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My Betta has dropsy - euthanasia?

6K views 42 replies 8 participants last post by  callistra 
#1 ·
(I posted the thread about the velvet not leaving and the bloated belly: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=123314)

I have just came home and checked on my delta (who was in QT getting fasted for suspected constipation) and he is not doing well - at all.

He has been fasting for four days, and he has pooped. The poop is green. However, the swelling in his stomach has not gone away. It seems to be the same - or maybe even better.

I have also noticed that his gills are now not able to close properly, and also his his scales are raised. In the thread I posted earlier, someone had stated their concern about dropsy - and now I am SURE it is. :(

He is EXTREMELY lethargic, extremely fat, his scales are raised, his poop is green, and I have also noticed that now the tips of his tail and the end of his body have become red. He also has the orange on his head.

Ever since I've first gotten him, I've been having big problems with him (he was a rescue). I have no concluded that he isn't going to be able to recover and I would like to put him out of his misery. I would not like for him to suffer any more than he has to.

So, my question is - how do I euthanize him? Do I do the clove oil in the tank water? Freeze? Flush?

I have never had to do this before. :cry:
 
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#3 ·
I have been treating him since I have gotten him - Epsom salt, Tonic salt, Wunder tonic, Malachite green, fasting etc. Nothing seems to be working and I don't want to see him in pain :'(

Also his gills at the bottom have got a black line on them etc and his tummy is really grey.

I think it's too late to treat him.

Thank you though :)
 
#6 ·
Aye. I was kicking myself for not patching up the lid on my tank. He was a jumper and I was out and it was freezing cold in my room and finding a little red hmpk that looks like fish jerky on your desk is a shock to the system lol >_<

I'm lucky I haven't had issues with my other boys, apart from Jiro munching his fins off.

Its a shame there's nothing else you can do to help him, but it will probably be better than him being in pain. :)
 
#7 ·
Oh! Jumpers are horrible. :/
My girl used to jump but she doesn't anymore. Well actually she has only jumped once, but still. >_<
I guess when I euthanize him, she will have a new home :/ sigh..

And I was just preparing to breed him too! Delta aren't very common here!

And awww, I'm lucky I haven't had the tail biting problem.
Though one of my girls has ripped her tail a bit, my fault though :oops: I didn't see a slightly sharp part in a container I had made for her to transport from tank to tank... but she is okay! It just looks funny :eek:

Exactly. I do not want him to be in pain - but he IS going to have to put out for a few more days if I am going to euthanize him. I do not have clove oil on me and I can only get it in the city. I hope he passes before then, though, because it will be better for him than being there in pain :/
 
#8 ·
How long has he been sick for with the dropsy? I just lost a beautiful giant plakat girl to dropsy - started with fin rot and she had a really bad reaction to the medication I gave her so I took her off it after 4 days, she was fine at first but then a week later I saw the puffy stomach starting so I figured the bacteria hadn't been killed all the way and moved to her kidneys. When she started to get to where she couldn't swim well anymore she was gone within a day or two. I put epsom salt 1 tsp for 3 gallons (lowered her water in her tank) and did daily water changes to keep her as comfortable as possible. Fortunately with mine she didn't look like she was in too much pain, other than not being able to swim much... she still came over to sit near me the day before and just slept all day the last day.
It really is tough to watch them suffer and feel so helpless, it's been two days and I am still really sad, she was the big personality of the bunch.
Hang in there and sorry to hear about your little guy :(
 
#9 ·
Freezing and flushing alive are not humane.

Please share photos of the pine coning.

Remind us what medication has been used and for how long? What's he on now? Green poop is quite odd.. have you been feeding him peas?

Usually with this I will do epsoms salts 1 tsp per gallon predissolved and added slowly over the course of an hour, along with a good internal antibiotic. Kanaplex and Maracyn Plus are the only two I've really seen work with much consistency. Others which have potential are furan 2 and to a small degree a source with erythromycin.
 
#10 ·
I am going to use clove oil. :) It's a sad thing to have to do, but it's for the best.
I have been having problems with him since I got him (he was a rescued betta) and it seems once he gets better he just gets sick again. I have never had that problem with any of my other fish either.

