# Extremely bloated, is there any way I can save him?



## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Is there any way I can save my dear friend? He is acting like himself, but showing extreme physical symptoms. He is active, cheerful, hungry, and playful, even flaring at things, but he looks like he is about to explode!
Sorry about all the pictures, but it is hard to get a good picture of him, and I wanted to give you guys the best idea possible. There is also a video.

Housing 
What size is your tank? *20g long*
What temperature is your tank? *86*
Does your tank have a filter? *Yes*
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? *Yes*
Is your tank heated? *Yes*
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? *None*

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? *Omega One Marine Flakes, blackworms added recently*
How often do you feed your betta fish? *Under normal circumstances, once or twice a day. Right now, I am worried about feeding him every day.*

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change?* Every week. Right now I'm doing it every two days.*
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?* About 25%*
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? *Prime, Stress Coat, and now Epsom salts*

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: *0*
Nitrite: *0*
Nitrate: *o*
pH: *I think the test reads 6.5*
Hardness: *Unknown*
Alkalinity: *Unknown*

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? *He is HUGELY bloated, and I am noticing some pineconing scales, but that really only became noticeable today.*
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? *It hasn't, for the most part. He spends a little more time resting on the bottom of the tank, but I think it's just because he wears himself out swimming around with a big belly. He hasn't passed feces all this time, though the friend I have taking care of him while I am gone (I travel a lot) says she removed a long white stringy thing from the tank that seemed to be feces because it wasn't there before. But I know long stringy white feces is bad. The General Cure doesn't seem to be helping. Yesterday it looked like he was trying to squeeze himself through two rocks on the bottom that he couldn't fit through, almost as if he was trying to squeeze out whatever is blocking the passage of feces.*
When did you start noticing the symptoms? *About two and a half weeks ago.*
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? *At first I thought he was constipated, so I fasted him for almost a week and he continued to get bigger. I tried a tiny bit of a cooked pea, but that didn't help. When I spoke to my local fish expert about a week ago, he said it was dropsy and that there was no way to save him and gave me some blackworms as a special sort of "last meal." I ignored him and treated him with API General Cure and some epsom salts, but I went really easy on the epsom salts because I didn't want to agitate him. Now I am adding one teaspoon per gallon when I change the water.*
Does your fish have any history of being ill? *Yes*
How old is your fish (approximately)? *The man at the store said he is probably about a year and a half, maybe two years old.*



Here is a link to the video on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7NL108LHjI&feature=youtu.be


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

I've heard of flakes causing constipation but this is uh... Not that... Try asking bailmint whether or not this is dropsy


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## hubbley (Apr 23, 2014)

If the scales are pineconing that is usually a sign of dropsy, which is a symptom of organ failure. Unfortunately it's a hard thing to fight off, but if treated right away there is a chance. This is what the disease page says:

•Symptoms: Your betta will have a bloated belly and raised scales. They will look like a pine cone. This is usually a fatal disease caused by an internal bacterial infection resulting in internal organ failure but many have had success bringing fish back when treated quickly.
Early Symptoms: Swollen eyes (important), Gray belly (important), Clamped fins, Lethargy. If your fish has swollen eyes and a gray belly, I suggest that you treat it for Dropsy.
•Treatment: If you spot the early signs of Dropsy then treat him/her with ES at 1-2tsp/gal and Jungle’s Anti-Parasite pellets while performing 100% daily water changes. It helps to increase the temperature to 84*F. If he/she has begun Pineconning then do the full course as described below:
Performing daily 100% water changes. Increase the temperature to 84*F. Add 1-2 tsp/gal Epsom Salt. Use API General Cure OR API Erythromycin OR Maracyn II and/or Maracyn for best results. Feed something containing Metronidazole, for example, Jungle’s Anti-Parasite pellets. If caught early, Dropsy is curable. 

