# Mesmer and lifeguard



## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Day 1/6 of mesmer's jungle lifeguard treatment because he has itch and something else unidentified, both in the early stages so fingers crossed. Instructions are as follows: "remove filter carbon, add 1 tab per day per 5 gallons. Treat for 5 days at 24 hour intervals. For best result after 5 day treatment wait another 24 hours before returning carbon filter and make a 25% water change"
Now Mesmer has been in a 2.5 g bowl since I got him so no filter, I decided to add an air stone to keep things moving (he's mooching off Archie's air pump) 
I have never medicated a fish before so we'll see how this goes.


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## myexplodingcat (Apr 9, 2014)

Hope he gets better!


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Thank you
So far the tablet doesn't seem to be melting but it's only been 15 minutes


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

The half-tab has dissolved


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Wow I'm very impressed, already I see the brown disappearing but he is also "panting" (breathing with his mouth open a bit more than usual) I hope that doesn't persist


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

So far all good. He isn't breathing heavy anymore. Also he has always been a "bad hunter" as I remember someone else calling it once, he had issues getting the floating pellets and tended to miss and have to swim down for them and find them in the gravel. Well this morning he ate 4/5 pellets off the top of the water line with no problem. Leads me to believe maybe that brown stuff that was in his eyelids was messing with his vision. Yay happy fishy!


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

The brown has cleared up pretty well but what does it mean when the ends of his fins are turning red? They also seem a bit more rigid (stiff) than before


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

you can see the scales through the fuzz


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## Islandgaliam (Jan 27, 2014)

I hope the best for him!


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Thank you! I'm so glad I caught it early, (Sorry about prince Hendrix btw, condolences and SIP)


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## Islandgaliam (Jan 27, 2014)

I would suggest sending lilnaugrim a pm, and see what she thinks too, since your post says this is unidentified. Even tho Prince Hendrix was a different thing, he went really fast, and still not sure why.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Islandgaliam said:


> I would suggest sending lilnaugrim a pm, and see what she thinks too, since your post says this is unidentified. Even tho Prince Hendrix was a different thing, he went really fast, and still not sure why.


I bought Mesmer with this on him and it took me a week to get the meds for it (didn't have anything but AQ salt on hand) and the lifeguard is curing him pretty well so I'm happy with the progress. I wonder if Hendrix got graphite somehow? (Sticky watch for these disease signs)


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## Islandgaliam (Jan 27, 2014)

Bikeridinguckgirl14 said:


> I bought Mesmer with this on him and it took me a week to get the meds for it (didn't have anything but AQ salt on hand) and the lifeguard is curing him pretty well so I'm happy with the progress. I wonder if Hendrix got graphite somehow? (Sticky watch for these disease signs)



Yay it's working!
I read that, but not sure. His fins were fine. One day he had a reddish/orangish/brownish spot by his swim bladder, I treated him right away with Kanaplex (looked like it could have been an injury), the next day is was twice the size...not even 24 hours later


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Update: officially 24 hours of treatment he looks much better, overall behavior hasn't changed but I don't think he likes the meds/bubbler/something because the little bugger tail bit! Grrrr *internal screaming because last time I had a tailbiter he turned himself female even rippinoff his entire dorsal fin) so I'll post an updated pic In a minute. Please lord let the tail biting stop.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Islandgaliam said:


> Yay it's working!
> I read that, but not sure. His fins were fine. One day he had a reddish/orangish/brownish spot by his swim bladder, I treated him right away with Kanaplex (looked like it could have been an injury), the next day is was twice the size...not even 24 hours later


I know I kept an eye on your posts, if he were human I'd say something like "swim bladder appendicitis" but obviously his swim bladder didn't just explode. Also I. Sorry if this sounds cruel but at least he didn't suffer long. He had a pretty happy life with you, you spoil your betta!


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

:Ok so all the brown fuzz is either gone or has turned black. Goodness that makes me nervous. Also the places where the fuzz is "gone" appear to be a metallic silver color.:-(


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## cindygao0217 (Jul 3, 2014)

Hope he feel better


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

To stop the tail biting I got one of those craft-mesh spheres and cut a hole in one of the halves for him, he loves it! It's only been in there for ten minutes but he already went in, left, circled e outside, repeat, and now he's been lounging for 5 minutes. I gave archy one too but he doesn't like confined spaces (lol)

I also like these because if need be I could scoop the fish up in it without having to trap him in a net/cup

Hopefully this stops the biting


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Blurry pic


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Medicated him, watched fireworks. Mesmer seems happy (and hungry) so no real changes, overall I'd give the lifeguard a 7/10 so far in terms of it being easy to use and not hurting Mesmer, 3 more days to see just how well it really works


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Doesn't seem like any more fungus has disappeared after the first quarter... Time will tell


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Ok, I realize now that most of the fungus is gone but he also had velvet which isn't disappearing (before when I shined the flashlight I got no shimmer, today he has gold patches all over his face and gills) so I put a dark towel over the tank to try the black out method. I will continue to do the full round of lifeguard then give him another few days for his kidneys to rest before drugging him with anything else IF I do decide to use meds again.


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## Islandgaliam (Jan 27, 2014)

Bikeridinguckgirl14 said:


> Ok, I realize now that most of the fungus is gone but he also had velvet which isn't disappearing (before when I shined the flashlight I got no shimmer, today he has gold patches all over his face and gills) so I put a dark towel over the tank to try the black out method. I will continue to do the full round of lifeguard then give him another few days for his kidneys to rest before drugging him with anything else IF I do decide to use meds again.


You're such good Betta Mom!


