# Laying on his side and not responding to food



## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Housing 
What size is your tank? He lived in a 1 gallon for two years--after he started having swimming problems, I lowered the water level about half-way so it is easier for him to get air. (After a lot of research, I am now aware one gallon is not sufficient. If he makes it or I do get another fish I will be purchasing a much bigger tank with a heater).
What temperature is your tank? I am currently unaware, sorry.
Does your tank have a filter? No.
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Yes.
Is your tank heated? No.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None.

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Wardley Betta Food Pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? Daily.

Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change? At least once a week, if not twice.
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? None.

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

Ammonia: 
Nitrite: 
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? None.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? He lays on his side at the bottom of the tank. Does not respond to food, a mirror, or me. Sort of an 's' shaped spine.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? About a week and a half ago.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? I tried introducing him to a different diet, just to see if that'd spark his fancy, but he didn't care. Five days ago, I noticed a hole in one of his fins (I'm pretty sure he tore it on his plant :|), so I started treating him with Melafix. But I don't think he's being treated for whatever ill he's fallen to.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No.
How old is your fish (approximately)? At least two years old.

I had gone to the pet store to see what they had to say, and they believe he has dropsy. I'm kind of unsure, just because he doesn't have the 'pine-coned' raised scales.
I'll be posting pictures tomorrow, currently it is too late and I don't want to disturb his rest.
I'm starting to think he has a bacterial infection. But I'm not an expert...
Please help.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

He has ammonia poising from lack of water changes, and the Melafix should be discontinued as it contains an ingredient that can coat their labyrinth organ and cause them to suffocate. Whether or not he also has a bacterial infection from the lack of water changes is possible, but you need to get his water quality under control first and foremost.

In a bowl of this size needs _at least_ two weekly water changes- one 50% and one 100%. And even then your boy will be subjected to some ammonia within 24-48 hours. With your water change routine ammonia will just build and build and build and never get under control. 

You're also not using conditioner of any kind? Tap water is toxic to bettas and you always need conditioner.

At this point you need to go out and buy him conditioner - It should be in a liquid form and it should say it removes chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals - all three. For you specifically I suggest Prime.

Dose his water with the Prime - 2 drops per gallon, stir it up a bit then do a series of 2-3 back to back 50% water changes, followed by a 100% change which includes a thorough rinsing of the gravel and all decor.

You need to use a glass aquarium thermometer under the running to tap to match the exact temperature of his bowl water to avoid shock during water changes. Then gallon jugs (like water jugs you get at the grocery store - rinse thoroughly with hot wtaer but not chems) should be filled, conditioner dosed, and then that should be used to do the 50% changes. For the 100% change he should be scooped out of the bowl using a plastic type solo cup (not net) and left in the cup while you do the water change with same temp water again. Then add a few tablespoons of new water to the cup every 10 minutes for an hour or two before adding him back in.

Reducing water levels at this point is a good idea, and I would do 100% water change like this every other day while he is ill, and I would dose 1-2 drops of Prime daily, even when you do not do a change.

Bettas are also tropical fish and need to be kept a constant temperature ideally between 78-80F, and no less than 76F. His bowl will be several degrees below room temp, which unless your house is kept a steady 80F+ he is freezing. This lowers his immune system and metabolism and makes it hard for him to get well and fight the ammonia build up. For this reason you NEED To get a heater. Unfortunately, in a small bowl like this all you can get is one of those non adjustable preset heaters, and a lot of those are unreliable. You should test whatever you get for 24hours in similar size container and thermometer to make sure it will hold a constant steady temp. Then you should cup him while his bowl comes to full temp, float him in the fully heated bowl an hour before releasing.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Okay, so I should have mentioned I am now changing his water daily and have benir almost a week, but only about 30%. Ill increase that. After he fell ill my mother bought me "stress coat" to condition his water and I've been using that. What are your thoughts on that?
Ill stop the Melafix treatment.

A heater will help him in this situation? Or is it too late? And should I leave him in the hospital tank? I bought a three gallon and after a day of running it'll be good to hold life.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

I did do an ammonia check on the water, and it is still very high. Would it be best to completely dump the water and start anew today? 

Here's my boy today. I removed the gravel when the problems began because we taught at first he was constipated, so I was monitoring his feces.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Please go back and reread my posts. I suggested several back to back 50% changes finalizing in a 100% change. I would still suggest doing exactly what I wrote. He is suffering from ammonia poisoning from lack of water changes.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Okay. Thank you.


