Dropsy - *sigh*

[Greynova27]

I know my betta has dropsy. Raised scales and been sprinting all around his tank gasping for air and then will just sit kind of floating vertically. Then go around again freaking out. It's so painful watching him do this. He's in his own bowl right now isolated but I don't have much I can do for him. I've read up on the disease and I have checked Petco for possible medicines and nothing.

What can I do? Just watch? It's horrible.

[Oldfishlady]

Dropsy is a symptom and once this symptom shows its ugly face a fish can rarely recover, however, you can make them more comfy but best to humanly euthanize them.
Start making 50% daily water changes and lower the water level to about 3 inches, turn off the filter if used, turn off the light, add epsom salt 1tsp/gal to make them comfy and reduce some of the swelling.

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

I agree with OFL. Unfortunately if it gets to the pine-coned stage, they rarely recover. :( Just make him as comfortable as possible. I'm really sorry . :( Dropsy reminds me of cancer, it can kill so quickly and it's really hard for them to recover from. :(

[Greynova27]

My mom and I flushed him a few minute ago. :'( He was barely breathing at the bottom of the bowl, sort of curled and more pineconed than before. He looked bloated too. So my mom poured him in the toilet, he didn't really move and then we flushed him. Felt like it was the best to do than watch him suffer. :(

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

I'm so sorry about your fish. :( I've only had one with dropsy so far *knocks on wood* and it was pure torture for me to see him suffer like that. :(

[Greynova27]

Thanks Bettaxfishxcrazy
The thing that gets me the most is it's uncommon and one of the worst ways your fish can go. So my mom helped convince me to do the right thing and flush him. :(

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

Yeah, I really wanted to do that also but in the back of my mind I wanted to try to save him because I had him for a year and a half. I told myself that I was going to euthanize him the next day, but he passed away before than. I was very relieved but it was horrible. :( That's why it reminds me of cancer.

[Greynova27]

That's how old Eco was too. A year and a half. Well, to me, that's how long I had him. He was full grown when I bought him... And yeah, it is kind of like that. I mean, it's kidney failure and we can't do anything for him.

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

Yeah...Flame was full size also when I got him. My oldest fish Fantasia, who I've had almost 2 years (will be 2 years the beginning of June) lost the middle of his fin a couple days ago when he swam away too quickly. They're so fragile and he's getting older (I think he's about 4 because I got him when he was full grown). I hope his fin grows back because he has trouble swimming with half of his tail gone. :(

[Greynova27]

Yeah, over the weeks Eco has degraded in health and I really didn't know what was the matter with him. Then I saw he was a little bloated so I didn't feed him for a few days but it persisted, etc. I don't know, once the scales raised it was all downhill and sad.