thanks but they're not hanging off the fish.. they're either on the ground or floating.. i just pulled them all out and will see if they reappear. i am currently treating with maracyn-two, higher temps, and aquarium salt.
listlessness... getting worse... tips please
- Thread starter crankwalk
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Well he has been on four days worth of Maracyn-Two dosage and he's not getting any better. Tonight I will drop his last quarter-of-a-tablet in, just to finish the recommended 5 day dosage, but tomorrow afternoon marks the end of the treatment and I need to change his water then anyway. I don't see him getting any better overnight but I guess i can always hope. He is still pale as he was before I started the treatment. He is still as listless as ever, fins clamped tightly and always laying at the bottom of his tank. The tank is still at 83 degrees, I added aquarium salt the day after the first dose of Maracyn-Two but this doesn't seem to be helping either. But he's still hanging in there.. he is still eating, never lost his appetite except for that one strange day where he wouldn't look at the food. I gave him two pellets this morning and I will give him one more or so, this afternoon. His tank is extremely cloudy and mucky from the Maracyn but I guess that's what its supposed to look like.
I have noticed one other thing.. over the last day or two, when he comes up for air, he darts right back down to the bottom but it looks like he's rubbing the sides of his body against the seam of the tank where the side walls meet the bottom -- he does this before he settles down in one spot to remain motionless. It almost looks like a symptom of some of the classic external diseases of fungus or parasites but he still doesn't have anything growing off his body. I am aware the Maracyn-Two treats gram-negative organisms.. I wonder what he really has is gram-positive organisms? I don't know, because I figured the aquarium salt would take care of everything else that wasn't an internal parasite. ugh. At least Maracyn-Two covers dropsy.
other than that, I don't know -- I am thinking of starting a new treatment after I change his water, of regular Maracyn to cover the possibility of gram-positives.. i just don't know what else to do.
I have noticed one other thing.. over the last day or two, when he comes up for air, he darts right back down to the bottom but it looks like he's rubbing the sides of his body against the seam of the tank where the side walls meet the bottom -- he does this before he settles down in one spot to remain motionless. It almost looks like a symptom of some of the classic external diseases of fungus or parasites but he still doesn't have anything growing off his body. I am aware the Maracyn-Two treats gram-negative organisms.. I wonder what he really has is gram-positive organisms? I don't know, because I figured the aquarium salt would take care of everything else that wasn't an internal parasite. ugh. At least Maracyn-Two covers dropsy.
other than that, I don't know -- I am thinking of starting a new treatment after I change his water, of regular Maracyn to cover the possibility of gram-positives.. i just don't know what else to do.
SRC
Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants won'
Have you tried a salt dip at all? How old is this fish? I think you can re-treat with M2..that might be a viable option..or try using just regulare Maracyn.
Wishing you luck.
Wishing you luck.
No I haven't tried a salt dip.. i didn't want to stress him out by trying too many things at once. The lack of symptoms save for clamped fins and listlessness, was confusing.
I don't know how old he is, he was a gift to me about 3 months ago.. bought from a petsmart so of course i don't know the age.
Thanks for the luck.. i need it!
I don't know how old he is, he was a gift to me about 3 months ago.. bought from a petsmart so of course i don't know the age.
Thanks for the luck.. i need it!
eudielynn
Fish Addict
I just re-read your earlier posts and I've been racking my brain (small as it is) to try to figure out what is wrong with him. I didn't notice anything about checking him for velvet. Did you do the flashlight check on him where you shine the light on him in a dark room and see if you see any gold dusting on him? It would look like he's been sprinkled with pollen. You usually can't see it with the naked eye. I have used Maracide for velvet, but never Maracyn 2 and just thought that if it is velvet, the Maracyn 2 might not treat it. Just thought it might be another possibility. 
Hi eudielynn.. i appreciate you trying to think of something to help. I've been through it a million times as well. In fact, before he became pale, I did shine a flashlight on him to look for gold dustings. I believe it was in my 2nd or 3rd post way up at the top, so it was like maybe a week ago. I haven't looked for gold dustings lately though, just figuring the Maracyn-Two was going to work. His water is very cloudy but I'll try to check him tonight with a flashlight and see if I can find any new symptoms. Maybe I'll try to take some more pics as well. I'm trying to look this up but I don't think either of the Maracyns cover velvet?
Just for my own notes:
Maracyn Active Ingredient: 200mg Erythromycin per tablet
Maracyn-Two Active Ingredient: 10mg Minocycline per tablet
I am going to see what the active ingredient in some other medications are, just to compare.
Just for my own notes:
Maracyn Active Ingredient: 200mg Erythromycin per tablet
Maracyn-Two Active Ingredient: 10mg Minocycline per tablet
I am going to see what the active ingredient in some other medications are, just to compare.
eudielynn
Fish Addict
Like I said, it was just a thought. I'll keep thinking and let you know if I come up with anything else. Hope he starts showing improvement soon. 
BettaMomma
Fish Aficionado
Hi crank - sorry the M2 isn't working.
I just got caught up on all that's been happening.