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

I'm having the same situation with my Betta, as well. Callistra and others have been really helpful to me. If you'd like, check out my thread and you'll find useful information there, as well. And good luck to you and your fish. Keep us posted.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

I just took a look, I wish you the best of luck!

----

I am currently trying to get my hands on Prime. It is so hard to buy proper fish things here where I live. It's infuriating. :|


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

I know how that feels. I'm pretty lucky in that I've been able to find most of my stuff at my local Petsmart. LittleBlueFishlets mentioned Top Fin water conditioner as an alternative if I couldn't find Prime, but I haven't used it because I was able to find the Prime. Amazon does have it, but I'm not sure if you're willing to wait on the delivery.


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

Oh, they also suggested to me to use an eyedropper to administer the Prime. I was able to get one at my Walgreens pharmacy.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

@Dougan: And I just feel so bad, especially now because he is ill and I'm am only now just learning how to properly care for bettas.  I was ill-educated before hand, and I feel awful...
Anyways, I got a hold of Petco (it is the only pet store we have, aside from Wal-mart which carries some fish things) and they do have Prime, so I'm out to get some now.
I will also look for a dropper! Thank you! 

@Callistra: I'm sorry, I feel like such a bother. I am going to look for a heater at the store, but if they don't have one for gallon tanks would the ones that heat 2g-5g or 5g-10g fry the fish? Or would they simply be too big for the tank?


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

MidnightsSong said:


> @Dougan: And I just feel so bad, especially now because he is ill and I'm am only now just learning how to properly care for bettas.  I was ill-educated before hand, and I feel awful...


You and me both. I know exactly how you're feeling. Our little guys are depending on us now more than ever so all we can do is our very best for them.

Callistra and the others here with more experience are better to answer your heater question. My guess is that since you're reducing the amount of water in the tank, one of those bigger heaters would probably heat the water up much quicker since there's less of it. So you'd have to be really careful when acclimating him. Acclimation is addressed by Callistra in my thread. I did this improperly yesterday and it kept me up last night.

Be mindful of minimum water level markings on the heater. If the heater isn't submerged to at least it's minimum, they warn that they can burn out.

An in-tank thermometer is also a good idea, that way you know what the temperature of the water really is. Off the top of my head, I believe 78 F is ideal.

I'm using that exact same tank as shown in your picture (although I think you mentioned using a hospital tank), and my setup is working out okay as far as rigging the Solo cup and all that (I think). The clothespins work okay in securing the cup to the tank. The cup has a tendency to want to rotate, but If you mess with it a bit, it'll stay. Just an idea for you.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

In a 1g you are very limited for what you can use. You can't use a 25w or 50w heater in something so small. He really needs 2g minimum to keep healthy so maybe now is the time to upgrade if you can't find a heater that will work.

Make sure you get the thermometer and test it


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

I did purchase a three gallon and after it runs for a day should I move him? Or wait until i purchase a heater? For the three gallon what type of heater do you recomend? 
And at what level should I keep the water at in the new tank?


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

MidnightsSong said:


> I did purchase a three gallon and after it runs for a day should I move him? Or wait until i purchase a heater


You may want to check my thread for information on acclimation.

"Bettas are tropical fish and must be kept with a heater unless you keep your house or room they are in a consistent (no change, peaks or drops) of 80F+. 78-80F is ideal and your betta's bowl will be several degrees below room temp. If you get a 2g tank you can get a 25w adjustable heater like Marineland Visitherm or Jager, which would be ideal. You also have to use an in tank thermometer with the heater to make sure it is working and set it properly (don't rely on the heater). I also highly suggest testing your heater for 24 hours with thermometer in similar size container to make sure it will hold an appropriate constant temperature. Once you are sure it is working your betta must be acclimated to warmer water slowly at no more than 1 degree per hour and 5 degrees per day, or floating in a plastic cup (solo type) in the bowl for an hour, *after the water has already been fully warmed*." --Callistra

"Make sure to match all new water to existing water using a thermometer and add conditioner before introducing your fish to it. I would still include an acclimation period of at least 30min if not an hour in which you float the betta in a cup in the existing water and either add a few tablespoons every 10minutes, or a series of 50% wtaer changes to introduce new water into the cup every 10min. I would also never use a net and also scoop with the cup." --Callistra

These are from my thread, so I'll let Callistra confirm that this is the case for you, as well.



