Help Me With This Poor Sick Betta

[Jaded12]

Actually despite what many people are told clove oil does not kill a fish! It merely knocking him out cold, if you clove oil a fish then dispose of it you are disposing of a living sleeping fish. The best method ive found is to use clove oil first to knock the betta out then add vodka which will kill the litetle guy and he wont feel a thing. All of the other methods such as buring and freezing are cruel IMO, they may kill fairly quickly but the poor fish is in extreme agony for a few seconds before it dies

 

[SharonCC]

When I have to die, if I have a few seconds of extreme pain, I will consider myself lucky...

 

[ibbledibble]

Actually despite what many people are told clove oil does not kill a fish! It merely knocking him out cold, if you clove oil a fish then dispose of it you are disposing of a living sleeping fish. The best method ive found is to use clove oil first to knock the betta out then add vodka which will kill the litetle guy and he wont feel a thing.

this is not strictly speaking true. usually it is recommended to use a lower amount of clove oil first to anesthatise and then add alcohol afterwards to kill it painlessly while its sleeping. but if you use a higher dose of clove oil it will actually kill the fish. so i try to massively overdose on the clove oil just to make sure.

 

[LauraFrog]

Whenever I have tried to anaesthetise a betta with clove oil it has failed. I don't know why bettas don't go under, everything else does. But I find a massive overdose works. Even with other fish where I use less of an overdose, if you leave them in the solution for ten minutes or so the gill movement stops. Adding alcohol isn't necessary. Veterinary anaesthetics are better, they are instant knockout, but I don't know of anybody who can get them.

 

[Robin66]

We are going to give treatment a shot before anything else. I'm giving him Maracyn 1 and 2. Thanks again for all the advice.

Robin

 

[ReMz]

Beyond all this other discussion... I'm actually more concerned how this went on for so long.......

You obviously love the fish.... so what were you THINKING?

Clove oil in a cup that is not transparent. Small dose of just a few drops. Cover the cup with a rag. The Clove Oil and darkness works to slowly calm the fish and knock it out. Clove oil can also be used in small doses to subdue a fish for physical handling/treatment. after a few minutes, remove the rag, and add a lethal dose (basically a ton of drops). Recover, wait 5 minutes. Painless.

I've had to do this a couple times. .... . That guy is not going to recover IMO.

 

[Spishkey]

sorry but im actually quite disgusted you left the fish so long like that. if you left a cat or dog in that state the rspca would have been on your back a long time ago i dont think he's going to 'recover' as you say. thats too far gone.

 

[Spishkey]

bump up to see if the fish is still with us???

 

[electric yellow]

OH poor little fish!

I can understand how hard it is to have to decide whether to put him too sleep or whether to treat. I had a gourami with columaris and i didnt notice it untill it had fully taken hold. I treated and it stopped it a lil bit but the damage had already been done. He passed away two weeks after treatment. Sometimes we have to put the attachment to fish aside and do whats best for the fishy..

 

[Robin66]

ReMz and Spishkey, I appreciate your concern and I understand your comments. Looking back at the past several months, particularly now that I've been reading up on caring for bettas and building a proper environment, I feel awful that I didn't clue in to the situation much earlier.

However, dealing with things the way they are now, all I can say is that I'm looking at a fish that is active, eating, and not in any apparent distress, and simply disposing of him without giving him a chance to improve doesn't seem right. He's finishing one five-day treatment now, and I'm going to do a partial water change and give him another treatment. Beyond that I'll see how he is. Already he seems to be getting colour back on his left side.

Thanks again for all the help, and for not slamming me too hard.

 

[Syphoniera]

ReMz and Spishkey, I appreciate your concern and I understand your comments. Looking back at the past several months, particularly now that I've been reading up on caring for bettas and building a proper environment, I feel awful that I didn't clue in to the situation much earlier.

However, dealing with things the way they are now, all I can say is that I'm looking at a fish that is active, eating, and not in any apparent distress, and simply disposing of him without giving him a chance to improve doesn't seem right. He's finishing one five-day treatment now, and I'm going to do a partial water change and give him another treatment. Beyond that I'll see how he is. Already he seems to be getting colour back on his left side.

Thanks again for all the help, and for not slamming me too hard.

Hi, Robin,
A lot of people are rooting for you and your amazing little fish.
Hope he's better fast.

 

[azulfire24]

wow, i cant beleve he is still hangging in there,, thats the most advanced case i ever saw... tough little bugger

 

[LauraFrog]

That's one gutsy fish, I hope he makes it and fingers crossed for you! Since he's hanging on so well if that treatment fails you can risk a few more. Just keep trying. When I find a fish like that, one of those suckers that just won't quit, I know how hard it is to let them go. Good luck!

 

[Amunet]

That's great to hear that you and that fish aren't giving up!
Bettas are such little spirits and never seem to want to give up until the very end.
I really hope he makes as much of a recovery as possible and lives out his fishy time happy and healthy

 

[Spishkey]

so glad to hear he's hanging in there. is there any signs of the 'scab' (for want of a better word!) improving?