Do you see ANY signs of gray or white patcehs on his head, sides or back? Anything? Or a dark gray spot, almost looks like mold?
I'm starting to wonder if he doesn't have flexibacter or columnaris. Check his head, back and mouth over and see if you see ANY signs of white, gray or otherwise odd patches.
I just got caught up on all that's been happening.
Do you see ANY signs of gray or white patcehs on his head, sides or back? Anything? Or a dark gray spot, almost looks like mold?
I'm starting to wonder if he doesn't have flexibacter or columnaris. Check his head, back and mouth over and see if you see ANY signs of white, gray or otherwise odd patches.
Hello BettaMomma.. I'll double check for off-color patches but its kind of difficult to tell.. if you look at the very first pic I posted way up above, you can see how he already has these silverish patches around his chin and gills. He's been like that since I got him, its part of his body markings (I hope). Do you think I should pick up som Maracyn and try that treatment instead? For some reason I thought M2 covered Columnaris as well..
Some new pictures.. not very good but just to see if anybody sees anything i'm missing..
Here he is hiding at the bottom.. this is usually what he looks like
A little movement.. notice the yellow muck in the background.. this is from the Maracyn-Two
I honestly can't seem to find any more visible symptoms.. The camera flash exaggerates his color, he actually is pretty pale. Has lost much of his original color. The only thing that it seems is that maybe his face has more greyish spots than it used to have.. but then again i may just be grasping at straws. I put in his last dose of Maracyn-Two but I doubt i'll see any improvement by the time 24 hours is up.
I think I'm going to go to the store and pick up regular Maracyn and treat him for gram positive unless someone has a better tip?
Here he is hiding at the bottom.. this is usually what he looks like
A little movement.. notice the yellow muck in the background.. this is from the Maracyn-Two
I honestly can't seem to find any more visible symptoms.. The camera flash exaggerates his color, he actually is pretty pale. Has lost much of his original color. The only thing that it seems is that maybe his face has more greyish spots than it used to have.. but then again i may just be grasping at straws. I put in his last dose of Maracyn-Two but I doubt i'll see any improvement by the time 24 hours is up.
I think I'm going to go to the store and pick up regular Maracyn and treat him for gram positive unless someone has a better tip?
Maracyn 2 is a gram negative antibiotic. You can dose it with Maracyn 1 which is a gram positive antibiotic to cover all of your bases. Columnaris is flexibacter, same thing. I had luck saving 1 of my 3 girls using both Maracyns in a combo.
Good luck
Sandi
Good luck
Sandi
Exactly what I was thinking. I'd rather not try a hit-or-miss tactic now but I hate to see him suffering, its been over a week I've got to try another approach. Will keep everyone updated thank you all!sandig said:
eudielynn
Fish Addict
Did you ever try putting a cave or soft plant in with him? I'm still wondering if he could be stressed out because he is in a bigger tank and feels exposed. With nothing in his tank he could just be bored and depressed and just lays on the bottom because he doesn't have anywhere else to lay. I might also suggest trying some Indian Almond Leaves in his water or Blackwater Extract which is made from IAL. They can help with soothing and relaxing them. I just can't see any outward signs other than the clamping and your Maracyn 2 should have shown some improvement if it were internal. Especially if he is still eating. Most animals, fish included will not eat when they are seriously ill and since bettas can be pretty picky anyway I wouldn't be expecting him to eat.
Hi there.. no i didn't try to put anything in his tank because I was treating it like a hospital tank. Also when he was constipated at the beginning of this whole ordeal, i was keeping an eye out for waste and anything that might be in it. it was much easier to scoop out and examine it with no gravel. i do have some nice epoxy coated natural colored gravel and a medium sized plant ready to go. i just am not sure if i should put it in while he's getting his new Maracyn-One treatment. i'm going to the store today...
also thanks for the tip on the IAL.. does this change the PH of the water? or am i thinking of another plant. if there is a recommended "dosage" of leaves, what might you recommend for 2gal worth of tank water? I wonder if they have this at the LFS.. I'll ask.
also thanks for the tip on the IAL.. does this change the PH of the water? or am i thinking of another plant. if there is a recommended "dosage" of leaves, what might you recommend for 2gal worth of tank water? I wonder if they have this at the LFS.. I'll ask.
SRC
Some days even my lucky rocketship underpants won'
You can get IAL at www.majesticbettas.com for a reasonable price. If you tell them it's dire they'll ship them fast too (usually cost a couple dollars more).
You don't need very much to trreat a tank..but it does take a few days to disperse into the water. You can help it along by boiling water and putting part of a leaf in..like making "tea".
You don't need much of a leaf either (although majestic sends you HUGE leaves). Just break them into sections (I can usually get anywhere from 10-17 peices off 1 leaf from there).
You don't need very much to trreat a tank..but it does take a few days to disperse into the water. You can help it along by boiling water and putting part of a leaf in..like making "tea".
You don't need much of a leaf either (although majestic sends you HUGE leaves). Just break them into sections (I can usually get anywhere from 10-17 peices off 1 leaf from there).
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