# omg! my betta has dropsy!



## studioskim3 (Dec 2, 2007)

OMG! I've never had my fish ever to have dropsy... what can I do to stop/ make him better? its been almost 2 weeks since he seemed to become lethargic... and now, I finally see the symptoms: raised scales and bloating....omg! what do i do? I added a few drops of melafix in the mean time and a few drops of salt. I just recently cleaned his water too. thanks!


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

There isn't really any cure for dropsy. All you can do is keep his water clean and warm.


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## Twistersmom (Dec 9, 2008)

I have had some success treating dropsy with Maracyn-Two. I think when treating for dropsy, you should not use salt. I read it can make it more difficult for the fish to release trapped fluids.


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## twong88 (Feb 11, 2009)

just make sure the water is clean and use the right meds for dropsy. My red Tailed shark had dropsy and lost a few scales but i caught it in time and hes healing up right now. thanks to maracyn - 2 =). it works great.


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## studioskim3 (Dec 2, 2007)

I must've caught it too late... he died today  WAH!!!!!... thank you everyone for your help. Now I know what I should get to treat it... I'm learning... what should I do with the tank and rocks and plants (fake)... is it "contaminated"? Should I toss everything out or can i treat/clean them in some way so that my next fish can't get the same disease?

R.I.P Gorgeous


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

You can use bleach to sanitize everything but I don't know the proper amount of bleach to use. Maybe someone else can tell you how much.


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## bxtorr19 (Dec 30, 2008)

Bleach is too harsh and will leave chemical traces that can harm your next baby. I would dispose of any plants, rocks, and resin decorations. However for the tank and other equipment I would scrub the entire thing with kosher salt and a natural, unbleaced cheese cloth with the hottest water you can stand to kill any bad things that are lingering in the tank.


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

What kind of tank did he have? if it was a bowl or vase, there is ur problem.


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

Bowls are Vases are perfectly fine for bettas when they are the right size and contain all proper materials (heater, filter, etc).


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## veganchick (Jan 10, 2009)

yes, but that one did not


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## Cody (Dec 22, 2007)

It never said anywhere that those were missing...


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## studioskim3 (Dec 2, 2007)

veganchick said:


> What kind of tank did he have? if it was a bowl or vase, there is ur problem.


he was actually in a 2.5 gallon tank by himself w/ some fake silk plants and a lil tiny castle where he liked to sit on or underneath it.... I think maybe it happened b/c at nite, his temp drops about a good 5 degrees (cuz I turn off his lights), and in the mornin (cuz I turn on his lights) it goes up a few degrees. that's my hypothesis... no... I wouldn't put my bettas in a vase/ bowl... I wouldn't want him to live in a small, not- even- a- one gallon- bowl.


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## Kim (Apr 30, 2008)

I'm so sorry to hear about your betta  It's always hard to loose a fish with so much personality.

You can certainly keep the tank and decorations. All you really need is a small adjustable heater (25 watt stealths are my favorite) and you're good to go. If you have incandescent light bulbs, you should replace them with compact fluorescent ones (they fit in the same fixture) so that you don't cause temp swings with hot bulbs.

I always bleach things. I figure the risk of bleach remaining is much less than leaving bad bacteria or parasites to chance. I'm bad though, I just kind of pour some in (less for mild cleaning and more when dealing with contageous diseases). You could look it up if you like. Just remember that you need to rinse, rinse, RINSE the darn thing until you're so tired of rinsing that you can't rinse anymore! That is probably overkill, but I don't want to take any chances. If you do that you should be good to go.


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## studioskim3 (Dec 2, 2007)

do u think if I use boiling water and scrub.... when it cools.... with salt... and then place the tank outside for a few day to let the sun's uv rays kill anything on the tank... then use boiling water (and salt) to clean it again (including my tank, mini heater, and plants)... would this work?


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