# Walmart betta help!!



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

(you don't have to read the whole story, but I have some questions numbered below it)

So yesterday I went to Walmart and of course looked at the betta fish. There was an amazing crowntail there, he was barely living. He was sitting at the bottom of the cup, extremely bloated and his gills were swollen. I decided to get him because I couldn't bear the thought of him dying in that dirty little cup. Anyways, we left him at Walmart to make a quick trip to petsmart first (I didn't want to drive around everywhere with him seeing as his condition was already pretty bad), but our car broke down and I was unable to get him. Well today the car got fixed and we went to get him. I thought for sure he would've been dead, but I was so happy when I walked over to the shelf and he was still alive! Surprisingly in better condition, he wasn't bloated anymore but still looked terrible. He barely has a tail.  Long story short, I saved him. Now I need help making sure he stays alive.

I bought aquarium salt to help his fins heal and hopefully the rest of his problems. I have a few questions.
1. How much aquarium salt should I use? He's currently in a 2.5 gallon tank.
2. Should I feed him? If so, how much? I'm using Aqueon betta pellets.
I filled the 2.5 tank completely because I thought it would be easier to dose the aquarium salt. It has gravel and 1 plant in it for now (until I know for sure he's gonna make it).

Any other information or help will be greatly appreciated! I'm going back to petsmart tomorrow, so if I should get anything else, please let me know!


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

UPDATE: I put him in the 2.5 gallon tank and he's pretty happy! I was afraid he might have SBD but he seems to swim fine. This is great progress, as he looked terrible in the cup!


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

Glad to hear he's doing better  I wish I could save all the walmart bettas 

As far as his fin rot goes, here is some info on treatmeant



> *Tail rot or fin rot*
> •Symptoms: Betta’s fins and/or tail seem to be getting shorter and shorter or they seem to be falling apart and dissolving, Black or red along the edge of the betta’s fins/tail, Bloody tips, Behavior may not change
> Treatment: Conservative: Treat with Aq.Salt at 1 tsp/gal. Increase water changes to 100% daily. Replace accurate amount of salt following water changes. Add Stress Coat to help repair tissue. If there is little to no improvement within the first 5 days, you can increase the salt dosage gradually to 2tsp/gal but do not continue any salt treatments past 10 days. Medication: If Conservative treatment is ineffective use API Tetracycline, API Fungus Cure, API Triple Sulfa, OR API Erythromycin. Also add Stress Coat to help regrowth. Continue until fins/tail stop receding and start showing some new growth.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

I don't think his fins are infected -yet-, but I wanted to try and aid in the regrowth of the fins so there would be less risk of infection. What could I do for that?

Also, would the salt help with his swollen gills? If not, what would?


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

stress coat should help with fin regrowth. As far as the swollen gills go, it's probably from ammonia poisoning from the cup he was in at walmart. 

Here is some info on inflamed gills, as well as the link to the sticky about diseases for anything else that may surface now that he's out of his cup. 



> *Inflamed Gills*
> •Symptoms: One or both gills will not close all the way and may appear red. The fish will be gasping for air and subsequently die.
> •Treatment: Isolate sick fish. Depending on the cause, there are different treatments. If it is genetic then there is no cure. If it was caused by nitrate/nitrite/ammonia poisoning (BAD HUSBANDRY) then treat with 1tsp/gal Aq.Salt and Stress Coat while performing daily 100% water changes. If it is a bacterial infection, then you can treat conservitably with 1-2tsp/gal Aq.Salt for up to 10 days. If that does not work then use API Tetracycline, API Erythromiacin, API Triple Sulfa, OR Maracyn.


Link to the sticky: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=73332

Hope he gets to feeling better now that he isn't trapped in walmart anymore


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Do I have to use the stress coat? All I have at the moment is aquarium salt, but I can probably get the stress coat tomorrow. Should I start the salt treatment tonight or just start treatment tomorrow when I have both?

Also, thank you so much for all of the help!!


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Nevermind (he's breathing heavily but not too bad)


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

Hmm, I'm not sure on the gills then. Is there any way you could get some more pictures up of him?


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Here's another picture, but it's the best I could get without stressing him even more.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

So should I start treatment tonight before I get the stress coat?


