Betta not eating, bloated, color change

[alexndra00]

Hi I've had my betta for over a year now and I keep him in a 2 gallon bowl with a plant to help the water stay clean. I feed it pellets, 4 or 5 two times a day.

I recently moved into an apartment with no heater and the outside temperature is around 40-45 which makes the house be a bit warmer but not much (therefore his water is colder than it's ever been). I was really busy before moving and didn't change his water in around 3 weeks. I admit that it was irresponsible...

A couple of days before the move I realized my fish had been rejecting food and it has been almost a week since I move him here and he hasn't had any food. I tried to put his bowl where the sun hits to see if it helps but so far nothing.

I usually condition the water with StressCoat before every change ad yesterday started using BettaFix because I noticed his fins look strange and have become copper-colored in the areas closer to his body.

His stomach looks really bloated and he stays in the bottom of the bowl, sometimes swimming with a bit of an angle.

Please help me figure out how to proceed, I love my fish and don't want him to get worse. Thanks!!!

I am attaching an image I took this morning.


http://twitpic.com/4g4cax

He seems to be constipated and says in the bottom of the tank

[Oldfishlady]

Welcome to the forum and sorry you are having problems...

I would start with lots of water changes...25-50% a couple of times a day for 2 days and if he doesn't perk up...start him on Epsom salt 1tsp/gal along with 100% daily water changes for 2 days...on day 3-increase Epsom salt 2tsp/gal along with the 100% daily water changes for 7 more days....

Its best to QT in a small container to treat and pre-mix the Epsom salt (Not aquarium salt) in a 1gal jug of dechlorinated water to use for the water changes

Heat is also important-you need to get a heater for the 2gal tank and maintain a water temp in the 76-77F range during treatment-you can float the small QT container you use to treat him-in the now heated tank

Don't worry about food yet- once he starts to feel better he will want to eat...

Good luck and keep us posted....

[turtle10]

IMO one plant won't help much with water quality. Once you have treated him as Oldfishlady suggested, keep up with regular water changes of at least one 50% and one 100% a week. Keep the temp in the 76-77 range, bettas are tropical fish and shouldn't be kept in temperatures lower than that. Bettas can get very sick in cold water. He is also probably not eating because it is cold.

[alexndra00]

I started with the water changes today and will let you know if he gets better. Thanks!!

[alexndra00]

Hi, its been a little over a week that I started the recommended treatment for Bob, my betta. The first couple of days I did only water changes, then salt baths with 1tsp/gal and water changes for two days and another two with 2tsp/gal.

He is better (he looked really bad before the Epsom salt) but his belly is still bloated and he hasn't had any appetite yet, that makes it almost 2 weeks.

His water is now between 75-77F and he's started to make a lot of bubbles that are now floating on the surface.

Any other suggestions you may have for me??
Thanks again for all your help!!

[turtle10]

You could try daphnia. They sell it frozen at most pet stores and will really help if he has some blockage going on. Is there any way you can raise the temp two or three degrees? That might help too.

[Pekemom]

Good luck, Alexndra. Please let us know how he's doing...

[alexndra00]

At this point, I have tried so much, I don't know if my poor fish is getting worse because of the disease or the stress.

I moved him to a new tank, with a better filter and after the Epsom salt she appeared to be better, still not eating (over a month now) but since a few days ago, the bloating got completely out of control.

I went to a pet store that claims to know a lot about fish and showed them a picture, they said it is septicemia, which is in itself, terrible and told me to treat with Maracyn-Two.

I started the treatment three days ago and now he doesn't even swim and the swelling, everything seems worse!! His scales were raised a little because of the bloating but now it seems like dropsy all the way.

Please help me figure out what is the best way to keep her as comfortable and healthy as possible at this point, it is so sad to see him like this.

I am posting a picture so you can see him, he was a little less swollen yesterday, but this is taken as I write this.

Thanks for all your comments and help.

[DarkMoon17]

Septicemia is a blood disease, which doesn't make sense with his symptoms... Your boy has dropsy: fluid is building up due to internal organ failure. It is usally caused by an internal bacterial infection. Sadly, it is usually fatal, though I and others have had success treating it with medicines containing metronidazole and epsom salt baths. You saw some improvement with the epsom baths but you really need something to kill the bacteria. Metronidazole has proved the most successful but it has to be taken orally.
You have to treat it aggressively if you want him to have the best chance of recovery, Best results if all done at the same time:
1) Bring the heat up in the aquarium to 82-86 if possible
2) Perform 100% water changes every day (sometimes it is easier to float him in a container inside his tank-it is easier to treat and change smaller amounts of water)
3) Treat with 1 teaspoon epsom salt per gallon (not Aquarium salt, they are different)
4) Feed Jungle's Anti-Parasite pellets (contains metronidazole)
5) Treat with Tetracycline by API pharmaseutacles or Jungle's Parasite Clear
Good luck with him

[alexndra00]

Thanks DarkMoon17!! Should I stop the Maracyn-Two then? Also, he hasn't eaten in over a month, what should I do if he rejects the pellets?

Thanks again. I will keep everyone posted.