MidnightsSong said:


> For the three gallon what type of heater do you recomend?


Callistra recommended the Marineland Visi-Therm:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846,

and the Jager brand:
http://www.amazon.com/EHEIM-Jager-A...d=1360654473&sr=1-1&keywords=jager+heater+25w.

But I checked the Petco website yesterday and didn't see them (maybe I just missed them).

Right now I'm testing a Top Fin 25W in a 5 gallon and it seems to be working properly, but I think Top Fin is a Petsmart brand, which you don't have in your area.

Maybe check Wal-mart?



MidnightsSong said:


> And at what level should I keep the water at in the new tank?


I need the answer to this as well.


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## LittleBlueFishlets (Nov 10, 2012)

My guys are all in 3 gallon tanks. I use both Marina and Top Fin preset 8W heaters (depending upon what I could find at Petsmart at the time). The drawback is that they are all "preset" heaters, which means I can't adjust the temperature. They maintain the temp at 79F consistently though, which is fine for everyday use. BUT if I ever need to raise or lower the temp (to treat a disease), I'll have to buy a new adjustable one. 

If you want to just get one heater, and not worry about having to pick up an adjustable one if your fish gets sick, you can get a 25W adjustable heater. 

You'll also need a floating glass thermometer, like this one: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752255

As for water conditioner, Callistra specifically recommended Prime because it neutralizes ammonia temporarily. It will only do this for about 48 hours though. So you still need to do frequent water changes, in order to keep the ammonia level down.

If your fish is having trouble getting to the surface to breathe, you can lower the water level so he doesn't have to swim so far upwards. If you have a heater, you need to make sure it's covered to the correct depth.

(If you decide to put him into a heated tank, he'll need to get acclimated to it. Do not raise the temp faster than 1 degree per hour, and limit the increase to no more than 5 degrees total per day. )


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

I'm not sure if you meant this for me or MidnightsSong, but I've noted everything you've said. Thank you.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Thank you both, Dougan and LittleBlueFishlets! 

An Update:
Today will mark the third day I've been 'treating' him. I've been conditioning his water with Prime and doing a 50% water change every evening. Tomorrow I will do a full 100%. Unfortunately, I still do not have a heater for multiple reasons and I think this is why he is not 'speedy' in his recovery. Or maybe my expectations are just too high. 
He still hasn't eaten, but after water changes he becomes much more active and doesn't lay on his side as much. This morning he was at the top of the water, just sitting at the top. Is this normal? 
I still plan on moving him to the larger tank once I get a heater. Hopefully that will happen within the next three days. DX


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Another question:
I really thing my betta is bloated. Why could that be? He hasn't eaten in over a week. I will try and get a photo if necessary.


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

MidnightsSong said:


> An Update:
> ...This morning he was at the top of the water, just sitting at the top. Is this normal?


I'm not sure if it's normal. Maybe another poster will know?



MidnightsSong said:


> I still plan on moving him to the larger tank once I get a heater. Hopefully that will happen within the next three days. DX


Someone on another thread suggested moving the fish tank to a warm area. It takes a bit of energy to raise the temperature of water, but it might help. Just remember what others have told me: _gradual_ changes in temperature are important. I believe it's 1 degree per hour and no more than 5 degrees in a single day. Or you may float the fish in a separate container in the water of a tank that has already been fully warmed.


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## LittleBlueFishlets (Nov 10, 2012)

Yes, a photo would be good if you think that he may be bloated. It would allow people to see how he looks right now.

When was the last time he ate? (You said over a week, but how much over?)

You said he's hanging out near the surface. Does it look like he's able to swim back down when he wants to, or is he "stuck" there? Ie: does this look like a buoyancy control problem, versus just a "hey, I wanna be near the surface" thing?


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Here on some photos. I'm sorry, the quality is quite crap.

















As an update, he ate two pellets this evening! First time he has eaten since he fell ill eleven days ago. 

To me, it looks like he is just resting on his plant. :/ But I'm not sure. He returned to the bottom yesterday night after I changed the water, but when I woke again he was at the top and is again now (just like the pictures).


