Clarifying epsom salt treatment?

I would start with 1 tsp per gallon, fill a small to medium glass with tank water, put the epsom salt in that. Once completely dissolved add about 1/2 to the tank & then add the other half about an hour or two later. I don't know your water change schedule but you ONLY replace the salt for amount of the water changed; example you have a 2g tank & do a 50% (1g) water change you add back 1 tsp. Typically it only takes a few days for the epsom salt to work but could take longer, if the 1 tsp per gallon isn't working after a couple of days then you may need to up it to 2 tsp per gallon. The behavior you're describing doesn't sound like she's weak but sounds like SBD. If it makes you feel better give her one or two pellets then fast & add epsom salt. If you don't see any improvement or she gets worse let us know immediately.

I did epsom salt, though not for SBD, and I did what shellieca said. I was doing a daily 50% or more water change and dissolving epsom salt in the new water before adding it to the tank. The fish stayed in the salted tank for two weeks and the only thing that happened was his infected eye cleared up.

So It's been about a day since I put in the 3 tsp of epsom salt in her tank and nothing so far. I feed her 2 soaked OO pellets this morning since she's been fasting since friday. I'm going to do a water change tomorrow. If nothing happens by tomorrow should I up the salt to 2 tsp per gallon after the water change? Also should I continue to fast her for a couple of days since I fed her today or feed her a couple of OO pellets a day?

You can up it to 2tsp per gallon if you want to. I'm wondering if there is something else going on. Can you post a pic or video of her? I would fast her.

shellieca said:

You can up it to 2tsp per gallon if you want to. I'm wondering if there is something else going on. Can you post a pic or video of her? I would fast her.

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Here are pictures I posted before. She seems fine except for her bloat and her floating. She still has a good appetite. She's been bloated for months but ply started the SBD in the last month. I have fasted her since Saturday June 14th and then fed her 2 soaked OO pellets yesterday. I am doing a water change 1/3 water change today.

Have you seen any poo from her at all? I would get a tall, broad leafed silk plant or a leaf hammock so she has some place close to the surface to rest on.

shellieca said:

Have you seen any poo from her at all? I would get a tall, broad leafed silk plant or a leaf hammock so she has some place close to the surface to rest on.

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I can't tell if she's pooped. I think I'm going to put her in a hospital tank with a bare bottom so I can see if she poops. I know when I siphon the water out during a water change I see poop come up but not as much as you would think. She likes to perch either on the top suction cup of the whisper filter or down in her little pagoda but I will get her a leaf hammock.

jokerlola said:

I can't tell if she's pooped. I think I'm going to put her in a hospital tank with a bare bottom so I can see if she poops. I know when I siphon the water out during a water change I see poop come up but not as much as you would think. She likes to perch either on the top suction cup of the whisper filter or down in her little pagoda but I will get her a leaf hammock.

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One thing is, since her SBD makes her float, she can just float at the top motionless without having to flip her fins.

Since I put the epsom salt in her tank there's been a major algae bloom! There was some algae on her pagoda and heater and rocks but it has since quadrupled . I have her in a 1 gallon hospital tank now to see if I can see any poops. I fed her a couple of OO pellets but she won't eat. She's just floating on her side now. I haven't put epsom salt in the hospital tank yet.

Well, after a couple of days in the hospital tank and feeding her 3 OO pellets 2X a day, There is a lot of poop on the bottom so she isn't constipated after all. She is still fat/bloated and still has floating SBD. I wonder why she is like this if she's not constipated? She has no pine coning or clamped fins and has a hearty appetite. I'm thinking egg bound again. Anyone else have a guess?