Betta Dropsy

You don't want to put the salt into the main tank, it'll be hard to remove after it dissolves.
I used a tablespoon per gallon, and put the betta into it for ten minutes, then placed him into a revival container, which has a fourth of the original salt dosage.
I will recommend a bath every other day unless it starts becoming more of a problem, then you can bump it up more often.
 

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Sorry I haven't been on as much. But Yondu seems to have gotten worse,it looks like he still has a few raised scales but I believe he is now gilling. He is also sort of sinking and will spend most of his time chilling on bottom,gasping. I have lower the water level. I believe this has something to do with my water quality but the parameters are 0,0,5 yet my plants are dying (that may be my own fault)
 

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Sorry I haven't been on as much. But Yondu seems to have gotten worse,it looks like he still has a few raised scales but I believe he is now gilling. He is also sort of sinking and will spend most of his time chilling on bottom,gasping. I have lower the water level. I believe this has something to do with my water quality but the parameters are 0,0,5 yet my plants are dying (that may be my own fault)
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Have you been doing the salt baths?
What medication are you using to treat him?
Do you have any pictures of him?
 
Here are some pics 20181110_213342.jpg 20181110_213356.jpg 20181110_213425.jpg
 

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He seems to have trouble swimming so I lowered the water level. But he seems more energetic.
 
My betta, Pluto, has dropsy.
He's been looking particularly poorly for the past few days, not swimming, lying in a clump of java moss, etcetera. I've been doing daily 40% water changes, and adding aquarium salt but he hasn't improved. Today I got home, and he's started pineconing. It's not too bad yet, but still visible. He's a crowntail, I've had him for a bit over a year, he was fully grown when I got him.
Don't know his age. He's a pet store betta so probably has bad genetics.
I don't know what to do. I'm getting some clove oil JUST IN CASE. I'm not saying I'll definetely use it. But I'd prefer to have it on hand.
Please! He was my first fish and I don't want to lose him!
 
The most common underlying cause of dropsy is an internal bacterial infection. Kanaplex is the most effective way to go about treating it for how easily it's absorbed internally. Epsom salt baths (1TBSP/Gallon for 10-15 minutes) can help relieve some fluid retention.
 
Hello!

It might not be too late; this has saved many a fish over the years

First problem is the aquarium salt, you don’t want to be using that. You want Epsom salt. Dose 1/8tsp for every 5g. Buy unscented with no additives; the ingredients should be plain Epsom salt (or just magnesium sulfate).

You can do a dose of Kanaplex, but only for 10 days max (otherwise you’re just going to worsen the fluid retention); about 5 doses over this span of 10 days.

I would also dose with metroplex for 6-10 days and feed metroplex-soaked food.

Do daily 90-100% water changes and redose the Epsom according to how much water is being replaced, as well as the meds (metroplex =daily, Kanaplex = every other day).

Edit: do a large water change before starting the regiment; you want to remove as much of the the aquarium salt beforehand. Make sure to dissolve the meds and salt in a little bit of tank water completely beforehand, then you can add to the tank itself.
 

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Ok, I have Epsom salts somewhere I just need to find it.
I'm in Australia, not sure if there is kanaplex here. It's not listed on my local petstores website either. I currently have "Blue planet Multicure" on hand, which contains methylene blue and malachite green. Would this help in any way?
 
Ok, I have Epsom salts somewhere I just need to find it.
I'm in Australia, not sure if there is kanaplex here. It's not listed on my local petstores website either. I currently have "Blue planet Multicure" on hand, which contains methylene blue and malachite green. Would this help in any way?
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Ah got it! Kanaplex is the name brand of Kanamycin and metroplex is metronidazole from Seachem, specifically. I *think* Australia has other brand equivalents of these two (I’ve seen them around from other people, but can’t remeber the specific brands.

Unfortunately, the blue planet milticure wouldn’t be helpful :/
 
In that case, I have no idea what treatment to get. Nothing seems to contain kanamycin. The only bacteria-related cure I've found contains sulfadimidine, sulfamerazine, and sulfadiazine.
I'm definitely doing Epsom salts, though.

I've also done a 70% water change to lower aquarium salt levels until I can get Epsom salts. I can't find them anywhere I won't be able to get any supplies for a good 24 hours. So I'm pretty much stuffed.
 
Ok, I've gotten Epsom salts. He's still alive, but not doing great. I also can't do water changes, we have no water for a while
I'm going to do a salt bath, as his tank is a bit too small to figure out the dosage, if 1/8 teaspoon is for 5g, it would end up being roughly 1/10 tsp for 3 gallon, which is just too small. He's currently in a 3 gallon tall, however, it's only half full as he's struggling to swim and I don't want him to drown (Labyrinth organ and stuff.) Because of this, I'm not sure about dosing.
I'm about to give him a bath now. How often should I bath him? I can only bath in the morning and late-arvo/evening because of school.

Please help!
 
Ok, I've gotten Epsom salts. He's still alive, but not doing great. I also can't do water changes, we have no water for a while
I'm going to do a salt bath, as his tank is a bit too small to figure out the dosage, if 1/8 teaspoon is for 5g, it would end up being roughly 1/10 tsp for 3 gallon, which is just too small. He's currently in a 3 gallon tall, however, it's only half full as he's struggling to swim and I don't want him to drown (Labyrinth organ and stuff.) Because of this, I'm not sure about dosing.
I'm about to give him a bath now. How often should I bath him? I can only bath in the morning and late-arvo/evening because of school.

Please help!
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Once a day
 
Ok, each evening works perfectly then.
We've got our water back too, so I've done a water change.
 
Update: 36 hours and still alive! This morning he seemed quite active when I turned the light on he was swimming around happily. He also still eating. Although saying this, his scales are still pineconed.
 
Update: 48 hours, still alive, still pineconed. Is there ANYTHING I can do for him?
 
You can try using that bacterial medication to give him a chance, however it's not guaranteed that it'll work as effectively and save him. If his health starts declining, then it'd be best to euthanize him.
 
In that case, I have no idea what treatment to get. Nothing seems to contain kanamycin. The only bacteria-related cure I've found contains sulfadimidine, sulfamerazine, and sulfadiazine.
I'm definitely doing Epsom salts, though.

I've also done a 70% water change to lower aquarium salt levels until I can get Epsom salts. I can't find them anywhere I won't be able to get any supplies for a good 24 hours. So I'm pretty much stuffed.
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Erythromycin.
 

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You can try using that bacterial medication to give him a chance, however it's not guaranteed that it'll work as effectively and save him. If his health starts declining, then it'd be best to euthanize him.
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Ok, I'll pick it up, ASAP, along with clove-oil, just in case.

Erythromycin.
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As in the oral antibiotics? For humans?
 
Update! It's been over a week and he's still alive! His swelling has gone down dramatically, he's hardly pineconing at all. He still eats like a pig but is not quite as active as usual. I'm filling his tank back up to 3 gallons, and turning the filter back on. BB has died off, so I'm borrowing some media from another tank.
 
Update! It's been over a week and he's still alive! His swelling has gone down dramatically, he's hardly pineconing at all. He still eats like a pig but is not quite as active as usual. I'm filling his tank back up to 3 gallons, and turning the filter back on. BB has died off, so I'm borrowing some media from another tank.
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Good news. Dropsy has a very high mortality rate. don't forget the marine salt.
 

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