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

Yes he does look bloated, its good he ate and is feeling better but I would not feed him for a day and see is some of the bloating goes away. Bloating can cause swimming problems so that might be why he is staying at top. What type of food are you feeding him and how much ? Dont worry if the bloat doesnt go away after a couple of days you can add some Espom salt to his water but be sure and check with others and how to do that. You might want to have some on hand just in case you need it, get the unscented Espom salt, you can get it at most stores or drug stores.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Perseusmom said:


> Yes he does look bloated, its good he ate and is feeling better but I would not feed him for a day and see is some of the bloating goes away. Bloating can cause swimming problems so that might be why he is staying at top. What type of food are you feeding him and how much ? Dont worry if the bloat doesnt go away after a couple of days you can add some Espom salt to his water but be sure and check with others and how to do that. You might want to have some on hand just in case you need it, get the unscented Espom salt, you can get it at most stores or drug stores.


The only thing is, he's been in this bloated state for the past eleven days. He went over a week without food. And still here he is with his extended abdomen. :/
He eats Wardley Betta Food Pellets, about 2-3 pellets twice a day.
I'll look into the Epsom Salt treatments.  Thank you.


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

I was wondering myself how he could still be bloated after that long without eating. Yes I think I would start the Espom salt treatments, its 1 teaspoon per gallon of water and dissolve it some warm water before adding it to the tank. Your very welcome be sure and ask all questions you have thats what we are here for. I am first time Betta owner , I have had my guy 8 months now and learned here the proper care for him and its been so worth it I just love him so much !!!

It seems I have heard those pellets are not very good and have to many fillers in them and not enough protein. I give my guy New Life Spectrum Betta pellets and they are one of the best . Ask others what they think is the best I know there are a couple others that are also very good pellets but cant remember the name of those.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Perseusmom said:


> I was wondering myself how he could still be bloated after that long without eating. Yes I think I would start the Espom salt treatments, its 1 teaspoon per gallon of water and dissolve it some warm water before adding it to the tank. Your very welcome be sure and ask all questions you have thats what we are here for. I am first time Betta owner , I have had my guy 8 months now and learned here the proper care for him and its been so worth it I just love him so much !!!
> 
> It seems I have heard those pellets are not very good and have to many fillers in them and not enough protein. I give my guy New Life Spectrum Betta pellets and they are one of the best . Ask others what they think is the best I know there are a couple others that are also very good pellets but cant remember the name of those.


I will! Thank you again! 

Yeah, I've had this guy for about two years. He's my first fish too. Unfortunately, I wasn't properly educated when I got him and now I am just learning everything.  I heard bad things about the Wardley brand as well. I was going to look at another brand when I get a chance to run to the pet store.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

*If I Could Please Get Some More Advice, That'd Be Wonderful*

He's still bloated, like the pictures posted a few days ago. I've been treating him with Epson salt as instructed by Persusmom and have been changing his water every other day as instructed by Castrilla. He eats about every other day, by choice and he sits in his tree very near the surface. 
Is he still recovering? Or could there be an underlying cause?


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Have you been fasting him?


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Technically, yes. He doesn't eat every day. And now, he hasn't eaten for three days again.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

So.. I just want to revisit what you have fixed so far? 

Is he warmed up? What temp? 

Have you upped your water changes? What are you doing now?

Have you gotten a larger container? What size?

What conditioner are you using now?


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

The water is at 80 degrees.

I am currently changing his water 100% every other day. Everything gets a thorough scrubbing and then he get's used to the water by the method you suggested; With the cup and adding some water every ten minutes for about an hour. 

I do have a three gallon tank now, filled with silk plants and gravel, but I have not yet moved him into it. I am hoping to do it tomorrow if you think it would be okay to do, now that he is at least swimming normally again and isn't sideways on the bottom of his hospital tank. 

I am using Prime to condition his water.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Sounds good. Changing pellets is really important too though since he has such a constipation issue with them.

As long as he's not struggling to reach the surface, it should be okay.

I would use some epsom salts - 1 tsp per gallon predissolved and added slowly over an hour to avoid shock. Also need to be really careful and make sure they have no dyes, perfumes, or additives of any other kind. I get mine from CVS Pharmacy. You only need to readd the salt with a water change, and then only as much as water you change. I would fast at least 3 more days with the salt until you see a ton of poop and his belly goes down. Then you can start feeding again, but I would leave the epsoms in at least a week, if not two.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

I will change as soon as I can! Should be able to run out either tonight or tomorrow morning. I heard the Omega One brand is good, correct? If I can't get that, what else would you suggest?

