Help! Darth Is Ill :(

[tibby25731]

update - I was feeding him some pea last night as despite not eating a lot he looks bloated still, so i thought he might be constipated. he perked up at the sight of the pea and straightened his fins out - something he has not done for a while - and I noticed that there is some white fungus by his anus. I guess this might be stopping him from pooing? No wonder he looks bloated. i am still treating with Pimafix, hope this will sort it. Not sure how long this has been there as Darth is usually lying on the gravel when I am watching him and has been holding his anal fin in to his body when he swims.

 

[WILDER]

Bless him.
There a jbl med called furanol but it wipes the benefical bacteria out in the filter.
Dosn't sound like the internal bacteria med doing much.
Or you could phone a vet for some antibiotics if it's not to late, but they will also wipe the benefical bacteria out in the filter.
Epson salt baths help draw the fluids out when a fish is bloated.
Have you tryed the baths.

 

[tibby25731]

No vets round here cater to fish Haven't tried epsom salt bath yet - where would I get epsom salts from? And how do i prepare the bath?

 

[WILDER]

Super markets or chemist for the epson salt.
Here a link to salt baths.
http/www.fishjunkies.com/Treatments/salt.php

 

[tibby25731]

Thanks Wilder, I will go to boots tomorrow after work for the epsom salt. How long would you reccommend I dip him in for? Site says 5-10 mins..... how long can a betta tolerate it?
Also, is it worth me adding a little aquarium salt to the tank itself? to help with the infection?

 

[WILDER]

Other salts don't work I think.
They say start of at 5 to 10 minutes till the fish gets used to the baths. Then you can add the fish for up to 30 minutes.

 

[tibby25731]

Thanks Wilder. Went to Boots this morning and they didnt have epsom salts in stock. Went to Superdrug where they looked at me blankly. I have no idea what they look like, or if there is a brand name.... can anyone help? What section do i look in? Am going to a larger Boots after work so fingers crossed

 

[tibby25731]

OK, he has been dipped for 5 mins tonight. Let's hope he starts to show improvement. i go away in 9 days....

 

[Netty]

Fingers crossed still for you Tibby and your little boy.........he's certainly battling isn't he

 

[tibby25731]

Here are some pics of Darth today, you can see the fuzzy white by his anus. The baths don't seem to have helped much yet and he refuses pea today

 

[Netty]

Awwww bless him.....he does look in a sorry state doesn't he

All I can suggest is that you keep doing what you are doing and hope that he gets through this!!!!

 

[tibby25731]

he does look pathetic doesn't he poor baby. i wish i knew of something else I could do but it is difficult as my q tank has Blackbeard in and i don't wanna harm Splodge in the other side of his tank and I can't just swap him and Blackbeard over cos I don't know what horrible things are living in Darth's water

 

[Netty]

Probably best not to move him at all given the state he's in. It's so horrid to see these beautiful fish get sick. We had a boy months ago that look like that but without the fungus. We didn't think he'd make the night and then all of a sudden he perked right up and made a full recovery. Let's hope it goes that way with Darth

 

[WILDER]

Bless him. I agree he dosn't look good.
Fingers crossed and good luck.

 

[tibby25731]

Do youn think the white fungus is from a blockage in his anus? I thought maybe he was consitpated but a bit of poop had got stcuk and had turned fungus-like.... weird I know, I have been thinking about this for too long 16 days now since he first got ill