# Charcs Journal.



## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

I've never made a journal before. But I decided I wanted to give it a try so here we are 

As most of you may know, My female betta Ice has dropsy. This is one of the reasons why I made my journal. I want to share with you all What I'm doing, What is Working, What is not, and all that is happening. Hoping that you will all Learn from any mistakes I make, and anything that I do that works 
I have been using tetra fungus guard, I also purchased a heater.

Today I woke up to find Ice ACTIVE! She was swimming around the tank!
I tried feeding her And she grabbed a pellet, but then spit it out, then grabbed it again, then spit it out. And watched while the pellet sunk to the bottom and then went back in her hut. Discouraging but also encouraging As she has not eaten since Thursday, and at least today she tried. I also tried to feed her some blood worms which ( When she is normal) she can never resist. Sadly she was not interested. 

Although she is acting a little bit better she actually looks worse. The scales on her face are now raised. Giving her face a swollen like look. 
Scales are more raised then before. 

Did a water change today, By Dividing off a section of the tank and slowly ( So that I didn't stress her) 1 pint at a time taking out water and putting it in the bucket. I did not take her out of the tank. I took out around 30 to 40 percent of the water. Then slowly pint by pint added new clean conditioned water. 

Going to try and get my water tested today. may have to wait until tomorrow. I haven't been able to get to petsmart lately, but hopefully I can get everything I need today.

Marius on the other hand is doing very good. But he seems to be Jealous of all the attention poor Ice is getting. He is flaring a lot lately And I'm wondering if he is trying to get attention. He is still stubborn, and no matter how hard I try, he refuses to chase my finger.

So, please keep hoping and praying that little Ice gets better. Keep your Fingers and fins crossed. ;-)



And Happy Veterans Day!


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!!!!!!

ICE JUST ATE TWO PELLETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so happy!


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Yay Ice!


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Well, This morning Ice won't come out of her hut. 
She is alive tho, I can see her every little while move a pectoral fin, or tail. 
I can't really tell what she looks like. and she wouldn't eat today. 
She seems to just be laying on the gravel. She is coming up for air Quickly, and then slowly sinking back to her original position. Going to start another treatment. Hoping it will help her more.

Marius is doing good today. Found out he flares at the remote. lol. he is so funny.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

You might want to lower the water level for her, so she doesn't have to exert so much energy to get air.


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Good idea.


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Ice is looking better today an is swimming around the tank, it seems she was just taking a rest day yesterday. 
She has eaten FOUR (4) pellets today, I think the second dose of treatment is making her feel a lot better, call me crazy ( everyone else does lol) but I actually think she was smiling this morning, well, if a fish can smile  lol

Eating four pellets and swimming more is a big improvement, I'm hoping she will continue on this path of getting better. Fingers and fins crossed 

Marius is definitely jealous, he flared at me this morning when I went to feed him! I really believe that he is trying to get my attention, he is fanning his fins and jumping a lot more then usual, hopfully he doesn't hurt himself lol.


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## LadyNightraven (Jun 30, 2013)

I hope Ice continues to improve! And Marius sounds like quite a character!


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Thanks Ladynightraven! I hope she does too!

Ice ate four more pellets, She is still hanging out near the bottom though.
Her scales seem to be flattening a tiny bit, but they are still pretty raised.
I did another water change today, and I Added some Stress coat today.

Marius is a tiny bit lethargic today, I'm hoping he is not going to get sick. 
I added some stress coat into his tank too, mainly because I had to move his tank into a new place in the family room.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

Yay Ice! And poor Marius. :c Keep us updated!


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

I will Schmoo! 

Ice ate another pellet today, but I could only get her to eat one. And I think she might have spit it out. Freaking out right now, She is not using her right side very much. In fact, Her ventral fin is not moving, its just clamped tightly to her body, and so is her pectoral, I've only seen move her right pectoral twice today. 
The other fins seem fine. I'm not sure if she can see out of her right Eye, I'm not positive how to check if she can. My neighbor had a stroke a while ago , and his left side was paralyzed for a while, I've never heard of fish being able to have strokes but is it possible? She was doing a lot better last night, and then this morning, she is not using her right side. I really have no Idea what this is, I can't figure it out. I've never heard of any disease doing this. 

