Sbd Despite Bowl Movement, Betta Week 4

Hello fish friends,

I am still fairly new to fish keeping and have no experience with sick bettas. My betta SkinnyPete is in a 10 gallon, filtered, heated, not cycled, planted (Anubias & Banana plant) aquarium. I raised the temperature from 78° to 80° when I noticed his issues. I took the decoration out to make it easier for me to see poop. He didn’t eat for more than two weeks. Then started eating again. I’m feeding him 2-3 omega one betta pellets daily. He had bowel movement on Tuesday. But still no improvement with his SBD. He has Almond leaves in his tank and I started doing daily 30% water changes since a week now. I don’t know what to do anymore. I’d love to start him on some medicine but I have no experience with it. (In fact I think I killed my first betta with using Bettafix wrong ).

Am I just inpatient or should I move on to medicine? If medicine which one?
I have API aquarium salt, API Bettafix and Indian Almond Leaves at the house. But don’t really know what to use when...

Any help is appreciated!

 

When did this start and when did you buy him? Is he perhaps a double tailed betta?

He looks pretty good other than floating on his side and he is eating so he must not be feeling too bad. I can't say for sure what to do but perhaps try a few epsom salt baths for a few days. Epsom salt can reduce swelling by drawing out fluid. If he is having problems due to fluid build up then it may help. Other than that I'd try treating for an infection of the swim bladder, so some antibiotics. Kanaplex may work in this case but I can't say for sure.

 

It started around 4-5 weeks ago. I bought him in November 2017. Since then his fins grew quite a bit so I’m assuming he was quite young. And yes he is a double tailed betta. I read they can be more prone to SBD.
I already ordered some Epsom salt on Monday so I hope it’s coming in the mail today!

 

I suggest lowering the tank water so he could reach the surface easier and fasting him for three days then proceed to feed a deshelled pea afterwards use Epsom salt. The queen of salt can advise how much Gypsy13 (I believe it's a teaspoon to a gallon but don't quote me)

 

I’m going down in history as the queen of salt.

Ok. Questions. Not cycled. Do you know your parameters especially nitrites?
What to start with. Iverg1 is on the ball. Fast for a few days. Then feed green pea or live or frozen daphnia. If after 24 hours of fasting there’s no improvement or a worsening of the SBD, dissolve 1 tablespoon plain epsom salt into a gallon of water. Make sure the temps match, then give him 3-4 ten minute baths a day. If he’s not pooing after 3 days or looks worse, jump in and let us know. Think positive. Sounds beautiful.

 

Thank you for the replies! Since he is floating on the surface 24/7 lowering the water level wouldn’t really help him so I want to keep the water level. I’m trying to stress him as little as possible. If he sinks to the ground I’ll definiteky lower the water level! He does have bowl movement. He had a pretty big one on Tuesday and a small one today (Thursday). So I don’t think it’s constipation.
The Epsom salt should come in the mail tomorrow. I hope it helps him.
The parameters are all at 0. I regularly test the water and didn’t have a spike indicating a starting cycle. I had an apple snail that suddenly died about 2 weeks before his symptoms started but I can’t think of a link between both events.

 

Thank you for the replies! Since he is floating on the surface 24/7 lowering the water level wouldn’t really help him so I want to keep the water level. I’m trying to stress him as little as possible. If he sinks to the ground I’ll definiteky lower the water level! He does have bowl movement. He had a pretty big one on Tuesday and a small one today (Thursday). So I don’t think it’s constipation.
The Epsom salt should come in the mail tomorrow. I hope it helps him.
The parameters are all at 0. I regularly test the water and didn’t have a spike indicating a starting cycle. I had an apple snail that suddenly died about 2 weeks before his symptoms started but I can’t think of a link between both events.

If he has any part of his body constantly out of the water, make sure to keep it wet. Because of his labyrinth organ, I can’t recommend Vaseline. You can however just continually dribble tank water on the exposed area.
As for a link between the death of the mystery snail, it depends on why the snail died and how long it was in the tank dead. I know that still won’t prove a link. It may help rule it out though.

 

Luckily he still moves around and positions himself in an upright position between leaves so he’s always covered with water but I will keep a close eye on him!
I have no idea why the snail died but it wasn’t in the tank dead for longer than 9 hours. It was fine but less active when I went to bed and passed by the time I woke up. I did a water change right after.