Need advice, possible dropsy?

About a week ago I noticed my betta, Florence, had a lump on his right side. In the days prior he was very slim and active. On the day of finding it I noticed he was still normal, his appetite hadn't changed, he was swimming actively and his normal responsive self. A couple days passed and the lump became larger. I then noticed his tank had white flakes all over so I decided to clean his tank fully.

As I cleaned his tank I found that these white flakes were paint chips coming from the small cup I had re-purposed, the paint was randomly now chipping. So I threw it away.

After putting him in his tank I began researching what the lump could be and initially I thought it was swim bladder disease—right before finding the lump I had been feeding him a bit more than usual. His normal diet was 2 balls in the morning and 2 balls at night and the occasional fasting. But as he began showing more interest in playing with me I would give an extra pellet or two as a reward for his efforts.

It has been 3 days since then and his bump went down and rose once again, now bigger than before making the scales stand on his sides a little. He now has a harder time swimmimg, keeping his balance, and when he gets to the top of the water to get some air he swims, then floats right to the bottom even while still trying to swim. After getting to the bottom or using the cot I made to keep him closer to the top he leans to his right, sometimes left, and lays there looking exhausted. Both sides are bloated but the lump is more prominent on his right. He still wants to eat but I tried the 2 day fast then giving him some pea. It takes him a minute to get it but he eats.

So today I got a new tank (his original was 2.5g) this new tank is 10g. New rocks, new filter, air stone/pump. I also decided since there hadn't been change with the fasting and pea, I would do a epsom salt bath. I did 1/4 tbsp:1/4 gallon of water, and a 1/4 tsp:1/4 gallon of water as a recovery bath. In the 1/4 tbsp salt bath he passed out a little, swam but wouldn't move so I slightly pushed him up, he got air and repeated, so I took him out after 45 seconds and put him in the recovery bath, he swam more easily but still wouldn't move and laid there slightly gasping, so I would touch him with the net and he would wiggle his fins letting me know he was okay. After 15-20 minutes I took him out and put him in a half gallon of fresh water with a little of his tank water and some drops of Tetra Aqua Safe water conditioner. He's been in there since, I decided not to put him in the old tank and put him in his new tank but its still filtering. But he is looking more active, the swelling and lump look about the same, it did go down for a few minutes but looks the same again. He doesn't look so in shock anymore so I was thinking to give another bath tomorrow.

He's now in the container he came in with the water he's been in, inside of the new tank acclamating to the warmth (79°F) this made him more active in the last couple hours but he still isn't his normal self. I plan on putting him in his tank tomorrow.

I can't decide if its dropsy because his scales aren't standing up, but they kind of are where he's at his widest. Then again he's hungry so I don't think it could be swim bladder disease, but he hasn't pooped since being quarantined and having some pea. I don't know what to feed him, I don't want him to starve but I don't want to potentially make him worse.

EXTRA INFO:

-I have had him for almost a year

-I have been lazy with cleaning a lot of the time. This last time it had been over a month since his last cleaning, but it wasn't the longest the tank had gone without a change, sadly.

-The filter wasn't used a lot because it created too much force into the tank and he had a hard time swimmimg.

-Prior to sickness I did start using the filter more.

-His heater ranges from 75-79, I can't set it, its automatic to the water.

-Practically his whole time being here has been spent in the kitchen area, in the beginning on a counter away from the stove and cooking area, and later beside the stove (about 4 1/2 months as we moved to a new place) his new tank will be out of the kitchen entirely.

-His last poop was a huge clump on Sunday 7/26/20

-His food is Tetra BettaMin small pellets

 

Don't want to be a downer but my betta didn't make it when he got dropsy, but hopefully you'll have better luck

 

I'm not an expert on disease but it does look like dropsy. I would pick up an antibiotic from a fish store but it might be to late.

 

It does look like your little guy has dropsy. Dropsy is just a symptom of more serious underlying issues. For now, I am rather concerned about the water quality. Most diseases are caused by issues with the water quality.
You said you don't know about the Nitrogen Cycle.

