Betta With Dropsy!

[LucyB]

My betta fish, Oscar, has dropsy! It is in the fairly early stages as you can see:

Scales starting to stick out:

Fat belly:

I have isolated him to a 3 gallon tank, I did a 90% water change last night and added some aquarium salt

I have a few questions...

.Should I be doing a big water change every day?

.Should I add some 'Interpet anti internal bacteria' medication?

.After a water change, should I add more aquarium salt (and possibly medication, if someone tells me to add it)

.Could I treat dropsy with water changes and aquarium salt?

.What medication would you recommend I get? (Bear in mind I'm in the UK, I cannot get certain meds, it's illegal...)

.Will feeding peas help?

Thanks for any input at all, I really am upset about this and I love Oscar, I don't want him to die

 

[Betta_Shark5678]

I had a Betta who got dropsy, the day his scales started sticking out he died. I never got the chance to treat it, I didn't know what it was, so someone else will have to help you with some of those questions, but I know for sure feeding peas won't help. Big water changes everyday wouldn't hurt. According to a lot of people on this forum you have to find the real probably, dropsy is only a symptom. I know the USA medication that is supposed to be able to treat it, but that won't help you, sorry hope he gets better! He looks exactly like the one I lost to dropsy.

 

[WILDER]

Epson salt baths to help draw the fluids out.
If he still eating try some shelled peas.
Internal bacteria med by interpet. Only effective on mild bacteria infections.

Once scales start to raise, or stick out. Last stage of dropsy organ failure.

 

[LucyB]

Epson salt baths to help draw the fluids out.
If he still eating try some shelled peas.
Internal bacteria med by interpet. Only effective on mild bacteria infections.

Once scales start to raise, or stick out. Last stage of dropsy organ failure.

Okay - Should I do big water changes everyday? and also, after waterchanges, should I add more salt?

 

[WILDER]

Keep an eye on your water stats. If ammonia, or nitrite start to raise preform a water change. Than add the correct amount of medication back to water removed.

How much salt have you already added to the betta tank?

You really need to be doing epson salt baths.

 

[LucyB]

Keep an eye on your water stats. If ammonia, or nitrite start to raise preform a water change. Than add the correct amount of medication back to water removed.

How much salt have you already added to the betta tank?

You really need to be doing epson salt baths.

I know! But I don't have any Epson salt! My mum is taking me to get some tomorrow - you get it from the chemist, right? You can't get it specially for fish from a LFS?

Well the tank is about 3.5 gallons and I added 2 teaspoons of aquarium salt (That's what it said on the box)

Should I be doing weekly water changes or daily water changes?

 

[WILDER]

You can buy epson salts from a super market, or chemist.

The salt content is about right. So don't add anymore to his water

Anti internal bacteria med by interpet doesn't knock good bacteria in your filter. So you shouldn't need to do many water changes. Maybe twice a week. But keep testing your water daily for ammonia, nitrite.


Are you running a filter in the isolation tank With mature filter sponges?

 

[LucyB]

Are you running a filter in the isolation tank With mature filter sponges?

Yep, sure am! I crammed the filter media into my main tank's filter for a few hours to seed it

 

[Crossfire]

Good luck!
My prayers go out to the little fella. He's adorable

 

[LucyB]

Good luck!
My prayers go out to the little fella. He's adorable

Thanks, Crossfire, hopefully when I get the salt tomorrow it should help. Thankfully I have caught it in the early stages...

 

[WILDER]

Good Luck.

 

[LucyB]

Thank You everyone, will keep you updated...

 

[Flute]

Don't give up hope, there's a chance you can bring him back. I had a female betta with much worse dropsy than that, daily salt baths (can't remember the exact dose, but I left her in for 3 minutes at a time) plus daily water changes brought her back. She also had massively swollen gills, but is back to normal now (albeit with a slightly funny shaped head, bless her.) Good luck, hope he pulls through

 

[LucyB]

I have got the epsom salt and I started a thread asking about the dosage, amount of time,etc. if you want to give me some help please do!

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/407653-epsom-salt-baths-dosage-amount-of-time/

 

[LucyB]

I put him in a plastic tank and filled it with about a gallon of water. a quarter from his tank, and 3 quarters new. I added 1tsp and a half and I have put him in for half an hour. whilst I'm waiting I have done a 100% water change on his tank.