I will try get a picture if I can find a camera, otherwise he looks like the betta like this:

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=123324

And I have not feed him for four or so days as I have been fasting him for *suspected bloating*
 
#11 ·
Have you tried epsoms at 1-3 tsp per gallon along with a good internal antibiotic like Kanaplex or Maracyn Plus?

Also more info could be helpful:http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=49233 There may be some small thing we're missing.

If you decide to euthanize though that's your choice.
 
#13 ·
Yes, I have. He has been sick too many times to count before and after I've rescued him. It's the Betta himself - I don't have anything wrong with all of my other betta.

Thank you. He has been sick too much and I can tell he's in a lot of pain. I would rather put him out of his misery and put my emotions last if it means he won't have to be in pain anymore :'(


Clove Oil.
Yes, I will be getting some. Thank you.
 
#17 ·
Personally I don't think it happens like that - the water temperature will slowly lower and they'd be in extreme stress etc :/ I don't know, though.

Yeah, I might just let him go on his own. But it makes me sad to see that happen, though it may be the only thing I can do as I don't have clove oil.
 
#19 ·
Clove oil is the most humane way.. The freezing method is really inhumane.. It's the same thing as hypothermia, it kills the living creature from extreme temperatures. I'm sorry your betta has dropsy.. :[
 
#20 ·
I am going to try and get clove oil in the next few days, but resources are tight right now so I may not be able to. I hope he passes really soon - he's hanging on for dear life :/

I am sorry too. He is a beautiful Betta - absolutely gorgeous. I've been having problems with him ever since I've had him and I think maybe it's just best to euthanize him. :'(
 
#23 ·
I am not "killing" him. That makes it sound like I'm a murderer.

I am euthanising him. I am doing it because for as long as I have had him, he has been sick. And before I rescued him, too. It seems when I finally get him better he gets sick again, each time worse (regardless of how I look after him). He was treated really badly at his last home and I'm sure this is the reason he has been getting sick a lot. I do not like for him to be sick but he always is and now that he has dropsy he will be in a lot of pain (I can see it).

Also having to treat him all the time is VERY exhausting on my resources and time. I have spent more on keeping him well than I have on any of my other fish.
I do not have all of the money to keep buying medications for different things he gets sick with. And the ones I DO have, will run out eventually.

Another reason is I can't stand to see one of my animals in pain and suffering. To me anyone who notices that and ignores it and gets as much time out of their pet as they can is cruel.

Euthanasia is sad but it's a fact of life that we all have to face sometime :/
 
#26 ·
I feel the same way about it but sometimes there isn't another way to stop the suffering. The only time my husband had to was a very sad situation of someone tormenting a feeder rat and my husband had no choice. I don't think your fish is that bad off though.

I've known tons of people who see their pets suffering and they ignore it entirely. It's so frustrating.

Gosh, I don't even know where to get clove oil.
 
#25 ·
Killing and euthanising are the same. But maybe add IAL to the tank the help with Immune system. Before euthanising lets try a lot of other stuff..
 
#32 ·
Murder:
1. To kill (another human) unlawfully.
2. To kill brutally or inhumanly.

Euthanasia:
the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy

No, they are NOT the same! I am not a murderer! (A murderer wouldn't mind watching their pet sit there sick and dying and not do anything about it.)

I feel the same way about it but sometimes there isn't another way to stop the suffering. The only time my husband had to was a very sad situation of someone tormenting a feeder rat and my husband had no choice. I don't think your fish is that bad off though.

I've known tons of people who see their pets suffering and they ignore it entirely. It's so frustrating.

Gosh, I don't even know where to get clove oil.
That is horrible. I hate animal abuse! :/ I would consider myself abusing my Betta if I kept him alive, because he keeps getting sick and never seems to be OK. Now that he has dropsy, he will be in a lot of pain aswell. I do not want him to be and I also can't afford to spend big money to keep him alive, just to have him die some time later from a short life etc. It is unfair on the both of us. I love him enough to put him down, to stop his pain and suffering.. I know that's more than a LOT of pet owners are.

