Betta Pineconing

[kendlnewton]

Hello everyone.

My friend has a female betta that has, for almost a month, been pineconing. (Since she doesn't have an account, I'm posting for her!) This betta is fairly young (I'd estimate around a year old). For the past few weeks, she has been pineconing and blowing up in size. She looks like a balloon. At first, my friend tried epsom salt baths, and has done one occasionally in an effort to help over the past weeks, but it hasn't seemed to help at all. Her betta still interacts with her through the glass, eats normally, and has been pooping the same as usual. She's a little sluggish at times and seems to rest more frequently, but other than that, she's been acting mostly normal.

Has anyone experienced this before? Does anyone might know what's been happening? Is there any way to help her betta?

 

[ghostno]

If we could get: tank size, diet, parameters (PH, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, etc.) and tank temp, that would be greatly helpful

 

[kendlnewton]

If we could get: tank size, diet, parameters (PH, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, etc.) and tank temp, that would be greatly helpful

It's a 10 gallon, heavily planted. I believe she feeds Hikari betta pellets. Temperature stays around 78F. I can confirm no ammonia, but I am unsure as to the rest. I will ask!

 

[Cyberfish]

If we could also get a picture that would be great. It sounds like Dropsy. Is the fish swollen or overly lethargic?

 

[kendlnewton]

If we could also get a picture that would be great. It sounds like Dropsy. Is the fish swollen or overly lethargic?

That is what we were thinking, but we were skeptical since it’s been going on for almost a month now.

Anyway, I asked her for those extra parameters. pH is 7.2, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, and nitrates around 5ppm. She mentioned that her betta used to eat the Hikari biogold pellets but has recently seemed to struggle eating them, so she switched to feeding micro pellets and bug bites.

If relevant, her betta lives with neocaridina shrimp, a couple corys, and some endlers.

 

[Cyberfish]

It definitely looks like dropsy, even if it's going on for a month.

use Kanaplex or Maracyn-2 to treat it

 

[kendlnewton]

It definitely looks like dropsy, even if it's going on for a month.

use Kanaplex or Maracyn-2 to treat it

I forgot to mention that she’s already tried Kanaplex and it didn’t seem to change anything. Do you think Maracyn-2 would be different?

 

[Cyberfish]

How was the Kanaplex administered? Sometimes dusting the food in it can also be more effective. I don't know if Maracyn-2 would be more or less effective, but if it is dropsy, it'll help, and it really can't do any more harm.

Also dropsy is a symptom, not a disease. It is usually caused by some fungal or bacterial infection that Kanaplex might not be effective against but Maracyn-2 might be

 

[kendlnewton]

How was the Kanaplex administered? Sometimes dusting the food in it can also be more effective. I don't know if Maracyn-2 would be more or less effective, but if it is dropsy, it'll help, and it really can't do any more harm.

Also dropsy is a symptom, not a disease. It is usually caused by some fungal or bacterial infection that Kanaplex might not be effective against but Maracyn-2 might be

Just in the water… We could try in the food as well but our fish typically turn their noses up at it. I don’t have Maracyn-2 on hand to give her but I’ll check it out! Thanks for the help