsy or other forms of disease.

Most cases of dropsy are fatal. By the time the fish has swollen up enough that the scales begin to raise, the internal damage may be too extensive to repairWater quality is an important factor in prevention of fish disease. Water changes will dilute existing disease agents, and reduce stress on the tank occupants.

Some light reading for you.
Sorry it wasn't better news.

I've also heard of aquarium salt helping to remove the built up fluids, might give that a try?

I've tried a little aquarium salt to see if it did anything (quarter tea spoon for a 1.5 gallon tank). I might put a bit more in tonight just to make sure.

The thing is she wasn't ill looking the day before she pineconed. She just swelled up and pinecones overnight. I am obsessive with my fish; I look at them all in detail all the time and she looked fine the day before.

She has lost colour; she is lethargic; however she is still swimming around, just not as much. I fed her pea last night and she was vicious with it haha. She isn't majorly pineconed so I'm hoping I caught it early enough . I just don't want her to be suffering.

I'll do a large water change when I get in and add more salt

One annoying thing as well is that I've separated her in her own tank and my dad always says I waste my money on fish; he'll go balistic when he gets back from his holidays tomorrow and sees her in another tank and that she is ill because I'm WASTING my money (I had the tank, filter, heater, plant, thermometer, gravel, salt, medicine so it's not like I bought anything new).

 

[Loops]

I have heard Epsom salts helps too, it was too late for my Lotus though x

 

[fluffycabbage]

One annoying thing as well is that I've separated her in her own tank and my dad always says I waste my money on fish; he'll go balistic when he gets back from his holidays tomorrow and sees her in another tank and that she is ill because I'm WASTING my money (I had the tank, filter, heater, plant, thermometer, gravel, salt, medicine so it's not like I bought anything new).

Its your money??? Do you earn it? Surely that gives you the right to spend it n whatever you like

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

One annoying thing as well is that I've separated her in her own tank and my dad always says I waste my money on fish; he'll go balistic when he gets back from his holidays tomorrow and sees her in another tank and that she is ill because I'm WASTING my money (I had the tank, filter, heater, plant, thermometer, gravel, salt, medicine so it's not like I bought anything new).

Its your money??? Do you earn it? Surely that gives you the right to spend it n whatever you like

It is, but you've not met my dad...I'm not 'normal' because I'm not plastered around town every weekend apparently. Besides I'm "stupid" for wanting pets.

 

[fluffycabbage]

One annoying thing as well is that I've separated her in her own tank and my dad always says I waste my money on fish; he'll go balistic when he gets back from his holidays tomorrow and sees her in another tank and that she is ill because I'm WASTING my money (I had the tank, filter, heater, plant, thermometer, gravel, salt, medicine so it's not like I bought anything new).

Its your money??? Do you earn it? Surely that gives you the right to spend it n whatever you like

It is, but you've not met my dad...I'm not 'normal' because I'm not plastered around town every weekend apparently. Besides I'm "stupid" for wanting pets.

hmmm nice

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

One annoying thing as well is that I've separated her in her own tank and my dad always says I waste my money on fish; he'll go balistic when he gets back from his holidays tomorrow and sees her in another tank and that she is ill because I'm WASTING my money (I had the tank, filter, heater, plant, thermometer, gravel, salt, medicine so it's not like I bought anything new).

Its your money??? Do you earn it? Surely that gives you the right to spend it n whatever you like

It is, but you've not met my dad...I'm not 'normal' because I'm not plastered around town every weekend apparently. Besides I'm "stupid" for wanting pets.

hmmm nice

I'm not exactly a kid either. Never mind. My mam likes the fish . I keep sneaking them in the house and showing her; she likes them but my dad never looks at them so he doesn't notice when they get sneaked in .

Point is I like the fish. I'd rather spend my money on something I enjoy

 

[loraxchick]

just a note-
if you suspect dropsy (or the fish has any signs of bloating(fluid retention) do not use aquarium salt. will draw MORE fluid into the tissues. the action works opposite that of epsom salt. that is the salt you want to use. very cheap and easy to find at any pharmacy or other store where they sell over-the-counter medication. Ingredient is magnesium sulfate.
*all salts are NOT created equal. so if you suspect dropsy or constipation, big waterchange to dilute the aquarium salt. discontinue use of it in this case. get some epsom salt!
hope she gets better!
cheers

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

*mild expletive* I used aquarium salt yesterday. Epsom salt tonight it is then.

Can't believe I didn't see you'd wrote epsom salt on my other post in the betta section. STUPID STUPID me GRRRR.

Do supermarkets sell it or is it just chemists?

 

[AstonN24vantage]

You should try your local pharmacy, i think that would be your best bet.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I did and I got it there. Tip is it is ALWAYS sold over the counter . However the first chemist I went to didn't have it, the second was sold out and the 3rd had it