The severity of the bloating could have something to do with dropsy, but since you are just noticing the pineconing I think the original cause of the bloating is the flakes you've been feeding him. Flakes expand in the stomach much much more than pellets and can cause bloating. I would switch to a pellet food right away, but for now it might be better to avoid feeding for a little. The Epsom salt should help with the bloating. I'd get the salt (unscented) and medication as soon as possible to increase the chances of helping him.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

How much ES are you using? 

What meds do you have on hand?


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

I have been adding 1tsp of epsom salt per gallon when I do a 25% water change.

The medicines I have on hand are:

API General Cure
Jungle Lifeguard All in One Treatment
Tetra Ick Guard
Tetra Lifeguard
API T.C. Tetracycline
API Triple Sulfa
Melafix
Pimafix
Bettafix

I was worried it was the food at first, and that's why I fasted him. But it still got worse without food, and I don't want him to starve.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

If it were me, I would up the dose to 2-3 tsp per g. ES is safe to use up to 3 tsp per g. 

Ideally, Kanaplex would be the best med to tackle dropsy. If you are unable to get Kanaplex, API General Cure would be the one on that list I'd try.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

I tried API General Cure with no result. Where is Kanaplex usually available?

I will up the epsom salt. Should I add more now or just wait until I do another water change?


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

HappyAccident said:


> I tried API General Cure with no result. Where is Kanaplex usually available?
> 
> I will up the epsom salt. Should I add more now or just wait until I do another water change?


There are a few LFS that carry Kanaplex. I order it from Drs Foster & Smith, but I've heard people get it from Amazon and Ebay too. 

If it were me I'd just add it to the water now.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Since his scales aren't pineconing and he's acting like himself, I would say this ISN'T dropsy. His extreme bloating may be causing a few scales to poke out, but that isn't the same thing. Is the pineconing over his whole body? If not, I would find it hard to believe that this is dropsy. If it was, I think he would be dead by now.

I tend to lean on the more conservative side and use medication only when necessary. Before trying meds, I would:

- stop feeding him
- put him in a small qt tank (between 1 - 3 gallons); this will make dosing whatever you use easier and you will use less product
- do 100% water changes every other day at 3 tsp per gallon

This may not work, especially since you've been trying epsom salt with no success. But I would do this for a few days at least just to make sure.

Your friend says she removed white stringy poo. That is normally a sign of parasites. Parasites USUALLY cause the fish to look emaciated, but if the parasites are very numerous they may cause the animal to bloat. You say you added blackworms recently. Are they live? 

If the above doesn't work, I would treat for internal parasites. I'm leaning towards that being the cause.

For reference, here is a betta with dropsy. The pineconing is all over the body, and the fish is not bloated only at the stomach, but over the whole body cavity.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Is there any other medication I can use as a backup if I can't get Kanaplex? I will order it, but it will probably take a couple of days to get here.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Thank you, freeflow246. I will do that. How quickly should I see results?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Since the bloating is so extreme, I would give it three days before moving on to other treatment. Like I said, I am far more inclined to believe that he has parasites and not dropsy.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Thank you. Do you know why the API General Cure didn't work on the parasites?


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## BettaLover1999 (Jun 30, 2014)

I use fungus clear


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Wow... 100% irrelevant dude ^


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

How long did you use the General Cure? My friend had a betta with parasites and she had success with Jungle Parasite Clear tabs. General Cure is not absorbed through the gills and therefore it is hit-or-miss whether your betta gulps enough water to get the right amount of meds in his system. I believe General Cure is better for external parasites even though it says it kills internal ones too.

I think getting him some anti-parasitic food would be best. That way it gets right into his system. Jungle’s Anti-Parasite Medicated Fish Food or Ultra Cure PX are good from what I hear.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

freeflow246 said:


> Since his scales aren't pineconing and he's acting like himself, I would say this ISN'T dropsy. His extreme bloating may be causing a few scales to poke out, but that isn't the same thing. Is the pineconing over his whole body? If not, I would find it hard to believe that this is dropsy. If it was, I think he would be dead by now.


