Opinions on Salt Baths?

Hi, I just gave my betta his salt bath (this is day 2, he has fin rot and popeye) and after I put him back in the tank he was lying at the bottom motionless. My face turned pale thinking I killed him, but when I put the net down he thankfully swam away, but then lied down again. He's just sitting there at the bottom. He was swimming before I did the salt bath. Do you think the salt bath was too much for him? What has your experience been with salt baths? Thanks!

 

No thank you, I've honestly had a rough couple weeks so this whole thread was so wholesome for me to read. I've been kinda hard on myself because I lost 10/14 of my CPDs, the last 4 are barely holding on. It all happened so fast, they weren't acting sick even. Then all of a sudden 10 died within 5 days, somehow they all got the fast strain of columnaris. It sucks. But reading this makes me remember I'm not alone, so yea thanks for starting this

I'm glad your boy is holding on still! If you think he has a shot with the right medication and you're in the US, aquatronics makes really high quality meds that have saved my fish many times. I know they make one for Popeye, I haven't tried it myself but it is probably the best shot you'd have save going to a vet. I know it comes with two little vials and you drop them both right on the eye, so I imagine it's much stronger than something just mixed in the water.

Oh my goodness, I am so sorry that's horrible! That's so rough to go through that! I can't imagine! Hope you are feeling better! Sending hugs!

Oh my goodness. This is the answer I have been looking for. None of the medications I have been using have been working, but this may be my answer. I never knew about this. Thank you so, so much for telling me this, I am eternally grateful!

 

Hi everyone. Thank you for your support when I was going through this difficult time.

Flat Pat has dropsy. People are suggesting I euthanize him, but I don't think I can bring myself to do it. On top of it, my family doesn't believe in euthanizing fish.

I'm crying right now. This is all my fault. I feel so guilty.

 

Big hugs you are trying your best. I feel for you right now.

 

Hi everyone. Thank you for your support when I was going through this difficult time.

Flat Pat has dropsy. People are suggesting I euthanize him, but I don't think I can bring myself to do it. On top of it, my family doesn't believe in euthanizing fish.

I'm crying right now. This is all my fault. I feel so guilty.

You are not to blame at all. That is one of the hardest things to go though as a fish keeper. When you care for your fish deeply and see them suffering, it is really hard to not blame oneself for something like that. However, that just shows how much you care more about your fish than over 90 percent of people. Many people see fish as replaceable decorations fit for a vase or bowl, but you treat your fish like a human being. Don't blame yourself, we are all here for you and Flat Pat.

 

Hi everyone. Thank you for your support when I was going through this difficult time.

Flat Pat has dropsy. People are suggesting I euthanize him, but I don't think I can bring myself to do it. On top of it, my family doesn't believe in euthanizing fish.

I'm crying right now. This is all my fault. I feel so guilty.

oh no I am sorry... best of luck! and know he does have a chance people have cured it before! i do know there is a needle method where you remove the build up fluid it seems to work pretty well but i have never tried it myself (I am not good at that kind of stuff it scares me lol)
good luck to you and flat pat

 

Hi everyone. Thank you for your support when I was going through this difficult time.

Flat Pat has dropsy. People are suggesting I euthanize him, but I don't think I can bring myself to do it. On top of it, my family doesn't believe in euthanizing fish.

I'm crying right now. This is all my fault. I feel so guilty.

im am so sorry your feeling this way. I can't really remember, are you medicating flat pat? I know how much he impacts your emotional state, so I don't want you to do anything you don't want to.

 

Hi everyone. Thank you for your support when I was going through this difficult time.

Flat Pat has dropsy. People are suggesting I euthanize him, but I don't think I can bring myself to do it. On top of it, my family doesn't believe in euthanizing fish.

I'm crying right now. This is all my fault. I feel so guilty.

There is a way to fix dropsy. Start with epsom salt baths to help leach some fluid out.( this is a temporary reliever for the fish and will nit cure it.) lower water level to 2.5 inches. Use some Tetra Lifeguard tablets to also help. Go to the drug store and buy the smallest gauge hypodermic needle and print out a betta anatomy chart and stab him in the gut and relieve the fluid. Please make sure you do not hit vitals but do aim for the organ cavity. Longer you wait the more he will be crushed inside out.

 

Big hugs you are trying your best. I feel for you right now.

Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate it.

You are not to blame at all. That is one of the hardest things to go though as a fish keeper. When you care for your fish deeply and see them suffering, it is really hard to not blame oneself for something like that. However, that just shows how much you care more about your fish than over 90 percent of people. Many people see fish as replaceable decorations fit for a vase or bowl, but you treat your fish like a human being. Don't blame yourself, we are all here for you and Flat Pat.

Thank you so much for your kind words, I greatly appreciate it. Thank you for being here to support Flat Pat and I, we are both grateful.

oh no I am sorry... best of luck! and know he does have a chance people have cured it before! i do know there is a needle method where you remove the build up fluid it seems to work pretty well but i have never tried it myself (I am not good at that kind of stuff it scares me lol)
good luck to you and flat pat

Thank you so much for telling me, I greatly appreciate it. That sounds difficult/scary to me too! But thank you for informing me, I really appreciate it!

im am so sorry your feeling this way. I can't really remember, are you medicating flat pat? I know how much he impacts your emotional state, so I don't want you to do anything you don't want to.

Thank you for your kind words, I greatly appreciate it. I had tried medicating him for popeye and fin rot with aquarium salt, Erythromycin, aquarium salt baths, and Kanaplex. I have other antibiotics coming in the mail by Aquatronics, but those just specifically target popeye and fin rot. I didn't know he had dropsy until someone pointed it out last night.

