EMERGENCY HELP NEEDED!!!!

[bettas4ever]

I need to come here, because the others on the other forum could not help one of teh members out. I need help immediatly. So please give me all the advice you can, here is what she posted. If you need more, please, let me know, I have TONS of posts about what happened and such...

I don't know what's matter with my dear longfin purple/red betta, drapples!

I just got home, found him laying on gravels, gasping for breaths! I absolutely have no idea how or why it's happening just today!

I've been changing his water weekly, along with betta coat protection chemical C20+ and I never changed his water since last friday.. he was grand yesterday. he has no plants, he reacts no good to these, any - (silks, plastic & nature).

HELP! I can't lose that precious right now..he's also my first betta I've had for a pretty long time! (almost two years)....... heartbreaking!!

PLEASE HELP US!

 

[xxSarahxx]

If he's gasping for air it might be worth lowering the water level so he can still breathe the air without needing to swim.
Is he in the tank alone?
I would recommend doing a water change and then keeping him at a level where he can breathe.

 

[simonbrown403]

whats you stats,
tank size
water peramiters
filter
airation

 

[bettas4ever]

I did tell her to do the water change and also lower the water. She said she did that and it helped a bit, here is some more of what she said...

I lowered his water, I could see him trying to gasp for air and it was the first time seeing him floating straight! not on his side down on the gravels.

I just check him this morning, he looks a little better! back to his colors, not almost white like past two days.

I had some old aquarium salt left and added them the minute after I got your post. that's probably why he looks better this morning.

if no better by tonight or tomorrow, I'll try some peas (saw from poor julius's thread) or that bubby method - we'll see!

I feel SO bad for drapples! thanks everyone!! it meansso much to me when someone knows fish isn't just a fish!

I saw it, I lowered his water then. I'm sorry I don't understand your last question? if you mean this, he breaths to hard and slowly... thank you for thinking positive but, lexi & jesse, I don't think he's going to make it. anytime will come soon. he got whiter again, thinner and his chest's swollen now.

he wouldn't eat at all. (anything) - I don't want to see him suffering...what do I do now?

*taking a deep sigh..*

I just noticed his breathing, he's not breathing as hard as before. just swims frantically when I come closer to his home. checked his eyes also, looks all normal. no difference changes.

yes, I tried peas, he wouldn't even bother to try it. on more note, he doesn't look like a pinecone either. I think he's really starving!

Thats about it, and here is the whole thread and story, just in case!

 

[xxSarahxx]

Turn the lights off, make sure he's in the dark as this will reduce the stress.
I am PRESUMING he is at the right tempertature and in a tank by himself.
Are there any other signs of problems? Fungus, abnormal poo, etc?
I'll read the full story now!

 

[simonbrown403]

hard to say without knowing all the facts, it mensioned something about lowering the water by that, i peresume yo mean the PH, with him lieing on his side gasping hard, it could be PH shock, or some sort of posioning.

checking the Ph might be the best thing to do

 

[xxSarahxx]

No lowering the amount of water. This is a betta and they are surface breathers. If he can't get to surface as he's too weak he can still breathe.

Next, dangle a blood worm on his mouth using tweezers to see if he will take it. If that doesn't work try another type of food that he loves normally.
Think positive!!
EDIT: After reading the full story I would not recommend an air pump with a bubble stone as he doesn't need the air in his water, especially if he has recently had a water change as this will add more oxygen to the water anyway, the noise would cause more stress I think.

 

[bettas4ever]

No, I did not mean PH level, I meant water level. Like you read what I posted on my post in the original. Thank for being a big help Sarah! I'll keep y'all updated!

 

[xxSarahxx]

I keep refreshing the other page as well!
I know you knew water level don't worry!!!!!
I'm going to keep thinking on this one!
Possibly another water change might be an idea so the water is as perfect as possible but this is risky as it will stress him out!

 

[xxSarahxx]

Just read my own post on the other forum (which is very wierd) and I've just had a thought! I am now clutching at straws but as he is losing weight and not eating then maybe it is a problem with his resparatory system, he's not eating as all his energy is going on trying to get enough air. Now then....... what to do about this..... I'll see what I can come up with!

EDIT - oooooh my name has just been posted on the forum - thanks for the compliment!!! I'll keep trying and thinking!!

 

[xxSarahxx]

Not the writer of this!!

DISEASE: INFLAMED GILLS
GENERAL INFO: The gill or gills of a betta may become inflamed, because of nitrate poisoning, and possibly bacterial infections, or even a defective gill (if it was born that way).

SYMPTOMS: One or both gills will not close all the way (look at betta from the top it is easier to see it then), gills may look red (inflamed) or not, in the last stages, the betta may be gasping for air, unable to breath.
TREATMENT: Isolate sick betta. Do a full jar water change every third day. Every time you change water, add antibiotic (Pick one that treats inflamed gills) to the water. In the case of nitrate poisoning, simply add one drop of methylene blue in betta’s jar.

 

[bettas4ever]

Here is some more info that she has just posted!

oh paula, please tell everyone a big thank you and THANK YOU too!

no this is not overwhelming - yes, I took him into a smaller tank with shallow water and put him in closet where no cats/lights would bother him two nights ago. I'm glad I did that!

yes, respiratory is the problem! he wouldn't be able to do anything. I wish I'd know how all of this started.. no food for pretty long so we rule his poo out.

I know it's stressful for drapples changing his water a couple of times now because I had to. the water gets murky with microwhite flakes.. does that rings a bell? or I assume they were from the peas?

 

[xxSarahxx]

Need more descriptions on the micro white flakes. Can she describe them more?
Does she have gravel in the tank of so does she use a gravel vac/cleaner?
How about inflamed gills?

 

[xxSarahxx]

Beginning to think it's either old age or an internal parasite!
It might be worth trying a product called Maracyn Two as it treats internal and external parasites.

 

[xxSarahxx]

Snowflakes could be planaria due to unclean gravel and overfeeding.
Is she UK or US or other situated as far as the maracyn goes.... I'll google those pictures for her now
DO apologise to her for all the questions and so on!! Just trying to help! Seeing all my posts on there is strange but reading them makes me think!!
EDIT: Read her post on the other forum if u were wondering!!