You don't think he looks like he's pineconing in the pictures? I think the 4th and 7th picture down look very dropsy like. 

I've had fish with Dropsy live for several weeks. Its just like organ failure in humans, sometimes it's quick and sometimes it's slow.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

NeptunesMom said:


> You don't think he looks like he's pineconing in the pictures? I think the 4th and 7th picture down look very dropsy like.
> 
> I've had fish with Dropsy live for several weeks. Its just like organ failure in humans, sometimes it's quick and sometimes it's slow.


I could be missing it, but to me is looks like the scales are poking out just around the stomach area due to how stretched the skin is. I was just trying to differentiate between that and scales poking up over the whole body. It doesn't look to me like he's pineconing (scales sticking out all over) but rather that the scales around the bloating are sticking out.

If you can, OP, some more pictures with more light might help.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

More pictures are attached. I did my best as far as the light goes. Sorry I can't get a better picture. This morning, I moved him to a hospital tank and added 3tsp/gal of epsom salts. He seems a little more sluggish, and not as chipper. I have been noticing some white fluffy looking stuff collecting on his arm-fins. Is this fecal matter? You can see it the best in pictures 3 and 6. I also noticed a strange white thing sticking out of his nostril, pictures 1 and 2.

I did a full course of treatment with the General Cure. On the box it says to do one dose, wait 48 hours, another dose, wait another 48 hours, then do a 25% water change and put the carbon filter back in.

I bought Jungle's Anti-Parasite Pellets, as well as Seachem's Metronidazole and Polyguard. I also have Betta Revive. I am very worried that I am running out of time.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

There does appear to be some pineconing starting around the back of his body. I think it could be the start of dropsy due to the bloating, but I am still hesitant to say that dropsy is the root cause.

I'm not sure what the white stuff could be. Keep an eye on it.

I would try to feed him the anti-parasite pellets and get him in the polyguard. I think it's fine to keep the epsom salt in there. I would do a pwc to get the meds in there. If you don't see improvement in a few days, start the kanaplex. It could easily be dropsy at this point but might as well try everything, right?


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## Umineko (Jul 16, 2013)

Looks somewhat like what my fish had. But he didn't pine cone. If you take a light and shine it through him and it's see through, it would definitely be fluid buildup. My fish it turned out to be organ failure. But you should keep trying what you can. I didn't try kanaplex or anything like that so hopefully it will work for you. My fish lived quite a while bloated like that. Here is the link to his thread if you wish to take a look. Good luck!


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

So the Polyguard is the best med out of the ones I've got? Also, if I feed him a pellet, will it, like, make him explode? It just looks like he couldn't possibly stretch anymore. 

Thank you for the link, Umineko.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

To me it looks like organ failure, not a parasite. But, it is always hard to tell from pictures. What color is his poop? 

The white looks fungal to me, but at this point you don't want to hit him with too many meds since his liver and kidney are likely compromised (if it is organ failure).


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

I haven't seen him poop in two and a half weeks. The person watching him while I was gone said she removed a long white stringy thing from the tank, but she didn't take a picture and didn't tell me until after she threw it away, so I have no idea what it really was.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

HappyAccident said:


> I haven't seen him poop in two and a half weeks. The person watching him while I was gone said she removed a long white stringy thing from the tank, but she didn't take a picture and didn't tell me until after she threw it away, so I have no idea what it really was.


Well, white stringy poop can be a sign of an internal parasite. Hmm... 

To me it really looks like organ failure, but maybe I'm missing something because freeflow246 seems pretty sure its an internal parasite and your above post sounds like a potential internal parasite.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

So, what is the best course of action for tackling both of those at once?


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

HappyAccident said:


> So, what is the best course of action for tackling both of those at once?