There is a way to fix dropsy. Start with epsom salt baths to help leach some fluid out.( this is a temporary reliever for the fish and will nit cure it.) lower water level to 2.5 inches. Use some Tetra Lifeguard tablets to also help. Go to the drug store and buy the smallest gauge hypodermic needle and print out a betta anatomy chart and stab him in the gut and relieve the fluid. Please make sure you do not hit vitals but do aim for the organ cavity. Longer you wait the more he will be crushed inside out.

Thank you for informing me, I greatly appreciate it. I don't feel like I am fit to do this and am wondering if I should euthanize him. Everyone on here thinks I should euthanize him, but my whole family doesn't think I should. So I'm caught in the middle with a decision to make. I didn't know it crushes them from the inside out... That's horrible... Again, even though I'm probably not fit to treat him for dropsy, I appreciate you telling me all the information about how to treat.

 

Thank you so much, I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you so much for your kind words, I greatly appreciate it. Thank you for being here to support Flat Pat and I, we are both grateful.

Thank you so much for telling me, I greatly appreciate it. That sounds difficult/scary to me too! But thank you for informing me, I really appreciate it!

Thank you for your kind words, I greatly appreciate it. I had tried medicating him for popeye and fin rot with aquarium salt, Erythromycin, aquarium salt baths, and Kanaplex. I have other antibiotics coming in the mail by Aquatronics, but those just specifically target popeye and fin rot. I didn't know he had dropsy until someone pointed it out last night.

Thank you for informing me, I greatly appreciate it. I don't feel like I am fit to do this and am wondering if I should euthanize him. Everyone on here thinks I should euthanize him, but my whole family doesn't think I should. So I'm caught in the middle with a decision to make. I didn't know it crushes them from the inside out... That's horrible... Again, even though I'm probably not fit to treat him for dropsy, I appreciate you telling me all the information about how to treat.

Please attach a pic of him so I can see how bad it is. Then I can see if he has a solid chance to live or not.

 

Please attach a pic of him so I can see how bad it is. Then I can see if he has a solid chance to live or not.

Okay, thank you:

 

Thank you for your kind words, I greatly appreciate it. I had tried medicating him for popeye and fin rot with aquarium salt, Erythromycin, aquarium salt baths, and Kanaplex. I have other antibiotics coming in the mail by Aquatronics, but those just specifically target popeye and fin rot. I didn't know he had dropsy until someone pointed it out last night.

oh, that's great. I don't have any advice but to use some api stress coat if your not already, I swear its saved some of my fishes lives. because when their immune system gives up, its very dangerous. here is a video, hopefully it helps?

unless he is a family fish, I think that it should be your decision if you want to put him to sleep.

 

Hey everyone. I'll just figure this out. Thanks for the support.

 

I'm in tears right now. Today, day 2 of my betta's salt bath, did not go well. He did not tolerate it well. When he went back into the tank, he sank to the bottom motionless. My face turned pale thinking I killed him. When I touched him with the net, he thankfully swam away, but sank to the bottom again. People I talked to say they think he was stressed since he was so ill. I'm in tears. I can't handle the guilt if I killed him. I think he's going to pass. I killed him. I killed my fish. I'm going to wait 24 hours before I confirm if he has died just to see if he's just resting right now. I can't handle this if I killed my fish. I can't handle this.

how is he doing today?

 

how is he doing today?

Hi, thank you for checking in, it means so much to Flat Pat and I!

I was gone for 3 days which was the WORST timing. I had my older sister petsit and change his water since the parameters have been messed up which is not helping the cause. She told me on the phone she thought he was dead and I came home and touched him with the net and at first he didn’t move (which was scary) but then he swam off super fast. I also noticed the heater had been unplugged and his temperature dropped like 10 degrees and I was panicking and surprised it hadn’t killed him. I don’t know if my sister accidentally did this during the water change? Either way, it got unplugged and he somehow survived. (This poor fish has been through so much).

His pineconing hasn’t gotten worse, which is good. But he’s still lethargic and not eating. I ordered him some wonder shells before I left for treatment regiment for dropsy that I plan to follow. The problem is the wonder shells take 1-9 days to come! I hope he can wait that long...

Again, thank you so much for checking in! It means so much to me!

 

Hi, thank you for checking in, it means so much to Flat Pat and I!

I was gone for 3 days which was the WORST timing. I had my older sister petsit and change his water since the parameters have been messed up which is not helping the cause. She told me on the phone she thought he was dead and I came home and touched him with the net and at first he didn’t move (which was scary) but then he swam off super fast. I also noticed the heater had been unplugged and his temperature dropped like 10 degrees and I was panicking and surprised it hadn’t killed him. I don’t know if my sister accidentally did this during the water change? Either way, it got unplugged and he somehow survived. (This poor fish has been through so much).

His pineconing hasn’t gotten worse, which is good. But he’s still lethargic and not eating. I ordered him some wonder shells before I left treatment regiment for dropsy that I plan to follow. The problem is the wonder shells take 1-9 days to come! I hope he can wait that long...

Again, thank you so much for checking in! It means so much to me!

well at least the dropsy is not worse! in my experience it will go from nothing to really bad in only a few days so keep doing everything you are doing right now and hopefully in will stay under control until you can get his meds. also has the mediacation for his fin rot and pop eye arrived yet?

 

well at least the dropsy is not worse! in my experience it will go from nothing to really bad in only a few days so keep doing everything you are doing right now and hopefully in will stay under control until you can get his meds. also has the mediacation for his fin rot and pop eye arrived yet?

The Furacyn has arrived for the fin rot and the Eye Fungex has also arrived for his popeye! Yay! I'm worried to take him out of the tank to add the eye drops since I don't want to stress him so much that he dies... I might start with the fin rot treatment and see how that goes.