Here is what I would do. First, put him in the new 10 Gallon. The tank is still cycling. I urge you to look up the nitrogen cycle and learn about it. It will help keep your fish safe. To break it down in short, your fish produces ammonia which is toxic for fish. Over time bacteria will start to eat the ammonia but produce nitrite, which is also toxic to your fish. Then over even more time another kind of bacteria will develop and eat the nitrite, producing nitrate. Nitrate is far less harmful, but building up over longer periods of time can still be bad. Nitrate gets removed by doing water changes.
What you will be doing once you put your little guy in the new tank is called a fishless cycle. (Edit: I meant fish-in cycle). You can look up detailed instructions. Basically you will have to do frequent water changes to keep your fish from getting poisoned by his own poop and pee until your beneficial bacteria develop enough to produce nitrate. Do you have a test kit? Highly recommend checking his water parameters using the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. It is a liquid test and much more accurate than strips. I know if is a little more expensive than the test strip but will last you for a very very long time. Most of this beneficial bacteria lives in your filter, some in the substrate and very few in the water itself. So you will want to use a filter. I highly recommend not using cartridges or if using cartridges, remove the carbon from it and use the cartridge until if falls apart. Do not replace it - otherwise you will lose all the bacteria that you worked so hard to establish.

Back to Florence. Dropsy is really hard to cure. I have never had a fish bounce back from it even when I treated them with antibiotics - for dropsy: Kanaplex.
From the symptoms you are describing he seems to have issues with his swim bladder, too. A lot of swim bladder issues are caused by bacterial infections and due to poor water quality.
The epsom salt baths can help with the fluid build up inside him. But I think you will have to treat the infection he seems to have with Kanaplex. Stick to the medication instructions to the T. Kanaplex is very hard on the fish.

I wish you and Florence all the best!

 

To add to what RunsOnCoffee said,
I wouldn't bother with peas. They don't really work. Brine shrimp apparently works a lot better.
From what you said, he seems to get really stressed out from the salt baths. Maybe don't leave him in there so long? Maybe 10 minutes.
Keep the water really clean with 25% water changes every 3 days.

 

Hi welcome to FishLore!
I'm so sorry your betta is ill.

Looking at the picture it does sadly look like dropsy. I'd agree with trying Kanaplex if you've tried other things but that can be a harsh medication on fish and I'm pretty sure it will mess with your cycle.

To add to what RunsOnCoffee said,
I wouldn't bother with peas. They don't really work. Brine shrimp apparently works a lot better.

Respectfully disagreeing with bit of pea possibly helping if a betta is constipated. It adds a bit of fiber in hopes of loosening things up.
Did you mean daphnia instead of brine shrimp?

 

Respectfully disagreeing with bit of pea possibly helping if a beta is constipated. It adds a bit of fiber in hopes of loosening things up.
Did you mean daphnia instead of brine shrimp?

Shucks, I did mean daphnia. Thanks for the correction.

 

Thank you all SO much. This morning Florence is still bloated, but hes very happy and active when I sit with him. He did have a couple poops during the night, one was red on the tip and very pale pink—it was a wad, not stringy. The second was pale pink and a wad again.

My next question would be, until I go to get him Daphnia can I continue feeding him peas? He liked it and if it'd be better than his pellets, I would rather continue that diet.

I will pick up the test kit this weekend, as my check won't come until the weekend. I also have Kanaplex ordered to come next Thursday, I hope he will fight with me until then. I have high hopes for him, it breaks my heart to see him like this, especially since he has such a personality, more than other bettas I have had.

Overall this is a great learning lesson for me. I will never be lazy with my fish care again, I am learning so much and I appreciate you all taking your time to advise me. It made me feel so much better, I felt so terrible knowing I am a catalyst for his illness, but I understand now that it could have been much worse and sadder to find him already gone and not be able to learn why or what I did wrong. So thank you!!! I will be sure to update, hopefully with good news of his recovery.