Jungle's Anti-Parasite Pellets would be my best suggestion, because some have claimed success using metronidazole to treat dropsy.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Would Seachem's Metronidazole work? Or should I specifically get the Jungle Anti-Parasite?


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

HappyAccident said:


> Would Seachem's Metronidazole work? Or should I specifically get the Jungle Anti-Parasite?


I thought you already had the pellets? They have metronidazole in them.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Oh, you meant the food pellets. Sorry! They won't make him pop?


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

I tried feeding him the anti-parasite pellets, but he wouldn't eat them. He suddenly seems reluctant to be active, too, and he's having trouble floating.

He caught the light just right and I saw light through his stomach, so I guess that means it's fluid buildup? Is there any way I can relieve the pressure? I am such a mess...I don't want him to die, but if there is no way to save him, I absolutely do not want him to have a slow, painful death! And I don't want to give up on him. I am at a loss for what to do.


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## NeptunesMom (May 4, 2012)

HappyAccident said:


> Oh, you meant the food pellets. Sorry! They won't make him pop?


Literally pop... no. Potentially cause more backup if he's constipated... yes. 

How much ES is he in at the moment? Have you maxed it out at 3tsp per g?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

It could very well be dropsy, but since the bloating seems to be around the stomach and the pineconing at the tail has just started, I'm more inclined to think it's something else. The white poo makes me think maybe parasites. But you're the judge, OP. Treat for whichever one you think it is.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

I think he finally pooped! I tried to give him the parasite food again late this morning, and he nibbled at it, though he spat most of it out. But I was just checking on him and I discovered this at the bottom of the tank! It has to be poop, right? It's about a centimeter long. (Ignore the little bits of brown stuff other than the poop in the first picture. That's just the crushed pellets that floated to the bottom of the tank.)


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Oh, and yes, I have maxed out the ES at 3tsp per gallon.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Has his behavior or appearance changed since he pooped?


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

He seems happier and _maybe_ a tiny bit less bloated, but he is definitely not more bloated. Last night he seemed really down, and he seems in better spirits. He's very front-heavy, so he is swimming with his head lower than his tail. He is also still translucent when I hold him up to the light.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Hmmm..... I suppose keep doing what you're doing then. I can't really tell if that poop is indicative of parasites or not. I Googled "yellow betta poop" and not a whole lot came up lol. But the fact that he pooped is good. Had to relieve some of that pressure (ew). How's the pineconing?


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

I agree, I'm glad he let SOMETHING out. (Sorry for the giant, close-up poo pictures.)

The pineconing hasn't gotten any worse. There is a scale on his abdomen that seems to be falling off, but there's no redness or anything around it, and it's just one.

Do you know what the fluid is?


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## KFoster (Mar 26, 2014)

My betta's waste looked like this when I put him in an ES bath when he was sick, I don't know what yellow poo means either, but I have seen it before! 

My little man did pass, but I hope your guy pulls through!!!

I'd like to know what the yellow poo is or what it means if someone posts about it.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

I found this poo chart. Maybe it will help? Sounds like C or D.

http://www.nationalfishpharm.com/fish_diseases/fecal_disorders.html

EDIT: Not sure about the fluid. I've never heard of using a flashlight to check bloating like that before. The logic seems sound, but I don't know how accurate it is.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Should I go ahead and add the Polyguard, or should I wait and see if the epsom salts help more? (Sorry to ask nonstop questions, I'm still new to this, so I am paranoid that I'm going to do something wrong.)

Edit: Should I continue to feed him the anti-parasite pellets? If so, do I do this with the Polyguard?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

He pooped after eating the anti-parasite pellets, right?


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Yes, but very shortly after and he only nibbled them, he didn't eat very much.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Since one of the causes of yellow poo, according to that link, is parasites, I would add the polyguard and keep trying to get him to eat the anit-parasite pellets if you can. Has his pineconing changed?