Will do! Thank you very much!
I'll keep updating as the days and weeks progress.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

I feed New Life Spectrum Betta. I know Petco carries it here.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

So, I moved him today. Treated water with Prime and added 3 tsps of Epsom salt. And then adjusted him to the new water over an hour. 
He's still lethargic. He's either sitting on the substrate or resting on his plant, which sits very near the surface.
He does move around quite a bit now, but he's never really swimming or floating. He simply moves to his next spot to sit when he gets bored of the one he's already at.
He still won't flare for me. However, he does recognize me when I approach. His eyes move and his fins speed up a bit. 
I think he's hungry, but I'm going to let him go one more day without food, just to see if that helps with the bloating.
Are his fins clamped? I think they look a lot more open after he got moved, but are they clamped still?
Also, should I still be doing 100% changes every day? Or can I reduce that to once a week?


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

You need to fast at least 3 days ON the epsoms, if you want to feed ONCE after that you can and then continue to fast until you see poop. Today was really his first day of treatment. 

In the 3g I'd do 50% daily and 100% by day 3 or 4.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Okay!
Thank you! And will do!


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

This is today:

















The size of his abdomen hasn't seemed to change. I fasted him for three days and today, fed him a single brine shrimp. He was hungry, but I couldn't get him to eat any pellets.
I'm going to continue fasting him with the epsom salts. 
What are the chances this could be more than constipation? Dropsy? He doesn't have pine-coned scales.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

I don't see raised scales.

He's been a long time.. Lets try the pea. Go to the grocery store and look for frozen peas. I highly suggest organic. Also look at the ingredients label and make sure the only ingredients is peas. 

Take a small microwaveable cup you are sure have no chems, and place just enough of his tank water in it to cover the pea. Nuke it in the microwave 10 seconds. If the pea hasn't deshelled itself, it should be easy to do now. Take one of the halves inside. You can try feeding it to him by tearing it up one tiny bit at a time.. hopefully he will eat it.. you can try putting it on a toothpick and wiggling it around.. just make sure not to catch your betta with the pick..

After this he will be sure to poop within the next couple days.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Okay.
I tried last night, with the pea (in tiny bits on a toothpick), but he completely ignored me. I tried again this morning and he actually swam up to it, but I think got scared because I was there and turned and swam to the other side of the tank. I'm going to keep trying.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Update:
He wouldn't eat today either. He didn't even bother to really look at it. I think he's too scared to eat with me standing there. 
Is there something I can do to maybe attract him more to the pea?


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## LittleBlueFishlets (Nov 10, 2012)

Well, they are supposed to love garlic. But I can't figure out how to get garlic on a pea!... If you think he's not eating because you're there, could you just leave the pea in his tank and walk away for a few minutes?


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

The pea will automatically sink. It will break down quickly and create quite an ammonia issue as well, so an extra water change would be warranted


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## LittleBlueFishlets (Nov 10, 2012)

And that shows just how much I know about peas! I never eat them..... What about feeding him something like daphnia? Aren't those supposed to be good for constipation? (I've never eaten those either! )


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Try to find this: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=12022 And cook the pea in it instead of the water.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Update: He still won't eat the pea, however his abdomen seems to be shrinking in size.
I'll be able to get a photo up later.
Shall I continue the epsom salt treatment until it is fully normal or stop not that it is reducing?


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

Keep in epsoms. It won't hurt.

How is he acting? How long has he been without food now?

Have you been able to get better food? this is really important or he may just revert right back.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Update: 
He is still lethargic, but as I stated before, his abdomen is finally beginning to shrink. It is, however, still bloated. He hasn't eaten for ten days. :/ He won't eat pea bits, pellets, or brine shrimp. I've tried them all. 

I have switched to Omega One Betta Pellets. But he doesn't pay much attention to the new food.


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

maybe try some frozen daphnia? You can also increase epsoms to 2 tsp per gallon

You can try to get new life spectrum thera a forumla too.. it has veggies in it and if you give a couple a day it may help.. he should eat them.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

Okay. I think we may have a problem (maybe i'm just overeating)...

He eats about every other day, by his choice. He is still bloated and I now think his scales are beginning to rise. I can't get a good picture! But the rise looks very minor, but still there. :c They're no longer flat against his body.