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Ugh I wish, it's more like I want a betta to live for once! Bedru got sick and died, ryuuji got sick several times and died (but that was genuinely not my fault my roommate dumped half a bottle of pellets in his tank and let it sit for 3 days while I was away) and now I just want him to be happy. Plus I want him disease free before I give him and arch a divided tank to share in exactly 7 weeks. 

Anyways I miss seeing him swim around, I've only let him have a total 10 minutes of light since 2pm today and I miss my fishy.


Uuuhhhh if the parasite can live 10-14 days then that means he'll need to be blacked out until I go to college most likely, even if I do drug him again T.T 

Will he be sad being in the dark all the time?


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

So this is my info on velvet, please tell me people don't think that little "tip" is true? 

VELVET

Velvet is a parasite that is very contagious. 
It can be hard to spot, but if you shine a torch on your Betta and it looks as if it is covered with a fine gold or rusty dust, then sadly you have Velvet to deal with. 
Bettas with Velvet will act quite sick: they will have clamped fins, and will scratch against anything such as gravel, tank walls, or decorations. They may also have a loss of appetite and colour.

To treat Velvet, keep the Betta in the dark (throw a towel over the tank), raise the heat a bit, and medicate with any medication that cures Velvet. Aquarium salt will also help*. IAL is always recommended.

The reason you black out the tank is because velvet requires light for their life cycle. Cut the light, they cannot grow, the medication kills them, and because of lack of light - new parasites cannot start another lifecycle.

Sanitize any nets you use, along with anything your fish has had contact with.

* TIP: If you use aquarium salt, 100% sea salt is pretty much the same and works just as well. Any salt as long as it does NOT contain Iodine is fine. I use rock salt, but make sure it is dissolved before use.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Since the med I ordered for velvet is copper can't I just put a penny in his tank? Kidding of course, but a penny would have been nicer than $15 copper sulfate stuff


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Not happy
Mesmer is very lethargic, not using his ears to swim, honestly looks like hell and his tank smells. He lifeguard is meant to evaporate out each day so I am taking the freaking towel off until i start treatment for velvet. Poor baby, what day is this? Day 5 or 6? (Part of the reason I kept the journal is because I knew I'd forget) please let it be day 6 so I can do a water change! Poor baby, I think he got depressed being in the dark.My fish is droopy!


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Yesssss today is day 6 and I can do a water change once D&D is over

Also definitely velvet on him, his whole head shines gold/rust under a flashlight. Those meds I'll start on the 10th-11th


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

observe: photos taken with flash reveal the gold lustre:


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## Islandgaliam (Jan 27, 2014)

Bikeridinguckgirl14 said:


> observe: photos taken with flash reveal the gold lustre:


Does the flash make a difference in it's appearance? I was looking a pics of Prince Hendrix last night, and I see a couple spots that looked like that, but I never used a flash.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Without the flash those spots are dark brown/grey/blackish


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

I know its normal for ees to have a little brown marbling i just dont think it looks right and the fact that it does shine gold....


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Velvet is getting cupramine treatment, conversions and scaling leave me with 2 drops today, 2 drops on Tuesday, 4 drops next 100% water change, 1 drop each 50% change and no more copper after that (total 14 days)


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

mesmer the first day of treatment and tonight:
you can now see his scale pattern. i'm hoping the cupramine takes any leftover brown away and i end up with a white/silver/blue/purple head, but i dont mind brown as long as its healthy


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

His face is silver!


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Lookit! (Taken with iPad)


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## Islandgaliam (Jan 27, 2014)

Bikeridinguckgirl14 said:


> Lookit! (Taken with iPad)


Yay for Mesmer! He's looking good, so happy for him he has such a good betta mom


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

I can't believe I got a sick fish and it lived! I was talking with my parents about how much you should invest in an animal before you give up, mom says $2000 on a sick dog, $1500 on a sick cat, ect. And dad said "well if a fish gets sick just replace him for $2, he was shocked when I told him that, all-in-all, I've spent over $50 on Mesmer (including $12 for Mesmer, 8 for his torii gate, $16 for lifeguard and shipping, $16 for cupramine and shipping, $3 for air stone, at least $20 for spring water ect.) so I don't think I'm a good fish mommy, I'm just willing to go broke for my fish.

Thank oh islandgaliam, for being the only person here who seems to care about Mesmer, but that's ok.


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## Jennalyn (Jun 23, 2014)

Others care.  He's a beautiful boy and it's wonderful that he's managed to thrive in your care, despite the condition you found him in originally.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

I guess I should say nobody else cares, I should say (until now) nobody else commented on the thread. I know that if something went wrong you all would have backed me


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Taken with the goodish camera


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## DaytonBetta (Feb 4, 2014)

I'm glad he's doing well. 

You can look at the # of views on your thread and see that people are reading it. A lot of repetitive conversation that doesn't contribute new information or answer a question on a journal makes it hard for people to read, so generally I only comment on people's journals once in awhile. I think many other people feel the same way.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

Ok, so were don't the cupramine treatment and it doesn't look much better than the pic above, I'm wondering whether it's a brown spot with scar tissue? Also he now has redness in his fins which looks like irritation so 100% change when I'm home from work (12pm) tonight. I got some cholla for the 10g that I may just add now because why not, we'll see. Gonna see what bi-daily 100% water changes yields for a while.


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## hrutan (Jun 25, 2014)

That cholla is going to look awesome.


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## Bikeridinguckgirl14 (Oct 22, 2013)

I actually got 2 little but thick pieces, 3" long but with a 4" diameter which I sanded out so the boys can swim through


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