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

The pineconing hasn't gotten any worse. I am treating him with the Polyguard. Thank you so much for your help. I will keep you updated.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

No prob! Let us know what happens! This is quite the puzzle lol.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

I have a couple questions about medication.

The directions say to mix one level measure with ten gallons of water and repeat every 3 days for up to two weeks. For the sake of getting the right measurement, I cleaned out the 20g and mixed 10 gallons of water and the medicine in there with 3tsp/gal of ES, as well as the usual Prime and Stress Coat. Here are my questions:

Should I continue to do the 100% water change every day instead of waiting three days?

Is it okay to pre-mix the ES/Polyguard/Prime/Stresscoat in a large aquarium and transfer it from there, or should I just make a new batch every time I change the water?

If it is okay to pre-mix, how long is the solution okay to use?

I assumed it was okay to continue with the ES since it seemed to be working. Is it okay to do the treatment with the ES?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

I would wait the three days and not do the water change. I think it's okay to premix it and let it sit as you go through the treatment, but someone can correct me on that. ES should be okay.


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## Aquatail (Jun 29, 2012)

I didn't see it mentioned before, but I noticed that you listed Omega One Marine Flakes as his food. I'm no expert in food, but is it alright to feed a betta flakes for saltwater fish?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Any updates?


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Sorry for the delay. I'm out of town at the moment. He looks like he has deflated just enough to relieve the pressure and he's pooping regularly now. However, the scales on his abdomen have started to pinecone noticeably. He's getting treated with Polyguard and Jungle's anti-parasite pellets, as well as 3tsp/gal of Epsom salts. What do I do? At first I thought the pineconing just had to do with his skin being a little too loose for a while, but it didn't get better.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

He is also still happy and loves playing in his bubbles. Like...when they aren't on, he goes over to the airstone like, "Um, what the heck is going on here? I thought we talked about this!" but he's not getting any smaller ever since his initial relief of pressure.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

I think it's time to treat for dropsy now. You have kanaplex, right? It is good that he doesn't appear to be in pain.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

A friend of mine said she's had the same problem and treated it successfully with Melafix. She said it's happened to her more than once, and that it's bacterial. It could be a different thing, but I'm wondering which route to take?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Unsure about the melafix. Some people have had bad experiences with it. It contains ingredients that can damage a betta's labyrinth organ, which would basically cause them to drown. I personally think kanaplex would be better.


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## Aquatail (Jun 29, 2012)

There's a lot of controversy about the fixes. All of that aside, it's something that wouldn't help that much anyway. If your fish has dropsy, you want something much more effective.


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## MsModernDayMuse (Jul 24, 2014)

I have a 2 gallon tank so what amount of epsom salt should i use ? 
Need a reply ASAP


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## Aquatail (Jun 29, 2012)

MsModernDayMuse said:


> I have a 2 gallon tank so what amount of epsom salt should i use ?
> Need a reply ASAP


Ok, you should start a new thread and fill out the sticky. What are you treating? Depending on the treatment, people usually use around 1-3tsp per gallon.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Should I continue with the Epsom Salts, or just use the Kanaplex?

Also, thank you again for all of your help and support. It is something I greatly appreciate.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

You can keep using epsom salt. It won't hurt.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Is it okay to continue with 3tsp/gal? And is there anything else I can do to increase the chances of him getting better?

Edit: I have moved him back into his 20 gallon tank now that I am not out of town. He seems happy, but tired. Not as interested in flaring. But he is still eating, which reminds me, should I stop feeding him the anti-parasite food?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

You can drop it to 1 tsp a gal if you want. I would put him back on normal food. I can't think of much else apart from maybe raising the temperature to 79 - 80 F. It might be easier to dose him if you keep him in a smaller tank. 20 gallons is a lot of medicine.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

He actually prefers the temperature around 85 anyway, so I generally try not to drop it below that. The tank I have technically doesn't hold 20 gallons, more like 17, so I just filled it to 15 since the measurements for Kanaplex are for every five gallons. I just thought he would be happier back in his house (with a few hospital modifications). He does seem to be enjoying the space again. Should I soak the food in Metronidozole?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

I wouldn't use Metronidozole. We aren't sure what this is and Kanaplex treats a broader range of things. Kanaplex works internally too, so no need to soak food.