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## LittleBlueFishlets (Nov 10, 2012)

Are you using any meds right now? Is he still in the Epsom salt?

If someone like Callistra or Sakura8 doesn't reply quickly, you may want to PM them or leave a message on their profile page. 

What meds do you have on hand?


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

He is on 2 tsp epsom for every gallon. I only have melafix, quickcure, and aquarium salt on hand.
I don't think melafix is all that great, right? :/


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

MidnightsSong said:


> I don't think melafix is all that great, right? :/


I think I saw someone mention on this forum that anything with "fix" in its name can be harmful to the fish.

Unless it's a technical limitation you're having with the camera, like it has difficulty focusing on a close shot, keep trying to get a photo of him so that the others can have a look at the scale issue you've mentioned. I know it can be frustrating, though.


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

dougan said:


> I think I saw someone mention on this forum that anything with "fix" in its name can be harmful to the fish.
> 
> Unless it's a technical limitation you're having with the camera, like it has difficulty focusing on a close shot, keep trying to get a photo of him so that the others can have a look at the scale issue you've mentioned. I know it can be frustrating, though.


Thanks! That is what I thought, I just wanted to double check.

It's so dark right now, even with all the lights on. I might just have to wait a few more hours for day light. :/


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hi MidnightSong. I read through your thread just a bit so let me just recap so I have it straight. You've had your betta for two years and he recently developed a constipation issue. He eats every other day or so but now his scales are slowly starting to rise. Is this about it?

The good news is judging from the pictures, he's not grossly bloated. The bad news is I think he may be suffering from complications of old age. Two years old is quite elderly for a betta and as they age, their organs begin to fail and shut down. As the organs shut down, fluid begins to build up because the organs are no longer properly processing things. This is what could be causing his scales to rise.

There is also a possibility that he has an internal infection, most likely of his kidneys. Raising the epsom salt level to 3 tsps per gallon may help with that.

If you want to try a medication for him, we'll need one that absorbs well into the system because feeding him medicated food most likely won't work. Your best bet is Seachem Kanaplex but this medication is very hard to find and usually has to be ordered online. You may also consider using API General Cure. This is normally an anti-parasite medication but the main ingredient, metronidazole, has been shown to be somewhat effective treating some forms of internal infections. It might be worth a shot.

Otherwise, if you'd rather go the natural route for a while longer, definitely continue with the epsom salts. You may want to add a source of tannins as well, such as Indian Almond leaves or naturally dried and clean oak leaves.

Good luck!


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## MidnightsSong (Feb 11, 2013)

That is correct!

I don't like the sound of that. I love my baby. I will increase the epsom and look for those medications. 

If none work or it takes forever to get shipped, how much longer do you think he'll survive?

This is the best I could do:
As I said scales rising are VERY minor, but they are not laying flat on his body. It continues down, but it's hard to tell when he's curled like in the photo.


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## dougan (Feb 9, 2013)

It's my understanding that Seachem does not sell directly to the consumer. If you go to their website and look up Kanaplex, they provide you with a product description and then a link to look up possible dealers in your area: http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/KanaPlex.html.

The problem I experienced with this is that even though they provide a list of dealers, sometimes that list is outdated as each dealer page mentions that the dealer carried the product *when they were last visited by a Seachem representative*. In my case that was about 3 years ago for many of the dealers. But it may be worth your time to call some of the dealers in your area to verify.

If that fails, I think the only other option is ebay. Here's the top link that returned when I did a search for Kanaplex on ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Seachem-Kan...694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a2add1a4e I have no connection or experience with this seller, but they do have a high rating.

But I am not an expert on this and I'm not sure if Kanaplex is the answer. I mention this based on my experience and in support of what Sakura8 said about it being very difficult to find.

From the photo it looks like your fish may be exhibiting signs of dropsy. But it's probably best to let the others have a look before you go by my diagnosis.

Edit: Here is another site that sells Kanaplex: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=24795. Just be sure to research the reputation of the vendor(s) you're purchasing from so you minimize the chance of a bad buying experience.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

MidnightSong, if speed is an issue then I would go straight to General Cure while searching for Kanaplex. I have purchased Kanaplex from the website above before; Fosters and Smith is a well-known and well respected mail order pet supply company and I would recommend them.


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