[Lexikat]

My betta, Rainbow has been sick for about a week now. At first i thought it was just constipation, but he got much worse, huge belly, lost most of his color, and then started pine coning. He had stopped eating, for about a week, sat at the bottom of the tank or just floated at the top. He's always been very active and loves to eat. He's almost 2.
I started 1/2 teaspoon ES, marycn and maracyn II and I'm trying to keep his tank dark.. I'm doing 75% water changes every day. On the 3rd day of treatment he actually started swimming around and wanted to eat. I fed him a little and he swam around a little today and ate some more. He still looks horrible, bloated, pale and pine coning. But compared to how he was a few days ago he's so much better. Is there still a chance that he'll pull through? Also, how long should I continue the antibiotics and ES?
Thanks, I've been so upset about him.
Housing
What size is your tank? 1.5 gal
What temperature is your tank? 70
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Is your tank heated? No
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Flakes
How often do you feed your betta fish? 1x a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Normally, once a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Stress coat and water conditioner

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? No

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment- answered above
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?

 

[Pataflafla]

Slowly bring him up to 3 tsp/gal epsom salt.

Look into buying wither Maracyn 1 and 2 or Seachem Kanaplex. Keep things dark and warm for him. follow directions for water changes that are on the medications.

 

[Lexikat]

Thanks for your reply. I plan on going to buy a heater for him today to see if that helps. He's never had one, but everything I'm reading here says he should have one.

I've done 4 days of Maracyn and Maracyn II, today will be the 5th. It says to only do 5 days, but should I keep going? Also, how long should I keep adding ES to his water?

 

[Pataflafla]

Epsom salt should be full time for this treatment. You can use the max dose for 14 days before running the risk of harmful side effects.

For the medication, follow the directions on the back since overdosing on that is way more serious. After day 5, continue to slowly bring him up to 3 tsp/gal and give him a day or two to completely rest from medication before starting treatment over or starting a new treatment.

Surviving true dropsy is rare and leaves a betta vulnerable to displaying it again and again throughout it's life.

 

[Lexikat]

Thanks again. I bought him a heater, so his water is slowly getting warmer.
I finished the 5 day dose of Maracyn and Maracyn II yesterday. I am upping his ES to 3 tsp/gallon today. He is more bloated today than before, but he's also wanting to eat again, he ate yesterday and the day before, he has about an inch of poop hanging out of him. I noticed he has problems pooping. He's really a mess and looks horrible. He's so bloated, pine coned, and also has a white looking bubble on his upper lip. I can't believe he still alive based on how he looks.

 

[Lexikat]

Not to be a pain, but could you look at the photos I posted and give me your opinion on Rainbow? He's still bloated and pine coned. Not sure if I should start another round of antibiotics or just do 3tsp/gal ES for a while.

Please help, I appreciate it!!

 

[Pataflafla]

If he's had 2 days off the medication and 2 100% changes by now, then go ahead and start a second round.

It's important that you follow the 100% daily changes while you're just using epsom salt.

 

[Lexikat]

If he's had 2 days off the medication and 2 100% changes by now, then go ahead and start a second round.

It's important that you follow the 100% daily changes while you're just using epsom salt.

Thanks so much!! One more question that I should have asked before. I have a whisper filter with the carbon(i think it's carbon) cartridge. Should I remove that completely and not use a filter at all while I'm giving the antibiotics?

 

[Silverfang]

While using any medications the carbon must be removed or else the medication will be absorbed by the carbon and provide no benefit. Depending on the filter you canjyst remove the cartridge.

You mentioned a long poop? Is it whitish and stringy? I realize you said dropsy. But I'm just wondering if he might have belly full of parasites.

I have heard of things besides dropsy causing pineconing. Just took another look, from the top I can see how severe it looks.

In either case the Epson salt will help "relieve" him. Just note the shape a d color of the poo. I know warm water can sometimes trigger them, as cam flaring.

 

[Lexikat]

Yes, actually the other day he'd had a very long white stringy poo. It was gross
He's had regular color poo since then though. Should I try and treat for parasites instead?

 

[Silverfang]

IF it's not a different colour, then I wouldn't suggest trying some other treatment. Epsom salt helps. Alot.

 

[Lexikat]

Update!! It's kind of amazing, Rainbow is doing so much better!! Almost all of his color has returned, his bloating has gone down a lot and he's acting like a regular fish again! He still has a little bit of pine coning, but it's so much better than it was. He swims around all the time and is always curious when someone goes near his tank. Also, he's super hungry again, he begs and begs for food and chomps at the water for food. I plan on doing full 3tsp/gal ES for a ten days, just to be sure and then I'll start weaning him off. Thank you all so much for your help, I don't think he would have made it this far without you!!!