# hanging vertically in the water



## Siobhan (Nov 11, 2013)

I just lost a betta to dropsy a couple of weeks ago and now another one is sick. 

Otis has spent the last three or four weeks wedged into one of his plants. For a while, he would still eat heartily and swim a few laps every so often, so I thought he was still okay. Then he stopped doing that, and he got the pinecone effect. I have moved him into a smaller container and put Betta Fix in with him, and he's spent the last several days on the bottom of the tank, going to the surface for a breath occasionally, resting on his tail in a C shape. Now he's just below the surface, vertical in the water. I think he's resting on top of a plant. His breathing is shallow and irregular and has been for days. He's not swollen up like Hal was when he had dropsy and his color is still good, but his eyes are kind of glazed. I hate to see him suffer but I don't have the grit to do any of the euthanizing methods I've read about on this site. I keep hoping he'll pull out of it. Any idea what's wrong and what I could do to help him?


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

Pine-coning is usually a sign of dropsy. You can try Epsom Salts to help pull out the excess liquid in his body that is responsible for the raised scales. 

I'm sure you know that dropsy is usually fatal and a sign of something going on inside like constipation for example, or bacterial infection which can lead to organ failure. 

If you feel Otis is still willing to fight try the Epsom salt treatment in his tank at 1 tsp per gallon. Very sorry this is happening to your second Betta.


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

Actually dropsy has nothing to due with constipation. Basically dropsy is a symptom of organ failure due to bacterial infection. 

Yes Epsom Salt can help but actually you want to use Seachem Kanaplex. 

I also have another questions, how did you clean/sanitize your tank after the first betta died?


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

VivianKJean said:


> Actually dropsy has nothing to due with constipation. Basically dropsy is a symptom of organ failure due to bacterial infection.


Hmmm, thats odd. :shock: I was sure I read somewhere that constipation can lead to infection, and infection to dropsy. That this is also why double tail bettas are more prone to get dropsy since they have a shortened digestive tract?


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## VivianKJean (Aug 20, 2013)

double tails are not prone to dropsy. they are prone to swim bladder disorder.


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## Netti (Apr 25, 2014)

VivianKJean said:


> double tails are not prone to dropsy. they are prone to swim bladder disorder.


Ah yes! My apologies!


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## Siobhan (Nov 11, 2013)

Hal was in a different tank. I had three tanks, one for each betta. Otis isn't in one that Hal was in. I took him out of his 10 gallon tank and put him in a spare 2.5 gallon tank I have so he wouldn't have to be bothered by the snails in his tank. As for Hal's tank, after he died I got his snails out and split them between the two other tanks, and scrubbed his tank down with hot water and let it air dry. Nobody's using it now.


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