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

I'm not sure, if the gills don't look overly swollen or red then it may just be the way his gills sit? I'm not an expert by no means, but the stress coat should help with the regrowth on his fins. But once again, I'm not too sure about the gill issue, sorry. Hopefully someone else will jump in and be able to help you out a little more than I can.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

I just don't want him to pass tonight because I didn't treat him soon enough, or treated him for the wrong thing.

Thank you for the help though!


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

That's the reason I don't want to tell you to go ahead and treat tonight. If there's no need for the salt treatment then it could cause some damage to a bettas kidneys, and I don't want that to happen.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

I agree.

Now he has a dark horizontal line on his body. What does this mean??


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

Now that I have no idea. I know about stress lines, but those are normally a lighter color, not darker. Where is the darker line located on his body?


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

It's located on his lower belly. I read it could be from stress, but how do I help him with that?

Or maybe that's just his coloring and I didn't notice it before. I'm just so paranoid, I want to do the best I can for him!


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

Don't worry, I'm super paranoid when it comes to my boys too. It may be his natural coloring, or it could be from stress.

Of course if it's his coloring then you have nothing to worry about. Bettas do tend to change coloration a bit as they age, and some change pretty rapidly once they have ideal living conditions. One of my petco boys has colored up a bit since he's been in his new tank this last week. He may have been paler than he actually was in his betta cup and now that he's in better water and overall better conditions, he could be coloring up.

It could also be from stress as well. My other new boy had gotten a little pale and had some stress lines down his body, but they only lasted two days. It could just be him adjusting to his new place. Just make sure he has lots of plants, either silk ones or real ones, no plastic, and some hiding places, that way he has a lot of places to hide and feel safe. My stressed boy I mentioned above pretty much hid the first few days in his new tank, but now he's out and about and the stress lines are gone and he is nice and vibrant in color again


----------



## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

If you can get your hands on methylene blue, doing baths with it would help his probable ammonia poisoning, including (I think) the gills if there is something wrong with them due to ammonia poisoning.

Does his stripe look similar to this? 









If so, it's stress stripes. I wouldn't worry about it too much if that's what it is, he's probably just stressed from all the changes. 

You can certainly start treatment without the stresscoat. Make sure to dissolve the Aquarium Salt before adding it in, otherwise it can burn him. 

The most important things right now are to keep his water very clean, and to keep him at a warm, stable temperature. I assume you have a heater in with him? If not, you should add one ASAP, because fluctuating temps will cause his immune system to be even lower.

Edit: Totally agree with adding silk plants, it really helps them feel more comfortable. Live is better, but only if you can keep them alive, and sometimes that's just not possible. Lol, most of my tanks can't support live plants currently.

Edit again: Don't worry about adding the aquarium salt, just don't keep it in at that dosage for longer than 10 days. I actually keep 1/2tsp per gallon in my tanks at all times.

Good luck with him, I hope he pulls through for you! 
I will check this thread again tomorrow, but I am off to bed for tonight.


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Oh what a pretty guy! Walmart rescue dear to my heart. Thanks for giving him a good home! I have had success with aquarium salt. 1tsp/gallon. I usually treat my new guys when bring the home to help head off and potentIal fin rot and help gill function. Keep his water very clean and keep him warm. Extra plants for hiding will help reduce his stress. If you are using artificial plants try to stay with silk to prevent any other fin trauma. The other thing that has been a great help to my Walmart guy has been Indian Almond leaves. I ordered mine from Amazon but some Petsmart carry them in store. The leaves are great to provide shade or hiding spot but the tannins they release is very healing promotes fin growth and helps reduce stress. Fins repair themselves quickly. Sure hope he gets to feeling better soon! Keep us posted. What is his name? You are doing good job just remember love and tlc goes a long way


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Woke up this morning to him swimming around pretty actively! Although, I have noticed that when he is still, it's almost like his head is too heavy for him and it kinda points downward. But he swims perfectly fine, it's just when he isn't swimming.

Thank you everyone for the help! I have a few questions. Should I try to feed him? If so, how many pellets? I'm using Aqueon betta pellets, so they're pretty small. Does anyone know of any cheap heaters? Propably around $5? There are some on eBay, but I don't want to risk it being broken or something and hurt my fish. :/ Also, cheap hides for the little guy? All the decorations related to fish at petsmart are $7 and up, and the fish can't even fit inside. The ones he can hide inside are over $10! It's even expensive at Walmart. :shock: Any suggestions would be amazing!