Yeah.. thinking about it bothers me. I suppose if it had to be done I'd get someone else to do it. My husband is fortunate in a way he can detach himself from situations like that. It would haunt me forever.
Yeah, I'm like you. I could never do something so.. "sickening". That would haunt me, too. Especially if it was a beloved pet.

CB, stop. You're not making Moons feel better, isn't her betta dying enough? Killing isn't the same as euthanizing. Killing is when you're destroying life viciously and intentionally; you wouldn't care if the creature feels pain or not. In euthanizing, the euthanizer finds the most humane way to path the animal to it's better home. Trying other "meds" will prolong his pain, there's only a 10% chance of surviving dropsy anways. I'm sorry, Moons. :(
Thank you, Lebron. I posted this thread to ask advice on euthanasia - this is my first time. I wasn't asking to get a big lecture or judged about what I am doing. That is HORRIBLE. I love my fish enough to stop his pain. Isn't that what any respectable pet owner would be like? He is always sick. Always. And he is really suffering - I can tell. I'm attached enough to him to know these things. I do not want to make him suffer anymore because I put my feelings first and try to keep him alive. It's just not fair on either of us. I also can't afford to pay for more and more medications to keep one fish a live when things are expensive here and resources are tight enough as it is.

Thank you for your support, it really means a lot. This is hard for me - I have never been the one to have to euthanize. This is really traumatizing enough for me. :/

 
#29 ·
CB, stop. You're not making Moons feel better, isn't her betta dying enough? Killing isn't the same as euthanizing. Killing is when you're destroying life viciously and intentionally; you wouldn't care if the creature feels pain or not. In euthanizing, the euthanizer finds the most humane way to path the animal to it's better home. Trying other "meds" will prolong his pain, there's only a 10% chance of surviving dropsy anways. I'm sorry, Moons. :(
 
#31 · (Edited)
This is the last I'll say in this thread, but I have to say this..

He may be more sensitive than your other fish. I don't doubt that. The smallest amount of ammonia may upset his system a lot faster than your hardy boys, which may be able to live with low levels and traces for years without showing any symptoms. That doesn't mean if you kept his water absolutely pristine he'd have no chance, or even just made the smallest change.. who knows where.. he wouldn't stand a chance. We don't know, because you won't even share with us info in that link about your keeping habits.. and I've tried to do a search but you haven't shared it anywhere else either that I've found.

All I've found is thread after thread about (same betta?) your boy with bloat issues, all during this past month now. I see only very short term use of epsoms (very barely 1 week which has no time to help with internal infections).. I see no use of kanaplex or maracyn plus.. I see no feeding of meds which is the best thing you can do for an internal infection.. I’ve seen lots of use of high levels of salt, which can cause dropsy and lots of harsh meds used to treat external parasite infections when he doesn’t have any..Use of flakes which can cause bloating and constipation issues.. If I had realized you were using aquarium salt along with a belly like that I wouldn’t have told you how to do it.. this is why it’s always good to ask for more info instead of just answering the OP’s question, so I suppose part of this can fall upon me for not inquiring further about why you were opting for certain treatments instead of just answering your direct question. Tonic salt is most definitely AQ by the way, not epsoms.

I find this and threads that say you just recently started betta keeping about 5 months ago.. I certainly wouldn't expect to you have problems with an average healthy betta in that time to be able to compare to a sensitive one. I'm sure you're doing the best you can but to say "Oh well I know everything and I’m absolutely sure all my habits are perfect and there’s no way someone could find a bit here and there that I might be able to change to help him, even share info with others to see if maybe there's some things I've missed because there's no way that's happened so I'm just going to end this life" it a little.. bad taste in my mouth. I mean a month ago you didn’t even know what Velvet looked like on a betta.. Idk sorry.

It’s okay to not know. It’s okay to ask questions. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has to learn sometimes, but I’m sorry your treatment of him to date has had no shot at his recovery, and a lot of the stuff you've done like the malachite green and AQ and flakes if anything would have just made things worse. I remember you now from other threads now I've had a chance to look them up. Hope your little one's suffering is short then. I suggest not bringing home rescue bettas. They take a lot of work and perseverance... and sometimes they cost more money.
 
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