# Betta Pineconing



## PlantedDylan (Sep 3, 2017)

Hello, I really do need immediate help atm. For the past few days she has been acting lethargic, laying up against her moss ball and just hanging around different spots on the bottom of the tank. I was pretty concerned, but thought the fasting would help with the slight bloat and she would be active again. However, this was not the case. I recently noticed while doing another 50% water change to try to keep her water as nitrate free as possible, that her scales are severely pineconing. So much that I can actually see her organs underneath the apparently clear skin that bettas have. I do not have access to epsom salts atm, and due to the fact that my mom insists on keeping her betta in a tall 2.5 gallon, unheated tank, I highly doubt either of my parents will be willing to drive me down to the store tonight to buy epsom salts to treat mine. I will probably not be able to buy anything for this fish for nearly 24 hours, what do I do?

Also, I apparently have the worst danged luck. My first betta that I kept lived 2 years, and died due to unknown causes. After that, I lost the tank and equipment he was in and set up a new betta tank with fantastic filtering, constant 81 degree temperature, plenty of live plants, and some rocks. The first betta I got in the tank was a male, who I suspect came home sick from the pet store. He refused to eat anything (not spitting out food, he just wouldn't eat), and he died a few days later for some reason. Not a big deal, got a refund. I did a 100% water change on the tank, kept the cycle alive by feeding the filter some betta fish food every day, and finally about a month later picked up this female betta. Of course, I have the worst luck, so this betta ends up getting what seems to be dropsy despite me keeping her in pristine water conditions (keep in mind, I have other fish tanks doing just fine, no noticeable fish die offs). I think I might just give up with bettas as this point if this one dies and get a school of ember tetras and a dwarf gourami, that would be nice :/. Also, I have no clue how I'm supposed to convince a petco fish specialist that "I had a second betta die, and I swear It's not my fault" to get a refund :/.


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## RussellTheShihTzu (Mar 19, 2013)

Moved post from "Keepers."

Please fill out this form and provide photos so we can best help you.

http://www.bettafish.com/99-betta-f...-out-form-so-we-can-best-help-your-betta.html


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## beretta96 (Aug 27, 2017)

PlantedDylan said:


> ...I will probably not be able to buy anything for this fish for nearly 24 hours, what do I do?...


Other than ensuring the water is as fresh as possible, I don't think there's anything you can do absent Epsom salt treatment or traditional medicine like metronidazole or kanaplex. As you're learning, it's always a good idea to have Epsom and aquarium salt in your fish medicine cabinet.


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## PlantedDylan (Sep 3, 2017)

SThe tank is kept at 81 degrees, the tank is 10 gallons, the tank has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and around 15 nitrates, the tank has a 125 gph filter packed with biomedia and filter sponges. I am treating with some Artemiss 100% Natural Expellant for Bacterial Diseases, which is the only product available to me at my lfs that claims to be able to treat scale-raising stage dropsy, and If I were to order online the betta would surely have passed away from the bad dropsy she has by the time the package arrived. I actually decided to get that medication instead of epsom salt due to the fact that she is obviously sick, has raised scales, but the bloating seems to be very small or non existent, so removing fluids wouldn't help as much as treating the source. I understand that usually dropsy isn't treatable, but that is because it is usually really hard to know the cause. Due to the fact that she has been lethargic for the nearly 3 weeks since I got her, I am guessing that this was probably caused by feces build up and bacterial infection while she was in her store cup.


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## DZIM (Oct 20, 2015)

Let us know if your fish pulls through. I'd be very interested in knowing if the medication you used can effectively treat late-stage dropsy.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

If you could still fill out the form, we may be able to help. Pics are also needed to see what stage she's at. Top view and side would be good. But just copy and paste the form and fill out so we can easily reference it to help you and your fish


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