Urgent - Sick Betta

[EverleighFarrell]

My Betta Fish, Attila the Hun, is dying. I've had him since February of this year. I brought him home from Petco and he's been really great and healthy. I'm at college away from home and I had to leave him with a friend over the summer. She didn't notice that his fins were progressively getting smaller (I'm assuming due to fin rot) and by the time I got him back his dorsal fin was pretty much gone. Now it has progressed onto his back and though I've been trying to treat him with what the pet-store gave me (Melafix, 1ml a day for the last 4 weeks) last week a big lesion opened up on his spine. It's pretty big now and I'm sure it's really painful. He's tilting now, barely swimming and just hovering near the surface and refused food for the first time today. I know that what I'm treating him with is not effective, but I cannot afford to buy medicine that only has a slim chance of curing him. The lesion is white, and started at the base of the dorsal fin. It is about half the size of the nail on your little finger. The scales have all come off but he is not bleeding. It looks a little like something has taken a chunk out of him. His spine is a little curved, but his other fins have all gotten progressively shorter as well. I think it's just a really bad case of fin/body rot.. Does anyone think it can be reversed at this late stage? It's very difficult to watch him deteriorate and I want to find something that will help.

Attached is a shoddy picture - I'm sorry about the quality, I only have my cell phone.. The white patch near his dorsal is the lesion..

 

[RustedKnight]

Hang in there, someone with more experience will be along to help you soon.

I hope they can help you find a cure, but your poor fish does not look very healthy at all.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

I dont know what to suggest except water changes; the best thing to help stuff along is clean water; make sure your water is in tip-top condition.

 

[Athena]

Hard to see it in that pic so I'm just going on your description alone.

Fin rot and body rot are a bacterial disease that can be treated with great success rate if caught early on. As this betta has been left to deteriorate for so long, you can still try the medications but the success rate is obviously lowered.

Is his breathing affected? Rapid gill movement at all?

If you are in the UK an effective anti-bacterial is Myxazin. I know bettas don't like heavy water flow/noise but if there is a way of increasing the aeration slightly during this medicating time, that will help.

This disease is normally caused by either overfeeding, poor water quality, low water temps etc.

Do you know how often your friend was doing water changes? How much were they feeding your betta daily? Does its tank have a heater?


Regards, Athena

 

[fluffycabbage]

poor thing immediate water change to help. change meds. are the water stats ok?

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons or litres is the tank.
What are your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Melafix is only good on cuts and wounds. You are going to need an internal bacterial med.

Has he injured himself in the tank?
What does it look like when he goes to the toilet.
is his anus enlarged or red and inflamed.

Bent spine, old age, vitamin deficiency, fish tb, injury, internal parasites.