 

Hi welcome to FishLore!
I'm so sorry your betta is ill.

Looking at the picture it does sadly look like dropsy. I'd agree with trying Kanaplex if you've tried other things but that can be a harsh medication on fish and I'm pretty sure it will mess with your cycle.



Respectfully disagreeing with bit of pea possibly helping if a betta is constipated. It adds a bit of fiber in hopes of loosening things up.
Did you mean daphnia instead of brine shrimp?

Thank you so much! I will be getting the correct food and treatment for my little baby.

 

It does look like your little guy has dropsy. Dropsy is just a symptom of more serious underlying issues. For now, I am rather concerned about the water quality. Most diseases are caused by issues with the water quality.
You said you don't know about the Nitrogen Cycle.

Here is what I would do. First, put him in the new 10 Gallon. The tank is still cycling. I urge you to look up the nitrogen cycle and learn about it. It will help keep your fish safe. To break it down in short, your fish produces ammonia which is toxic for fish. Over time bacteria will start to eat the ammonia but produce nitrite, which is also toxic to your fish. Then over even more time another kind of bacteria will develop and eat the nitrite, producing nitrate. Nitrate is far less harmful, but building up over longer periods of time can still be bad. Nitrate gets removed by doing water changes.
What you will be doing once you put your little guy in the new tank is called a fishless cycle. (Edit: I meant fish-in cycle). You can look up detailed instructions. Basically you will have to do frequent water changes to keep your fish from getting poisoned by his own poop and pee until your beneficial bacteria develop enough to produce nitrate. Do you have a test kit? Highly recommend checking his water parameters using the API Freshwater Master Test Kit. It is a liquid test and much more accurate than strips. I know if is a little more expensive than the test strip but will last you for a very very long time. Most of this beneficial bacteria lives in your filter, some in the substrate and very few in the water itself. So you will want to use a filter. I highly recommend not using cartridges or if using cartridges, remove the carbon from it and use the cartridge until if falls apart. Do not replace it - otherwise you will lose all the bacteria that you worked so hard to establish.

Back to Florence. Dropsy is really hard to cure. I have never had a fish bounce back from it even when I treated them with antibiotics - for dropsy: Kanaplex.
From the symptoms you are describing he seems to have issues with his swim bladder, too. A lot of swim bladder issues are caused by bacterial infections and due to poor water quality.
The epsom salt baths can help with the fluid build up inside him. But I think you will have to treat the infection he seems to have with Kanaplex. Stick to the medication instructions to the T. Kanaplex is very hard on the fish.

I wish you and Florence all the best!

Thank you!!!! This was so helpful, I don't have the kit but I am getting it all here in the next couple days!! How do I take the carbon out of my cartridge? I have a corner filter the cartridge is a CN 10/20 by TopFin. It funny you mention to learn about the Nitrogen Cycle, shortly after posting this I began reading about it. So thank you for taking the time to explain in the case that I didn't. It means so much and I appreciate you.

 

Thank you all SO much. This morning Florence is still bloated, but hes very happy and active when I sit with him. He did have a couple poops during the night, one was red on the tip and very pale pink—it was a wad, not stringy. The second was pale pink and a wad again.

My next question would be, until I go to get him Daphnia can I continue feeding him peas? He liked it and if it'd be better than his pellets, I would rather continue that diet.

I will pick up the test kit this weekend, as my check won't come until the weekend. I also have Kanaplex ordered to come next Thursday, I hope he will fight with me until then. I have high hopes for him, it breaks my heart to see him like this, especially since he has such a personality, more than other bettas I have had.

Overall this is a great learning lesson for me. I will never be lazy with my fish care again, I am learning so much and I appreciate you all taking your time to advise me. It made me feel so much better, I felt so terrible knowing I am a catalyst for his illness, but I understand now that it could have been much worse and sadder to find him already gone and not be able to learn why or what I did wrong. So thank you!!! I will be sure to update, hopefully with good news of his recovery. View attachment 719191

Yes, you can continue the peas.
I hope he gets better soon.