Hi,
So sorry your fin baby is ill!!! Poor little boy!!!
Unfortunately, I have never been able to bring back a betta that has shown signs of dropsy. The fluid build up usually means organ failure, and that is not something that can be reversed.
The standard recommendation for treatment is aquarium salt and Kanaplex, along with water changes. Some say that doing methylene blue baths can help, too. You can use a clean bucket, add one gallon of heated, treated tank water along with 1 ml of methylene blue. The betta can stay in the bath for 30 minutes. You can also add a small heater to the bath, if you have one, to keep the water warm, or put the bucket in a warm place, so the betta doesn't get too cold. If he is not super stressed, you can do a methylene blue bath daily. If he is stressed, then one every other day. You can also add aquarium salt to the bath.
I would not use any of the "fix" products. I find them to be mostly useless. I would recommend that you return them both and get your money back. They are both the same, with betta fix being a less concentrated form of melafix. These products may help other fish, but they contain tea tree oil, which has been reported to negatively affect a betta's labyrinth organ. When I used the stuff, all it did was smell up the tank.
Tannin rich water is much better for stress relief. If you haven't already done so, you can add Indian almond leaves (catappa leaves), or maybe some dark water extract, or brew a cup of organic rooibos tea with treated tank water, and add that to the tank. It will tint the water brown, but it really does help the betta. It will not cure him, but may soothe him a bit. Tannins can help keep bettas healthy overall by providing some slight antibacterial and antifungal properties to the water.
Depending on the severity of the case, some bettas can live a good three weeks or more after showing signs of dropsy. If you see him struggling to swim to the top for air, you can lower the water level, or add something for him to lay on at the top of the tank, like a betta leaf, or a tall plant, or some other decor that will work.
When the betta starts laying on the bottom, stops eating, stops moving, and struggles to breathe, then it might be time to euthanize, unfortunatley. At that point, there is no quality of life, and it would be more humane to euthanize rather than let the betta suffer.
Again, so so sorry this has happened! These poor fish are so over bred and genetically weak now, that even with the best of care, many do not live past 2 to 3 years, especially those that come from big chain pet stores.
I hope this helps a little.
So sorry your fin baby is ill!!! Poor little boy!!!
Unfortunately, I have never been able to bring back a betta that has shown signs of dropsy. The fluid build up usually means organ failure, and that is not something that can be reversed.
The standard recommendation for treatment is aquarium salt and Kanaplex, along with water changes. Some say that doing methylene blue baths can help, too. You can use a clean bucket, add one gallon of heated, treated tank water along with 1 ml of methylene blue. The betta can stay in the bath for 30 minutes. You can also add a small heater to the bath, if you have one, to keep the water warm, or put the bucket in a warm place, so the betta doesn't get too cold. If he is not super stressed, you can do a methylene blue bath daily. If he is stressed, then one every other day. You can also add aquarium salt to the bath.
I would not use any of the "fix" products. I find them to be mostly useless. I would recommend that you return them both and get your money back. They are both the same, with betta fix being a less concentrated form of melafix. These products may help other fish, but they contain tea tree oil, which has been reported to negatively affect a betta's labyrinth organ. When I used the stuff, all it did was smell up the tank.
Tannin rich water is much better for stress relief. If you haven't already done so, you can add Indian almond leaves (catappa leaves), or maybe some dark water extract, or brew a cup of organic rooibos tea with treated tank water, and add that to the tank. It will tint the water brown, but it really does help the betta. It will not cure him, but may soothe him a bit. Tannins can help keep bettas healthy overall by providing some slight antibacterial and antifungal properties to the water.
Depending on the severity of the case, some bettas can live a good three weeks or more after showing signs of dropsy. If you see him struggling to swim to the top for air, you can lower the water level, or add something for him to lay on at the top of the tank, like a betta leaf, or a tall plant, or some other decor that will work.
When the betta starts laying on the bottom, stops eating, stops moving, and struggles to breathe, then it might be time to euthanize, unfortunatley. At that point, there is no quality of life, and it would be more humane to euthanize rather than let the betta suffer.
Again, so so sorry this has happened! These poor fish are so over bred and genetically weak now, that even with the best of care, many do not live past 2 to 3 years, especially those that come from big chain pet stores.
I hope this helps a little.
