Dropsy?

[Bowser416]

Hi guys I'm new to the site, but only as a registered user, I've been using this site as a resource for quite awhile now :) Anyway, I'm pretty sure my betta has dropsy, he's been laying at the bottom of the tank for about a week, he has the pine cone thing, and I'm sure he doesn't have swim bladder disease. I thought it was SBD but he still goes #2 just fine. My first question is if there's a chance this isn't dropsy? There's no swollen eye, grey belly, or swollen belly, and he still eats, but there is a little bit of fin rot and his gills seem to stick out more.
Second question. I've been following DarkMoon17's guide for treating dropsy and all i could find with Metronidazole is the Jungle Parasite Clear tablets. It says to feed food soaked in Metronidazole, but since it's a tablet would it be ok to dissolve a little bit of the tablet and soak the food in that?
Finally, DarkMoon17 says to keep the temp at 84*F but the heater I have in the quarantine 1 gallon tank can't be adjusted. Im afraid itll go over, is 84*F the absolute maximum I should let it get to?

Housing
What size is your tank? 5 gallons (1 gallon quarantine)
What temperature is your tank? 76*F normally (78 right now with the heater)
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Is your tank heated? 5 gallon - No, Quarantine - Yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Bettamin, Daphnia, Mysis, Bloodworms (Nothing live)
How often do you feed your betta fish? Once a day, 6 days a week

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Every 1.5-2 weeks (Daily in quarantine)
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? NovAqua+, AmQuel+
pH: 7.2

[Ajones108]

I'm sorry, but if it is dropsy, there isn't a real cure. :( The pineconing of a betta is caused by the surplus of fluids under their scales due to failing organs. The best thing you can do for him is just make him comfortable, and hope that it isn't true dropsy. It would help if we had a picture of him.

[callistra]

I'm sorry but there is a cure for dropsy though there is no guarantee. The cure is finding the cause and treating it. That kind of all over body pine coning is typically internal bacterial infection.

You need to be doing weekly water changes on your 5 gallons. If it is cycled then about 20%-50% weekly is sufficient. If it is not cycled you should do 100% every 5 days or do two changes a week one at 50% and one at 100% .

Metro is for parasites and I'm not sure there's any possibility of it curing dropsy. Is he showing signs of parasites (white stringy and/or segmented poop)? I have never heard of using that drug for dropsy. I would put in epsoms and Kanaplex (Kanamyacin) and try very very hard to find this drug. Any place that carries Metro should have the Kanaplex as they are both Seachem drugs. If you cannot you could try Maracyn Plus or Maracyns in combo.

[callistra]

Turning up the tank high is good for parasites but if it's bacterial all you're likely going to do is speed up the disease process and bacteria flourishes better at warmer temps. In this case turning it up to 80 maybe just for the fish's sake would be all I'd do.

[callistra]

Okay I read the sticky and there is some good information there but also some incorrect info. You do not need a bloated -belly- specifically. That's only one kind of dropsy. In other types of dropsy the whole fish swells evenly. But none the less if your fish is pine coning this is dropsy. The medications listed there are all going to treat DIFFERENT conditions. It's not like they've listed a bunch of different options of drugs that work on one type of thing so choosing something from that list and trying to treat is a crap shoot. Also the Erythromyacin bath alone suggestion is just plain wrong and is very unlikely to work. The General Cure is not going to cut it unless you're feeding it and then probably not.

First off it needs an antibiotic that goes internal. This would be Kanamyacin (Kanaplex) Maracyns in combo, maybe Maracyn Plus. Second of all feeding an antiparasite food along with the antibiotic will cover all your basis and I have seen this done a lot and since with dropsy your time frame for treatment is so limited this is one of those rare times the one two quick combined quick punch approach is very merited.

[Ajones108]

^ Incurable Dropsy

Raised scales don't necessarily mean it can't be cured. I was thinking a little extreme. A fish with a bloaty belly can have raised scales. :)

[callistra]

I have seen fish come back from that. It is not incurable but it does require fast treatment with the correct drug and even then it is no guarantee.

[Bowser416]

Originally Posted by callistra

Okay I read the sticky and there is some good information there but also some incorrect info. You do not need a bloated -belly- specifically. That's only one kind of dropsy. In other types of dropsy the whole fish swells evenly. But none the less if your fish is pine coning this is dropsy. The medications listed there are all going to treat DIFFERENT conditions. It's not like they've listed a bunch of different options of drugs that work on one type of thing so choosing something from that list and trying to treat is a crap shoot. Also the Erythromyacin bath alone suggestion is just plain wrong and is very unlikely to work. The General Cure is not going to cut it unless you're feeding it and then probably not.

First off it needs an antibiotic that goes internal. This would be Kanamyacin (Kanaplex) Maracyns in combo, maybe Maracyn Plus. Second of all feeding an antiparasite food along with the antibiotic will cover all your basis and I have seen this done a lot and since with dropsy your time frame for treatment is so limited this is one of those rare times the one two quick combined quick punch approach is very merited.

Okay good to know it's not completely a lost cause, im in class right now but I found a place that has kanaplex and im going to get maracyn plus as well. As far as his poop its not stringy its completely normal. Should I do a 100% water change to the 1 gallon quarantine tank daily? Also I fed him yesterday should i continue to feed him during the treatment?
Ill try and get a beter pic as soon as i get home

[Bowser416]

Oh wait is it kanaplex and maracyn plus together or one or the other?

[callistra]

One or the other. Glad you asked.