# Mojo the sick Betta is lying down



## janilee (Apr 16, 2009)

I followed the links and filled out the questionnaire, but I have no idea where it went. Can someone let me know if I need to fill it out again?

In the meantime, Mojo is in a 1 gal bare "hospital" tank. Has been there a week. Was on CopperSafe for 2 days, now on Quick Cure for 4 days. The CopperSafe was at 1/2 regular dosage. The Quick Cure is the same at 1 drop per 2 gallons of water. I do daily 100% changes and add only Betta water conditioner to the Quick Cure. I don't see bloating or raised scales. His eyes are very cloudy. It was thought he had velvet, though I'm a novice and can't say for sure. All the actions taken were at the advice of members of another forum. 
Tonight, I posted a picture of him lying down and got the response that this "wasn't good" and that I needed to consider euthanizing Mojo. I'm here for a second opinion and any other suggestions. I don't want to be hasty if he has a chance of recovering. Here is Mojo.
















Pictures were taken tonight, directly above him, as he rested in his cup during his tank's water change.
Sorry to be so brief, but it's very late and I need to get to bed, but I wanted to initiate this contact tonight.
Please let me know if anything further is needed. 
Thank you,
janilee

Mojo hasn't been eating well-just a nip now and then. I was told to watch for poop, but haven't been able to discern any. So, it was suggested we fast for 3 days, then offer a pea. He usually gets Betta flakes, but I gave him a couple of freeze dried bloodworms this morning. Tonight, when we changed the water, we didn't not give him any food, so that was the start of the fasting.


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

Sorry but I can't see the pics.


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## janilee (Apr 16, 2009)

Okay. I think I've got it.


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Hmmm, I do not like the cloudy eyes, that is not a good sign.
Velvet check (the pictures are not clear or large enough to accurately diagnose from): take a flash light (a nice bright one, a penlight if you have one is great for this) and shine it at your betta, look for a 'dust-like' sprinkling of a gold or bronze sort of color along his scales, it'll almost look like your betta is rusting. If this is present, your betta has velvet, if not, then you probably have some other bacterial infection.

Back on the cloudy eyes. Have they always been this way, or is this a recent development? How old is your betta, any estimates? What temperature water is he kept in? I've seen a couple severe cases where bettas in really cold (60's) water will pale dramatically and their eyes lens' will cloud over. But this doesn't seem to be following that, as the rest of his body is still entirely too colorful for that.

When he swims (does he swim at all anymore?) can he swim in a normal upright, horizontal position, or does he lean to one side even when he swims?

These pictures and your description personally say one of two things to me currently, 1. Internal bacterial infection. 2. Tuberculosis. Neither diagnosis is good and I'm hoping I'm wrong on both. The internal bacterial infection has a chance to be cured with your current treatment regimen (so keep at it) and the addition of medicated food, if you can get him to eat it, will also aid in cleaning out these little pests. Hopefully if that is what this is and you've caught it early enough, he may yet be saved. If it's too late his organs will soon be shutting down and he will die. If its tuberculosis, I'm sorry, there is no cure, and your fish will probably succumb in five to fifteen days since they started this cloudy-eyed, laying-on-the-floor business.


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## janilee (Apr 16, 2009)

Thank you for responding.
Yes, velvet has been the first thought for everyone. However, I still can't see anything on his body like gold dust. I thought that might be the basis for a goldish discoloration around his gills and under his chin, but what I saw seems to have gone. The photos were taken with a digital camera and the originals were quite large. I was able to magnify to a point where I could see individual scales, but they look clear.
The eyes clouded about 1 1/2 weeks ago. Previously, his eyes were bright black.
His water temp is 80 F. 
He only swims to get air. He can swim upright when he goes to the top. Coming down, he leans to the left and sort of spirals, then crash lands and lays on his side, propping his head up on a glass blob. 
This morning, I found him lying flat on his side, shallow breathing, struggling to get up for air, and his belly now seems slightly swollen though we're about 18 hours into a fasting. I called all drugstores in the area and none carry clove oil. So, I went out on a limb and bought Maracyn TC. The only basis for that purchase is that we've been treating for parasites and I'm losing him. I also bought some frozen blood worms to see if he would be interested. He was not, so I am very doubtful he would care for medicated food. I've now done a water change and added the Maracyn TC. Still no stool in the water, at all. I will try a peeled pea (I assume this is a green pea) to see if he will try that. 
I do not know his age. I've had him about 4 months and he was fully grown at that time. Most of the Bettas at PetSmart seem to be grown.
Obviously, if this is tuberculosis, it's very worrisome. Can you tell me how long a period we should be concerned for our own health? 
I appreciate your time.
janilee


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

From what I read, it is possible to get fish tuberculosis but only if you have a deep cut on your hand and you put the hand in contaminated water or if you have an impaired immune system. Even if you got it, it won't kill you, just give you a nasty skin infection. I'm so sorry about your betta.


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## janilee (Apr 16, 2009)

I've uploaded another couple of pictures to try and give you a better view of the gold areas. I think they may be just iridescence. I seldom saw this side of him when healthy. At this point, I don't expect a miracle, but thought these photos might be of medical interest. They are cropped for detail.
I called all local drugstores. None carry clove oil, or were willing to order it.


















Thank you, again, for your help. I really appreciate it and feel I better understand what is ahead.

janilee


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## Nataku (Feb 22, 2009)

Fish TB is rarely transferred to humans. Proper hygiene will greatly reduce its chances of occurring, and if you really wanted to be anal about it, proper BSI would prevent its transfer completely. Make sure you wash your hand thoroughly with a good antibacterial soap after touching the tank, the fish, or any of the tank water, and dry your hands well. You are unlikely to have a problem with catching it unless you have an open wound that is exposed to the water or fish (really though, who goes rubbing a sick fish in their cuts? That's just strange) or if you have an autoimmune disease which would naturally weaken your body's defenses.... although there are over eighty different types known in humans, most are rare, so I wouldn't be particularly worried unless you are already aware that you have been diagnosed with one.


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## janilee (Apr 16, 2009)

No, we weren't really worried about it; just unfamiliar and wanted to get the basic facts.
Mojo is gone now. We finally found clove oil and went through the procedure.
Thank you, again, for the very helpful information.
janilee


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I'm so sorry about Mojo.


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