85 F is at their max temperature before they start to have negative effects, and some would say 85 is too hot. I doubt it's the cause of all this, but just to make sure, I recommend lowering it to the more mild and common 80, or at least 82. It gets hotter than 85 in Thailand, but not for 24/7.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Okay, I will keep the temperature down. I know they tend to prefer it closer to 80, but I think he spent so long in the cold (unheated apartment in January with no heater in the bowl) before I found him that he developed a heater fetish once presented with the opportunity.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Hehe possibly


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

*Much worse today. *

Sir Floatley looks as bloated as before, and his pineconing is visibly more noticeable. I also noticed a bright red spot on his side...it's a line about one millimeter thick and maybe five millimeters long. His fins have also become much thinner...they are almost transparent in some lights now. He also is MUCH less active and has no interest in flaring. He does have an appetite, though.

Something very important also just occurred to me: I am giving him his third dose of Kanaplex right now. I have been changing the water 100% every time, because that's the way it read when I first gave it to him. But reading it again today made me wonder if I am doing it wrong? Was I supposed to just ADD a dose every two days until there was a total of three doses in the tank? I feel like an idiot for not thinking to ask this sooner...


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Update: He has just started floating slightly on one side. This is the first buoyancy problem I have seen since he got sick.

Edit: The sideways floating has gotten worse in the last few minutes.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

You would dose once every two days, then do a water change after the third dose and start the cycle again. If you wanted to do 100% water changes in between the doses, you would have to add more than one dose back. So say you do a water change after the first dose. You would put in two doses.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

*Keeps getting worse!*

Sir Floatley is now stuck at the surface completely on one side. And now that I have gotten a clearer look at his belly, it looks as if the fluid-filled sac inside him (or whatever it is...the translucent part that light shows through) is coming out of his anus. His anus is inflamed and there is a large yellowish bubble beginning to poke through. He must be horribly uncomfortable, to say the least! What do I do? He is clearly frustrated, upset, and very confused with this sudden change and is breathing harder and trying desperately to right himself and go to the bottom of the tank.

I feel like I have tried everything! Is there any way to get rid of the fluid? I wish I could just pierce it with a sterile needle. My poor little knight!


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

Dammit. I knew I did the dosage wrong.  What should I do now?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

That certainly doesn't sound good. Can you get a picture?

Hmmm what dose are you on now?


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

He's technically on his third dose, but I haven't been adding the extra medication when I change the water. He has only gotten one dose at a time. Can I continue as if this was the first dose and just add more medicine without changing the water? (Or account for the extra medicine if I do.)

Edit: He is back to his normal buoyancy, and there is no longer much of a bubble peeking out, though he might be developing more red streaks. I haven't had the chance to take a photo yet, I will as soon as I can. The pineconing is definitely worse.


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Yea, just start dosing the medication correctly now. To be completely honest, the pineconing and red streaks are not a good sign, but we're not gonna give up. I've only heard of red streaks related to septicemia.


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## HappyAccident (Feb 2, 2014)

So I finished his third dose...he is slightly tipped to one side and a little curved and the pineconing is still getting worse, but he seems a little bit less bloated. I know under normal circumstances I would start the Kanaplex from scratch again, but I was wondering: After a week of being gone, he definitely looked much smaller than he was when I left. He was on the Polyguard then and eating anti-parasite pellets, crushed up, a little bit twice a day. Should I stick to the Kanaplex or go back to the Polyguard since it seemed to have a positive effect?


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## freeflow246 (Jul 24, 2011)

Could you get a picture of him?

So you feel like he was less bloated on the anti-parasite treatment than he is on kanaplex?


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