Dropsy, SBD or constipation?

[bettababe321]

Hello everyone,
Its been months since I've posted here but I have been "lurking." I'm sorry for being so inactive
My betta Kokomo who I've had for years now is sick and I'm having trouble coming up with a diagnosis:
I left him in my apartment in his filtered, heated (80 degrees) and planted 5 gallon tank for 5 days for Christmas break. In his tank was one of those "seven day betta feeder" tablets that was almost completely dissolved when I returned. I noticed when I got back that he was having trouble swimming to the surface to eat despite having the same large appetite as always. I moved him into a 1 gallon tank with his heater so that he could surface easier. To this tank I added about 1/4 teaspoon aquarium salt and bettafix. He was also fasted for a week but did not improve. He tries to swim but ends up falling back down and it's almost like he is being weighted down by his tail and has to drag himself around. He is still eating and moving around the small tank as much as he can but I think he's getting worse, I should mention that I see NO bloating at this point.
I'm so sorry for such a long post, thank you so much for any advice you may be able to give me!

[jeanclaudeasher]

Can you post a picture? My understanding of SBD is that they have a hard time swimming and when they are resting its usually at an odd angle (like on their sides or with their tail pointing towards the surface etc.) My one betta who got dropsy had obvious bloating before he started pineconing. The bloat did not go away even with fasting. Hopefully someone else might have an idea of what might be wrong

[bettababe321]

Unfortunately my camera isn't working at the moment. He is definitely not bloated, but does rest at weird angles. What is the recommended treatment for SBD? I currently have bettafix, melafix, jungle fungus cure, and LifeGuard but I hate to use any of them without knowing what I'm treating. Thanks for the reply!

[Ethan]

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=57143

tell me if that helped the understanding of swimbladder disorder

[bettababe321]

Ethan, Thanks for the info, I tried peas and he won't eat them. I now have him on Jungle anti bacteria medicated fish food which he seems to like. I am thinking about trying the lifeguard, has anyone used this with any luck? It claims to treat bacteria, fungus and parasites so I'm thinking it's my best bet since I don't know what's wrong with him. He is still eating and flaring but has a lot of trouble surfacing. Thanks again for your help!

[Ethan]

yourwelcome I always like to help,

You can try feeding him daphnia
I've tried lifeguard by Tetra it seems to help a little I used on my female sorrity and my male who had clamped fins he started to get unclamped fins. Be cautios though one tablet by 5 gallon mark.

[Creat]

If it is any kind of constipation or SBD then epsom salt 2 tsp/gallon should help him. Epsom salt is the treatment i have been using since oldfishlady recommended it. I start by doing a 100% water change and adding 1 tsp/gallon and raising it slowly to 2 tsp/gallon and if it doesnt work sometimes 3 tsp/ gallon.

[bettababe321]

Since I've already started the life guard treatment is it safe to add epsom salt as well?

[Oldfishlady]

Most likely the combination of over eating on the feeder block and the ammonia that it caused he has an inflamed duct...as posted I would start him on an Epsom salt treatment for 10 days along with 100% daily water changes while in QT

Pre-mix your treatment water in a 1gal jug of dechlorinated water-add 2tsp/gal Epsom salt and tannins-either naturally dried and fallen from the tree Oak leaf (10-12 crushed/gallon) or Indian almond leaf or blackwater extract or decaf green tea-let this steep for an hour before use-the longer it steeps the more tannins are released the darker the water the more the Betta will like it...shake well before use...use this water for the 100% daily water changes for 10 days while in a small QT that can be floated in the heated tank....you also want to cover the top with plastic veggie wrap to maintain the the heat and humidity over the water for the labyrinth organ...hold food for for 3 days and then offer half feedings twice daily during treatment

Not sure if Epsom salt is safe to use with other medications, however, unless this medication you are using is an antibiotic I wouldn't use it anyway...if it is an antibiotic I would complete the treatment course so not to cause resistant issues.

[bettababe321]

Thanks oldfishlady! I recently set him up in a breeder box back in his own tank so that it is easier to heat and filter. I figured since he's the only inhabitant, what can it hurt? The tablets I'm using are an antibiotic, the directions say not to do a water change until 5 days of treatment. I'm on day 2, should I wait to do a water change and epsom salt for 3 more days? or go ahead and add salt without the water change? Or maybe do a small change with salt but keep up with the antibiotic? I have been doing daily ammonia tests since the issue started and all readings have been 0.