Marius is More active today, I think he was just stressed from the move. He keeps staring towards Ice, Even tho he can't see her. I feel like he knows something is wrong. He looks Curious, but also looks sad. When he sleeps, he sleeps on the leaves right by the wall which is next to Ices side, and usaully he used to sleep on the other side. 
When I do water changes I put the cups by each other, so they do know each other. And once they had a divided tank, but Marius kept digging around the divider, and Ice would some how Houdini herself into the other side so they have met each other before lol. ^^ that of course had to stop and it did. ^^


P.S, Don't worry, my neighbor is doing a lot better.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

You might want to fast Ice for a day or two. If she has Dropsy, then I'm assuming she's bloated. She may not have eaten today because of the bloating (if I'm wrong, and she isn't bloated, then ignore this obviously). A full tummy could also be putting uncomfortable pressure on her innards as well.

Just an idea. c:


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Good Idea tho, I didn't even think about it. 
Well, Today She got a 100% water change. Maybe it will help, I don't know. She did use her right pectoral this morning but the ventral is still held close to her body. 

Marius is still active and doing great


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Maybe you should do an Epsom salt treatment. I don't why I didn't mention this before but it will help to relieve the fluid build up and make her more comfortable.


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Ok I will try that. I have a question though, Won't the salt hurt her Labyrinth Organ? I've heard salt hurts it. 

I have some epsom salt already, I'll dig it out and try it.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Charc14 said:


> Ok I will try that. I have a question though, Won't the salt hurt her Labyrinth Organ? I've heard salt hurts it.
> 
> I have some epsom salt already, I'll dig it out and try it.


Not at all. It's a common treatment for bloating and constipation. It works like a laxative. Make sure the stuff you have on hand is unscented, plain old Epsom salt. 

You should add 1 tsp. per gallon. Dissolve some in a cupful of tank water and pour it slowly back in over a period of an 1/2 hour.

I'm kicking myself for not mentioning this sooner...


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

I as her owner was the one responsible for thinking of treatments sooner, so there is no reason to be kicking your self, In fact you should be patting yourself on the back for thinking of it before anyone else! Thank you for the advice!


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

I...don't know why I didn't think of saying that sooner. I guess for some reason I had it in my head that you were... o___O But yes, ES can work wonders on a bloated betta!


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Schmoo, I have always been wary of salts, Mainly because they are fresh water fish And I always thought it would hurt them, some one else also told me that salt hurt the labyrinth organ so I was even more wary. One of the reasons that I didn't try it. I also thought that the tetra fungus guard would do it, because it says it cures Fungus, fin rot, Hemorrhagic Septicemia, Clamped fins, Dropsy, open red sores, eye cloud, pop eye, and swim bladder disease. Sounds like a cure for all disease, Doesn't it? At first she started looking like she was gonna get better, and then she just went all down hill.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Charc14 said:


> Schmoo, I have always been wary of salts, Mainly because they are fresh water fish


Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) are very different than aquarium salt (sodium chloride). Both have very different uses in the aquarium. You did your best. It doesn't make it any easier with all the conflicting information out there.


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Yes, All this conflicting info is crazy. 
Forgot to ask, when should I do another dose of ES, If I'm supposed to do another?


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Charc14 said:


> Yes, All this conflicting info is crazy.
> Forgot to ask, when should I do another dose of ES, If I'm supposed to do another?


When you do a water change. Add enough ES so the dosage remains the same. So if you change 2 gallons of water add 2 tsps. back in.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

MikeG14 said:


> Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) are very different than aquarium salt (sodium chloride). Both have very different uses in the aquarium. You did your best. It doesn't make it any easier with all the conflicting information out there.


Agreed. There's so much information out there about betta care, and so much of it is conflicting. :/ And unfortunately a lot of it is is trial and error... 

+1 to what Mike said about ES and WCs.


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Well, This morning Ice is looking really really bad. She is pineconing extremely, And she is just laying on the gravel. I'm worried this might be her last day. She just looks sooo miserable. My heart gets shredded every time I look at her little eyes staring up at me. She looks like she is just going to give up.

Marius is still doing fine I'm debating maybe upgrading him to a five gallon soon, but I'm not positive yet,


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

With tears running down my Face, I'm sorry to say that Ice just passed away right in front of me. She just slowly sank to the bottom and Died. 
SIP Icy, I love you sooo much.


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## Schmoo (Oct 3, 2014)

I'm so sorry, Charc... :c At least you know you did everything that you could, and I'm sure Ice was grateful. She passed under the best of circumstances, with her keeper by her side. <3


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## LadyNightraven (Jun 30, 2013)

I'm so sorry, Charc. SIP Ice.


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## Charc14 (Aug 27, 2014)

Thank You guys, I'm happy that I was at least with her when she passed away. 
I'll miss her. She was my second ever betta, and my first female. 
 I just wish I could have saved her.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

Charc,
You did your best and fought this right to the end.

SIP Ice
This is a rough one.


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