Betta with cloudy eyes and slightly raised scales, help.

[lilmissalis]

Hi, my betta fish is from petco was healthy for a couple weeks today I noticed she has cloudy eyes and slightly raised scales. But she’s still eating and active. I moved her into a hospital tank with a bubbler and heater at 78degrees with aquarium salt /Melafix/betta fix and more antibiotics in the mail. Does anyone know what’s wrong with her? She doesn’t have all the symptoms of dropsy so I’m really loss.

 

[SM1199]

Melafix and bettafix are the same thing, except following the instructions on bettafix make it more diluted. They can be toxic to bettas by coating their labyrinth organ - don't use them! They also will not help with an internal issue. Aquarium salt is also only helpful for external bacterial infections, but that's not what's going on here. I wouldn't be using that either.

Fish don't need to be showing "all" the symptoms of dropsy in order to have it. Pineconing is the key symptom and also the more severe one, and she is pineconing.

What antibiotics did you order? She is in pretty rough condition and might not survive waiting for these meds. Is your hospital tank cycled? If not, what is your current water change plan to keep ammonia in check? Do you know the parameters of the tank she was in?

 

[lilmissalis]

I ordered Tetra lifegaurd, Maracyn, its cycled and I didn't check the old tank I removed her as soon as I noticed and did 100% change on it. I plan on 25% water change daily

 

[SM1199]

What's the size of the hospital tank? 25% daily is likely not going to be enough to keep ammonia in check.

I wouldn't advise dosing either of those drugs. Lifeguard is not an antibiotic and might occasionally help an external issue, but not internal. Anecdotally, Maracyn hasn't been particularly useful as an antibiotic for dropsy.

Your best bet is to pick up some Kanamycin and pure epsom salt.

 

[lilmissalis]

thank you!

 

[lilmissalis]

What's the size of the hospital tank? 25% daily is likely not going to be enough to keep ammonia in check.

I wouldn't advise dosing either of those drugs. Lifeguard is not an antibiotic and might occasionally help an external issue, but not internal. Anecdotally, Maracyn hasn't been particularly useful as an antibiotic for dropsy.

Your best bet is to pick up some Kanamycin and pure epsom salt.

you say shes in bad shape, whats the likely hood she'll recover??

 

[SM1199]

you say shes in bad shape, whats the likely hood she'll recover??

Unfortunately, quite low. Once pineconing sets in, it's unlikely to recover. Often, without immediate medication, fish end up dying. Even with medication, it's not very common for bettas to recover from dropsy.