More Problems..

[DreyOfAud]

anti-internal bacteria medication? hm.. any recommended brands?

 

[bronzecat]

Ha, your in the USA so you may have different stuff to us, but we use Interpet anti-internal bacteria

 

[DreyOfAud]

Oh yeah.. you guys all live somewhere really goofy like England or something.

You really think he's got some kind of internal bacteria?

 

[LauraFrog]

It's possible... I saw something like this once. The fish was on the front counter of a hotel that I stayed at once, and he was floating on his side and swimming much the same as Ichi. Naturally I asked, because I was horrified to think that he might have been left in this condition. They said that they had been treating with Bettafix (an antibacterial) and that it was improving greatly.

Personally I'd up it with full blown antibiotics just to see if it gets you anywhere... in America, that would be a combined treatment of Maracyn 1 and 2 if you can get it.

 

[DreyOfAud]

I have something.. it's fish antibiotics.. "Fish Zole Forte." It's Metronidazole 500 mg. It says add 1 tablet for each 20 gal of water. Ichi's tank is 2.5 gal.. how big of a piece should I drop in?

 

[CKutz]

1tab/20 gal x 2.5 gal = 0.125 tab = 1/8th tab
since you asked....
but maybe you'd be better just picking up a different med. i don't know anythiing about it..just felt like geeking out a bit since i'm on here not doing my homework...

i'm really sorry to hear about your betta..wish you the best of luck, i know how frustrating it can be trying to fix something when you can't figure out what is wrong.

i'm by far no expert especially with bettas..but maybe he damaged his swim bladder with all that flaring at himself (could have been attacking the walls or something). maybe not as likely as bacterial, just something i thought about..i think i read that is incurable though, so i'd hope for the bacterial. also swim bladder wouldnt make sense because it would affect him all the time (i would think?) unless he just fights it for a bit to swim the correct way and then gets tired..i have no idea how that works..just trying to give the smarter people in here some ideas.

 

[Devorax]

If you can break the tablet in to 4 equal parts, take one part and dilute it in 5 gallons of tap water. Take half of this mixture and you have your correctly dosed water. Add de-chlorinator and slowly take water out of Ichi's tank and do a 100% water change (taking care not to get the two waters mixed). It's about the only way I can think of dosing with this medicine. I'd suggest finding another med if at all possible.
It is great that you added a video. Granted the fish is in a very poor state but it lets the experts on here (which I am not) see first hand what is going on, better than most photos ever could. If only everyone with behavioural symptoms of fish illness could do the same, it'd probably make it a lot easier to help.
Hope someone gives you the help you desperately need and Ichi gets well soon.

 

[DreyOfAud]

I did about a 90-95% water change and added 1/8 tablet. I'm not sure if this had anything to do with how I found Ichi this morning though.. as I expected, he seems okay (he's following his usual pattern). He can swim around the tank and touch the bottom, but he very very slowly drifts toward the surface. I'll take another video when I get home so you all can see what I mean. I also haven't fed him in a while, so I'll show you what I feed him and how it affects him tomorrow. In the meantime, I guess I'll do another water change and add another 1/8 tablet.

Thanks everyone for trying to help Ichi out. I hope we can get to the bottom of what's wrong so he doesn't have to suffer anymore.

 

[JasonU]

I did about a 90-95% water change and added 1/8 tablet. I'm not sure if this had anything to do with how I found Ichi this morning though.. as I expected, he seems okay (he's following his usual pattern). He can swim around the tank and touch the bottom, but he very very slowly drifts toward the surface. I'll take another video when I get home so you all can see what I mean. I also haven't fed him in a while, so I'll show you what I feed him and how it affects him tomorrow. In the meantime, I guess I'll do another water change and add another 1/8 tablet.

Thanks everyone for trying to help Ichi out. I hope we can get to the bottom of what's wrong so he doesn't have to suffer anymore.

I was in a similiar situation early this year, whenever I see my betta swim about now I know the effort and worry was worth it. Hopefully the wee guy will be back to normal as soon as possible.

 

[bronzecat]

I did about a 90-95% water change and added 1/8 tablet. I'm not sure if this had anything to do with how I found Ichi this morning though.. as I expected, he seems okay (he's following his usual pattern). He can swim around the tank and touch the bottom, but he very very slowly drifts toward the surface. I'll take another video when I get home so you all can see what I mean. I also haven't fed him in a while, so I'll show you what I feed him and how it affects him tomorrow. In the meantime, I guess I'll do another water change and add another 1/8 tablet.

Thanks everyone for trying to help Ichi out. I hope we can get to the bottom of what's wrong so he doesn't have to suffer anymore.

I was in a similiar situation early this year, whenever I see my betta swim about now I know the effort and worry was worth it. Hopefully the wee guy will be back to normal as soon as possible.

Glad your betta is ok Jason, would you like to share what you did with the OP?

 

[kadkins20]

I had my betta die from dropsy on me and the good news is your betta doesn't look like he has dropsy

but he certainly doesnt look well hope he gets better

try reposting this in the emergencies forum or get a mod to move it for you

 

[DreyOfAud]

It's been a day since the last video, and Ichi seems a little better. He likes to spend most of his time pinned underneath the heater or against the side of the filter in order to remain submerged. Occasionally he will attempt to take a dive, only to bob back up to the surface. He usually doesn't move around this much, but he gets excited when I come to visit him. I just did a partial water change and put another 1/8 tablet into the water.

Here's Ichi this evening. http/vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...ideoid=55878682

Because he seems to be doing a little better, and because I haven't fed him in a while, I gave him 2 pellets. If he gets worse tomorrow, at least you'll all know what and how I fed him.

Here is me feeding Ichi. http/vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...ideoid=55879945

Am I doing anything wrong? Have you ever seen a fish go from how Ichi was yesterday to how he is today? If his cycle continues, he'll be just as he was yesterday, which seems quite odd to me. I am NOT overfeeding, nor does he seem to be very ill.

 

[DreyOfAud]

Well, it's been another day and Ichi's still all messed up. About to do another water change and add another 1\8 tablet. Any thoughts?

 

[bronzecat]

Well, I'm completely confused and amazed by this fish I can only assume its linked to digestion

 

[DreyOfAud]

You know what.. I think I've just found the answer. He swallows too much air. Constantly. He never stops gulping for air. When he eats I suppose it's worst, so he always floats after a feeding, no matter how small it is. Maybe he's just really bored or something, so he keeps playing with bubbles he blows. I just did a quick search on google about Bettas taking in too much air.. everyone who posts a complaint about it has a fish with symptoms EXACTLY like Ichi's.

Some people get their fish to stop by placing mirrors in the tank, or by showing their males some females. Instead, I've changed Ichi's aquarium. I gave him new plants with different textures, a piece of driftwood, and even a little rock with a hole in it so he has somewhere to anchor himself down (I'm sick of seeing him pinned between the glass and the filter, or underneath the heater!)

Just in case it's bacterial, I've given him his medicine and done a water change already. I don'tn know if it's going to help.. as long as he's at the surface, he keeps taking in air.