Betta Problem--UPDATE HELP!!

[KittenAndHerFish]

10 gallon tank

6 platys
1 betta
1 catfish

Ph 7.2
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates approx. 5ppm

Plastic plants
TopFin 10 gal filter (with added ceramic filter media for bacteria housing)

Incandesant lighting

temp: 80 degrees

additives: aquarium salt, tap water conditioner

water changes: every other week 25% (last one was today at 50% because it has been 4-6 weeks since a water change)

I currently have a white haze in the water that I have been dealing with for a couple a month without any ill effects on the fish.


CURRENT PROBLEM:
Three days ago my betta stopped eating. He has become lethargic and I noticed today after coaxing him out to the front of the tank that he is bloated in his abdominal region. He doesn't have problems swimming to the surface to breathe and he frequently will shift places on the bottom of the tank to lay at. His scales are not puffed out in any way that would indicate dropsy.

I understand that he may be constipated, but this betta refuses to eat anything but his betta bits. I might try feeding the tank some green peas but what else might this be?

Thank you for any help,
Kitten


UPDATE

I gave my betta an epsom salt bath which seemed to have little to no effect on him. So I decided it might be best to try some antibiotics on him as he is losing a lot of coloring and looking as if this may indeed be dropsy.

I bought a broad-spectrum antibiotic (Freshwater's Maracyn-two) each tablet has 10mg of Minocycline activity. But from what I have read people have said anywhere from 2mg per gal (the directions of the medicine say this, and it seems awfully low) to upwards of 25mg per gallon, which I suppose seems more reasonable. The package says treat five days, other places say seven, some say three. Some have said isolate the fish, keep tank warm, and up the aeration... I also read to cover the tank complately because this type of medicine is light sensitive, but is that sunlight or any light??? Ignatius is currently in a bowl alone in my bedroom, which gets no sun light at all.

I have never had to treat dropsy before and I know if this is it, it is almost sure to kill him, but I got to do everything I can to say him.

Thank you for any help.

Kitten

 

[wuvmybetta]

Well, treating in a small bowl is hard anyway,you have to make sure you get the doses just right. Maybe go somewhere in between the 2....12mg?

Dropsy is extremely difficult to cure, I wish you the best. Have you medicated him yet?

 

[KittenAndHerFish]

Hey Wuv,

Yeah I medicated him yesterday with 10mg per gallon of the minocycline. I upped his temp to mid 80s and added aeration to his bowl to up the water flow. He remained lethargic yesterday but this evening three hours after changing the water and redosing him with 10mg he was alert and responsive to my peering in on him. Then he ate two betta bites!!! The first time he has eaten in five days!



I believe we just had a cause of bacterial infection that I caught soon enough.

The epsom salt bath you suggested I preformed on him two days ago before moving him to the hospital bowl and it pretty much reduced all his swelling.

I think he is going to be just fine now, but I do not want to get my hopes up as I still want to give him a couple more days in isolation before returning him to the main tank (if at all). I am seriously thinking about acquiring a new 2.5 or 5 gallon for his enjoyment.

Thank you for your help and attention.

Kitten

 

[gaya]

do you think it's safe to do water changes every other week? if so where did you read it? It crossed my mind as I was doing water changes today wishing I would only have to do it every other week. good to hear your betta is doing better.

 

[KittenAndHerFish]

NO! I do not recommend water changes every other week. I pin my betta's illness on my own stupidity and laziness. I have currently changed to a schedule of water changes every week via a gravel vaccum to clean up the bottom of the tanks as well.

I have added some new things to my fish up keep. Regardless of my outside duties Saturday mornings are stictly devoted to water upkeep.

I have always kept up on testing my tanks and never had any problems with levels but I had a pH drop last week and then Ignatius stopped eating. The drop was totally caused by lack of tank maintainance.

Hard lesson learned and I feel more terrible than I can express that Ignatius had to suffer because of it.

Btw. He ate a piece of food this morning as well. We are taking baby steps back to health.

Kitten