He actually doesn't have a name yet! I didn't know if he'd make it through the night, but now that he has, I need some name suggestions! I'll try to get more pictures so you guys can see his coloring. He almost looks butterfly, but I can't tell if the white is just from him being so unhealthy or if it's going to stay like that.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

I got one photo of him before he swam away, it's not the best but it shows more of his coloring. Also, I noticed he is sooooo much smaller and skinnier than my other betta.  he looks like he hasn't been fed in weeks.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Just made the aquarium salt mix (his tank water and 2.5 tsp of aq salt) and started pouring it in which I'll gradually do over the next hour. I also put a pellet in the tank and I think he ate it, which is a very good sign!


----------



## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

Yay!  He is such a cute little fellow.


----------



## ShadeSlayer (Jul 20, 2015)

He looks pretty young. Beautiful betta, I hope everything wokrs out with him.


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Oh he is such a beautiful color! Eating and being active are such good signs!! His fins actually look pretty good from your last picture. For cheaper decorations I have used a teracotta pot before. If you use a very small one the hole on the back fine. If larger I usually will plug hole with a gravel or block with a plant so i dont have any fishy trying to wiggle through hole. I know others have used coffee cups for caves. River stones are very pretty and provide something to explore. Petsmart does have some small silk plants for about $1.99-4. I have actually bought quite a few from there. They also have a (everyone close your ears) plastic grass plant that is .99. It is smooth and I have not had any issues with it. Petsmart has a really cute barrel/barnacle ornament there for about $6.50. As for heater not sure you will find a cheap option. Depending on where you live, if you can keep your room temp warmer he would be ok without one for awhile. I live in balmy East TN and my room stays consistantly at 80 with vent flow turned down to room so I dont need to use heaters in summer. As long as you are not having big drops in temp he should be fine and give you time to save up for one. Good ones run around $15-19 if you get one with adjustable temp control. Very best wishes. I hope your fish continues to thrive and bring you much joy. How about Sam (means heard from God) or Wally. Thinking Walmart names lol. My Walmart rescues are Chance, Levi and Benjamin. A lot of times i find names I like on these baby name websites. If you are thinking of a specific character quality like strength you can search for names with that meaning.


----------



## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

Themamaj has some great suggestions for hides. Something I like to use for my fish is hamster tunnels. They make neat little hides, and don't cost too terribly much.


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Cute idea Elleth. Never thought of using those but good idea


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Has anyone tried the heaters off of eBay? For example:

http://m.ebay.com/itm/50W-Adjustabl...ible-Fish-Tank-Water-/301576494682?nav=SEARCH

Also, my room is the warmest in the house so I don't think I'll need a heater until it starts getting cooler. It's in the 100s outside right now. But I'm getting thermometers for both my tanks so I can monitor the the temperature and if it fluctuates too much, I'll order the heaters.


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

If he's going to be in a 2.5 gallon tank then a 25watt heater would be better, that way the water doesn't end up too warm.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Got some more plants and a cheap little hide. Of course they were out of the things I really needed, thermometers and stress coat. :-?

Anyways, does anyone have an idea as to why he acts like his head is too heavy for him when he's sitting still? His backend just kinda slowly floats up until he's almost completely vertical. Then he just sits like that until he needs air or wants to swim around.

And for names, I was thinking Nova.  But I'd love some other suggestions as I'm not totally set on what to name him.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Another picture. Really bad lighting because I'm trying to keep my room darker so he feels safer.

Do you guys think his colors will stay how they are, or the white will fill in with color as he gets healthier?


----------



## MissLibby (Jul 8, 2015)

He looks like he'll be a beautiful fish after recovery.  He is already a beautiful boy.


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

I would imagine his colors will brighten up but he may keep the different color fins. Have you been able to get him to flare any at a mirror? Also a good indicator of health. Not sure on why back floating up. He could be trying to regulate himself in water but possible sbd. One silly thing about flaring is it almost always makes my guys poop. I guess they get so wind up they let it all loose. haha Maybe that will help clear him out if a bit stopped up. If doesnt flare yet dont worry. It took Chance about a week to settle in good and build up trust. They are each different. Sounds like you have everything you need to make him perfect home.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

I tried to get him to flare by removing the divider between him and Phoenix (my other betta) and neither of them flared lol. They just swam frantically against the side towards each other but never flared.

