Laying on his side and not responding to food

[MidnightsSong]

The water is at 80 degrees.

I am currently changing his water 100% every other day. Everything gets a thorough scrubbing and then he get's used to the water by the method you suggested; With the cup and adding some water every ten minutes for about an hour.

I do have a three gallon tank now, filled with silk plants and gravel, but I have not yet moved him into it. I am hoping to do it tomorrow if you think it would be okay to do, now that he is at least swimming normally again and isn't sideways on the bottom of his hospital tank.

I am using Prime to condition his water.

[callistra]

Sounds good. Changing pellets is really important too though since he has such a constipation issue with them.

As long as he's not struggling to reach the surface, it should be okay.

I would use some epsom salts - 1 tsp per gallon predissolved and added slowly over an hour to avoid shock. Also need to be really careful and make sure they have no dyes, perfumes, or additives of any other kind. I get mine from CVS Pharmacy. You only need to readd the salt with a water change, and then only as much as water you change. I would fast at least 3 more days with the salt until you see a ton of poop and his belly goes down. Then you can start feeding again, but I would leave the epsoms in at least a week, if not two.

[MidnightsSong]

I will change as soon as I can! Should be able to run out either tonight or tomorrow morning. I heard the Omega One brand is good, correct? If I can't get that, what else would you suggest?

Will do! Thank you very much!
I'll keep updating as the days and weeks progress.

[callistra]

I feed New Life Spectrum Betta. I know Petco carries it here.

[MidnightsSong]

So, I moved him today. Treated water with Prime and added 3 tsps of Epsom salt. And then adjusted him to the new water over an hour.
He's still lethargic. He's either sitting on the substrate or resting on his plant, which sits very near the surface.
He does move around quite a bit now, but he's never really swimming or floating. He simply moves to his next spot to sit when he gets bored of the one he's already at.
He still won't flare for me. However, he does recognize me when I approach. His eyes move and his fins speed up a bit.
I think he's hungry, but I'm going to let him go one more day without food, just to see if that helps with the bloating.
Are his fins clamped? I think they look a lot more open after he got moved, but are they clamped still?
Also, should I still be doing 100% changes every day? Or can I reduce that to once a week?

[callistra]

You need to fast at least 3 days ON the epsoms, if you want to feed ONCE after that you can and then continue to fast until you see poop. Today was really his first day of treatment.

In the 3g I'd do 50% daily and 100% by day 3 or 4.

[MidnightsSong]

Okay!
Thank you! And will do!

[MidnightsSong]

This is today:



The size of his abdomen hasn't seemed to change. I fasted him for three days and today, fed him a single brine shrimp. He was hungry, but I couldn't get him to eat any pellets.
I'm going to continue fasting him with the epsom salts.
What are the chances this could be more than constipation? Dropsy? He doesn't have pine-coned scales.

[callistra]

I don't see raised scales.

He's been a long time.. Lets try the pea. Go to the grocery store and look for frozen peas. I highly suggest organic. Also look at the ingredients label and make sure the only ingredients is peas.

Take a small microwaveable cup you are sure have no chems, and place just enough of his tank water in it to cover the pea. Nuke it in the microwave 10 seconds. If the pea hasn't deshelled itself, it should be easy to do now. Take one of the halves inside. You can try feeding it to him by tearing it up one tiny bit at a time.. hopefully he will eat it.. you can try putting it on a toothpick and wiggling it around.. just make sure not to catch your betta with the pick..

After this he will be sure to poop within the next couple days.

[MidnightsSong]

Okay.
I tried last night, with the pea (in tiny bits on a toothpick), but he completely ignored me. I tried again this morning and he actually swam up to it, but I think got scared because I was there and turned and swam to the other side of the tank. I'm going to keep trying.