need help diagnosing sick betta

[Sakura8]

Hi lex,

Yes, the ammonia poisoning is more a cause for problems than an actual problem. Like you said, it weakens the immune system and that brings on secondary problems like this bacterial infection. If you can find the Maracyn-2 that would be his best chance. If you have any local aquarium/fish stores, you can check there, or there's always Petsmart or any other pet store in your area. For now, the best thing is to keep him calm and warm and the water clean. I'm glad to hear he is swimming around a little. Is he breathing heavily at all or laying on his side?

[lex72]

Hi Sakura, he seems to be doing better, he is really trying to swim around but is having a hard time getting his tail end down if that makes sense? i finally located the maracyn at a store but didn't get it. should i still consider it? my boyfriend really wants to give him melafix to help his fins. why is it so bad? thank you! i am not sure if he is eating it's hard to tell, we give him like a pellet a day.

[Sakura8]

Hi lex, I'm glad he's trying to swim around more. It sounds like he still has some swim bladder problems. Is he bloated?

I would get the Maracyn-II to have on hand, it is invaluable for sick bettas. For the moment, it sounds like clean water has helped him a lot so I actually want to try an epsom salt treatment first. The dosage is 1 tsp per gallon to start with, pre-dissolve it in tank water before pouring it in. Continue with the water changes and redose the salt as necessary. If he hasn't shown any improvement after 5 days but he isn't getting worse, up the dosage to 2 tsps and continue for another 5 days. If at the end of this time, he is still struggling with "floaty butt" then we'll try the Maracyn-II.

Melafix contains an ingredient called tea tree oil, which is beneficial for humans and most other fish. But bettas have a special breathing organ called the labyrinth organ that allows them to breathe air from the surface and tea tree oil has been known to damage this organ. All fish with labyrinth organs, including gouramis, are at risk from tea tree oil.

[lex72]

use like actual epsom salt like i would use to soak a sore muscle in or the aquarium salt i always use when he is in his regular tank. should we stop the tetracycline? he doesn't seem bloated. ok so no more melafix unless we ever have other fish besides bettas?

[Sakura8]

Yup, plain ol' drugstore epsom salts. You can use them as muscle soaks or you can mix in water and drink it as a laxative *blech*. For fish, it's a good laxative soak, especially if they're constipated but also if they have a build-up of fluids. I'm glad he's not bloated, that's a good sign, but something is still pressing on his swimbladder so hopefully the epsom salt will draw the excess fluids out.

Do you always put aquarium salt in his tank?

Yeah, Melafix has been known to work great for other fishes, just not those who breathe with labyrinth organs like bettas and gouramis.

Do you think the tetracycline has been helping him? I would stop it but if you feel it's helping, then it's your call.