I tossed a pellet in his tank, and that was the fastest I've ever seen him swim! I gave him one more and he ate that one as well. He looks really bloated though. I can't tell if it's just because he's so skinny, so his belly sticks out more? I'm hoping its that and he's not constipated or something.


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Sounds like good signs at showing interest in other fish and excited to eat. My guys have been pretty thin as well when first got them but dorsal take long to figure out the friendly food source haha. You are doing great job.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Today he won't eat.  he stared at the food for a while, but wouldn't eat it. Except every time I go near his tank he paces the side and opens his mouth repeatedly (which is really cute lol) acting like he's hungry. :/


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Update: Still doing the salt treatment. I've decided to fast him for a couple of days to see if that will assist his possible constipation. He's so scared, every time I go near the tank he swims away and hides. It makes me sad because I wish there was a way I could tell him that I'm only trying to help him. He freaks out during water changes, and I can never catch him so usually he's left in the tank.

Anyways, here's a rare picture of his adorable face. He has the biggest, cutest eyes!

Sorry it's blurry, I was trying to take it quickly before he swam away. Also, you can tell (if you look reallly closely) that his gill sticks out quite a bit. I'm not sure if it's causing him any problems, or if it's gonna stay like that.


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

precious face


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Ive not had any experience with the gill issues but being very timid and hiding is pretty normal. I'm sure he had been through a lot at the store. It took Chance awhile to build up trust with me. I understand exactly how you feel though as if you could somehow help them understand you are a friend and genuinely care about them and want to help them get better. I sure hope your guy does well! He sure is a cutie. I have an extra soft spot for walmart rescues


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

So I decided to stop the salt treatment last night, because it wasn't helping anything nor making it worse. So I did a 50% water change last night and put regular water/conditioner in its place. This morning I woke up to check on him, and he was even more bloated than before and he has a kind of sore on his belly. It's like a lighter spot near his little beard fins. It could've been there before and I'm just now being able to see it because he's more bloated. I don't know what to do. D:


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Is the spot white and cottony or like a grain of salt or more open wound? Do you have any Epson Salt on hand?


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

It looks more like an open wound, I guess? And no, I don't have any Epsom salt. :/


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

I have done some reading on your fellows symptoms. I believe the gill issue is one called gill hyperplasia. It can occur when there is damage to the gill tissue (probably in his case from poor water quality). If I understand correctly there is a build up of extra cells on the gill like scar tissue that prevents the gill from closing completely. It can reduce their ability to take in oxygen from the water but in a bettas case fortunately they have the labrinth organ that allows them to compensate for this. It is possible as it heals it may close more but may never close completely depending on cell damage. The reason I mentioned the Epson salts is that it is an effective treatment to reduce swelling. It helps with popeye as well as bloat plus has a natural laxative quality about it. The wound in and of itself should heal on its own provided good clean water and the salt would be helpful to that as well. Because of the fin rot, bloat, wound I really wonder if he doesnt have a bacterial or other type infection going on. A round of antibiotics would help. Maracyn 2 or Tetracycline are two good ones. I have used the tetracycline to treat stubborn fin rot. The only drawback to meds is that they are pricey $11-15. I have only found them at regular pet stores. I'm not sure about the Maracyn 2 but Tetracycline is a powder that has to be mixed in about 10 gallons to get dosage right however I have a dose equavilent I can tell you to do it with 5 gallons. treatment is 4 days I believe. All of these are just suggestions and things I have learned in treating my own guys. Maybe one of the more experienced people can give you some additional good information. Very best wishes. Keep me posted I am rooting for him!!


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

How's he feeling today?


----------



## Onyx2015 (Jul 30, 2015)

Walmart is that worst when it comes to proper fish care. It's crazy because I was just up there this weekend and went straight to where the bettas were. They were stacked on top of each other. They had 2 containers with 2 bettas in each fighting each other ripping parts of their tails off. I asked the worker that was stocking in the same isle why do you have bettas in the same container he shrugged his shoulders and said " I don't know they came in that way " I was like then why does the cup say betta female yet you have 2 betta males in here?? He said I don't know. I asked him why is the water so filthy and low in all the containers he said he doesn't know. I was like you are here stocking and working in the section with fish yet have no knowledge on how to care for them, you don't feed them, you don't change the water, and you don't even monitor them to even notice that there are 2 empty containers that contained one fish that was poured into another container with a fish already inside. I know he isn't the only the worker to work that area but you can tell none of the workers including him have been taking care of the fish. They neglect them until they die off to be replaced by new ones. The fishes looked sick and unhappy. Some of them were laying on their sides looking like they were on their last breath. 


So I did his job for him. I waited until he left and I opened the few bottles they had of the betta water and dumped the old water into the sink and poured the fish into clean water. and separated the fishes that were kept in the same container. 

I told him the next time I go in their I better see a change and I will be recording everything I see including these filthy crowded fish tanks you have displayed with dead fish stuck in the filters. I also called and spoke to the manager there.

I'm glad you rescued a walmart fish. I hope he gets better soon. =)


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Go Onynx! Thank you for being proactive! !


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Yesterday, he just blew up like a ballon. Every time I went in to check on him, his belly was bigger and bigger. It stopped getting bigger today but I noticed he hasn't pooped at all since I got him. I'm not sure what to do. :/


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Why dont you try him on a small piece of cooked pea. Usually saved for last resort but sounded if he really needs it


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

Why dont you try him on a small piece of cooked pea. Usually saved for last resort but sounded if he really needs it


----------



## ShadeSlayer (Jul 20, 2015)

Aww! His face looks like a little pug dogs! Have you named him yet? Flurry would be cute.
His fins are looking better, too. Congrats on a super greta walmart rescue!!!


----------



## Megan1793 (Jul 21, 2015)

Onyx2015 said:


> Walmart is that worst when it comes to proper fish care. It's crazy because I was just up there this weekend and went straight to where the bettas were. They were stacked on top of each other. They had 2 containers with 2 bettas in each fighting each other ripping parts of their tails off. I asked the worker that was stocking in the same isle why do you have bettas in the same container he shrugged his shoulders and said " I don't know they came in that way " I was like then why does the cup say betta female yet you have 2 betta males in here?? He said I don't know. I asked him why is the water so filthy and low in all the containers he said he doesn't know. I was like you are here stocking and working in the section with fish yet have no knowledge on how to care for them, you don't feed them, you don't change the water, and you don't even monitor them to even notice that there are 2 empty containers that contained one fish that was poured into another container with a fish already inside. I know he isn't the only the worker to work that area but you can tell none of the workers including him have been taking care of the fish. They neglect them until they die off to be replaced by new ones. The fishes looked sick and unhappy. Some of them were laying on their sides looking like they were on their last breath.
> 
> 
> So I did his job for him. I waited until he left and I opened the few bottles they had of the betta water and dumped the old water into the sink and poured the fish into clean water. and separated the fishes that were kept in the same container.
> ...



I've encountered similar situations, but the unfortunate reality is the majority of workers that they have stocking the pet department aren't even actually pet department associates. When I worked at walmart, in grocery mind you, they pulled me and a lot of other people to do pets on a regular basis. Thankfully this allowed me to stop a few groups of idiot children trying to put multiple bettas in the same cup for fun. The audacity of some people astounds me.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Ever since he got really bloated the other day, he's been just resting in one of the plants in his tank. Before, he would swim around and rarely stay still. I think his belly has gotten bigger today. I can't really tell because he's in the plant and I don't want to stress him out even more by making him come out.

(and no he's not stuck)

Also, I've ruled out fin rot. I think his fins are just short because he's young and was in very bad conditions.


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

So sorry. Does he show any interest in food? Have tried pea? Praying things turn around.


----------



## iZiggyStardust (Aug 1, 2015)

How often are you feeding him? Be careful not to overfeed. It is always better for your betta to be a little underfed than overfed. 

Overfeeding can also cause the ammonia levels to rise. Be careful of this. 
Bloating and constipation can be a sign of swim bladder disease. 

Learn about it here:
http://velvetdragon.com/bettas/sbd.html

Congrats on your fish! He is lucky to have an involved betta parent! Good luck!


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

I only fed him the first two days I had him, and he ate a total of 3 pellets (aqueon betta pellets, I realize now that they aren't healthy and I'm going to get a different kind when I go to the store again). I haven't fed him since Friday.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

Is there anything besides Epsom salt or a pea that could help him? I can't go to the store until this Friday and I have neither of those things. I'm afraid he won't make it that far, I think it's affecting his swim bladder. He swims wobbly now and when he tries to swim down, once he stops swimming, he eventually just floats right back to the top.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

His eyes are also really cloudy, and they weren't before. I'm so mad at myself, it's going to be my fault if he doesn't make it.


----------



## iZiggyStardust (Aug 1, 2015)

When was the last time you fed him? Have you seen him poop? Does he have trouble swimming downward?


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

The last time I fed him was Friday. I was attempting to fast him because his belly had gotten so big, plus he wasn't really interested in the food anymore. I have not seen him poop at all. The gravel is black, so I would see it if he did. I'm assuming he has trouble swimming downward. He won't move from his resting spot on the leaf near the surface. I got him to swim around once, and he was all wobbly. He stopped in the middle of the tank and slowly started floating up, which is why I'm assuming it's affecting his swim bladder.

Anyone know why his eyes got cloudy??


----------



## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

How often are you changing his water? Cloudy eyes is usually an infection due to dirty water. Although in this situation it could perhaps be due to his conditions before you bought him. 

Also, gravel eats poop. I stopped using gravel because I could never ever see any poop. If you can, making your tank bare bottom at least temporarily would help. I'm kind of wondering if he's got a bacterial infection or worms, or both, that are causing the SBD issues. Being able to see his poop (if he poops at all) will go a long way towards figuring it out.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

My other betta has the same gravel, and I can see all of his poo. I've been changing his water 50% daily.


----------



## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

Water quality definitely should not be the problem, then. 

If this guy's poop is different than your other guy's, it could be disappearing into the gravel even though your other's doesn't. Have you seen any poop from him at all? I'm really curious as to if it's white and stringy, or just white, or if it looks normal. Worms can cause SBD issues, or a bacterial infection can. Of course other things can as well, but overfeeding is obviously not the case here, and I think if it were water quality from before you got him, then you would have seen it before now. 

Aquarium salt can sometimes help to clear up the cloudy eye issue, but I'm not sure which is more important now, Epsom salt or aquarium salt, since you can't dose both at once. Do you have aquarium salt already, by chance? 

Do you have a picture of how big his belly has gotten? I really hope it's not, but there is a form of dropsy that causes severe swelling in the belly with no (or very minimal) pineconing. 

I think you might want to look into purchasing Kanaplex. That can be used for dropsy, and if his eyes start swelling (popeye) it can treat that as well. Popeye usually starts with cloudy eyes, if I remember right.


----------



## IslandGirl7408 (May 24, 2015)

What happened to this fish? Did he make it?


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

I had been using aq salt when I first got him because his fins looked damaged. As soon as I stopped the salt treatment, he got bloated and his belly was literally blowing up like a ballon. This morning was the first time I noticed his wobbly swimming and cloudy eyes. They could have been there before then but I was trying to just let him hide in the leaf and not stress him out, so I wasn't really getting a clear look until I scared him out of his hiding spot.

No, I can't manage to get a clear picture of his belly. His fins aren't see-through, so they're always blocking the view of his belly. I noticed when I look from the top that one side is protruding a lot more than the other.


----------



## iZiggyStardust (Aug 1, 2015)

I have been doing a little research- fungal infection is the most commonly answered one. The advice is to keep the water clean and monitor his eyes closely. 
The ammonia levels could've been high in his old tank... that might be what caused a possible fungal infection.


----------



## bphbetta (Jul 24, 2015)

It had been going on for a few days so I guess it was just too hard for him to go on. SIP little Nova, I'm sorry I couldn't save you.

Thank you everyone for your help.


----------



## Elleth (Feb 23, 2015)

I'm so sorry that he didn't make it.  SIP Nova. I'm glad he was able to know love.


----------



## iZiggyStardust (Aug 1, 2015)

I'm so sorry. You did your best. 

I think he died knowing that someone loved and cared for him- which is the most important.


----------



## ShadeSlayer (Jul 20, 2015)

He died safe and with someone carring about him in a nice tank, much better then in a tiny cup filled with amonia. I am so sorry about him. SIP.


----------



## themamaj (May 11, 2015)

I'm so sorry!


----------

