# Betta in desperate need of help



## cajunmomof4 (Mar 1, 2008)

Hi I am posting this for a friend, she has posted this in a few other places and still hasn't gotten an answer. She has treated with antibiotics and antifungal meds. she says the betta acts normally, and doesn't seem to be bothered by this, but she is not able to get him better Any suggestions?


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## Melora (Apr 6, 2007)

:/ That sucks. Add a little bit of aquarium salt, I've never had fish Meds work- ever. I think they must have been misused so often, for so long, that practically everything has become resistant to them. I hear Bettas aren't the most salt tolerant fish, so I wouldn't do more than a teaspoon per gallon to start, but it's worked wonders on mine. If you don't see an improvement in a few days you could probably go a little higher than that, I did when I got one with dropsy, and it was fine. I had a goldfish with a fungal infection on a wound and the salt worked wonders on that too. And another Betta that must have poked the side of his face on something and, since he always sat behind a plant, I didn't see him until it was swollen and he was unable to eat. Once again, salt worked, but I didn't have to use much, maybe 2 teaspoons in 3 gallons. It was practically cleared in a week.

I'll be hoping for the best, it's great if he's still eating. That means there's always hope


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

Err, the lump kinda looks like a tumor, but the head looks infected. It's def out of my league, I'd recommend PMing Bettababy to see if she can check it out. Also, the water parameters, etc, would be very helpful.


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## cajunmomof4 (Mar 1, 2008)

Thanks I pted Bettababy


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Hi everyone, I'm here now.... but I'm going to need more information if I'm going to be of any help here.
Water params for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH
Names of specific meds already tried unsuccessfully, and how long each one was used, and also how long between them
How big of a tank is this fish in?
You mentioned it has been like this for 3 months? Has the condition changed at all during that time? How did it start/what were the first symptoms?
What kind of foods is he eating? How much and how often?
Is there a heater in his tank? Water temp?
Other fish in his tank?
How long has your friend had this fish? (since purchase date)

The more information you can provide me about this fish and his circumstances, from beginning of this problem til present, the faster I will be able to help.


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## cajunmomof4 (Mar 1, 2008)

Thank you betta baby I am gonna get her here and let her answer your questions


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## Ilovebettas (May 10, 2008)

bettababy said:


> Hi everyone, I'm here now.... but I'm going to need more information if I'm going to be of any help here.
> Water params for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH
> Names of specific meds already tried unsuccessfully, and how long each one was used, and also how long between them
> How big of a tank is this fish in?
> ...


Hi everyone! I'm the owner of the betta and my name is Olivia, and I want to thank my friend for helping me out and starting the posts for my betta! Thank you!!!

Here is some info on my betta. I've tried Maracyn 1 and 2 and Jungle brand Fungus clear. Maracyn was used for about 1 1/2-2 weeks separately and than two weeks later used togethr for about 1 1/2 weeks. The Fungus clear was used for about 1 week.

When I used the Fungus clear it seemed to have gotten ever so slightly better and then it came back even more.

My fish is in just slightly smaller than 1 gallon.

I got my fish in July last year and about 3, maybe 5 months ago got this bump. It started like this....










And 3 weeks ago got to this...









And it is like this right now...









Lately seems to have been resting on the bottom alot, and it seems like that when he does swim, he is really heavy.

He eats about 6-7 baby sized pellets of Hikari Betta Bio-Gold per day, with a 24 hour fast every 7 days. I break his fast with shelled peas.

He doesn't have a heater and there are no other fish with him. Although his bowl is sitting next to 2 other betta fish's bowls.

Three days ago also the whole end/tip of his tail was torn and just hanging on him, and completely covered with very fuzzy thick cotton stuff. It fell off 1 day later though and I've no more problem there. I don't know why it was just torn though, I have nothing in his bowl but a silk flower and some stones.

I will check the water tempereature and for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH. And let you know soon. 

Thank you!


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Olivia,
That is a very serious bacterial and fungal infection going on with your betta.
Maracyn meds are not going to be potent enough to handle something that extreme, and the Fungus Clear isn't going to take care of it alone.

I am going to strongly urge you to use Fungus Eliminator in combination with Methylene blue. Fungus Eliminator has salt content in it, but I have not yet figured out the proper dose to use aquarium salt with Fungus Clear to produce the same beneficial effects. Fungus Eliminator and Methylene blue both will work on both problems (bacterial and fungal) and they are potent enough that if used together, they should do the trick.

The treatment method, since your fish is in a bowl, will also be very specific. You are going to need a bucket, and you will need to know exactly how many gallons of water the bucket holds (or how many you put into the bucket). A good method for this is to use a 1 gallon empty water jug/conatiner, so you can count the number of gallons going into the bucket as you add them. If you can swing a 5 - 6 gallon bucket, it will be easier to dose the medications properly. 
Fungus eliminator is dosed 1 tsp for every 5 gallons of water. Methylene blue is 1 drop per gallon. Mix the medications together in the bucket of water, stir real good with a net, then let stand for 10 minutes. Mix once more to make sure that all of the medications are completely dissolved and mixed into the water. The color of the medicated water should be a dark aqua/blue.
Once mixed into the bucket, that water is good for 2 changes and then must be remixed, but this is the most accurate way to dose it and this is the most effective way to treat an infection like this.
Do a 100% water change in your betta bowl, using the medicated water. Do the 100% changes with medicated water daily for 10 days. 
Temp is going to be very important, so keeping your betta warm (80 - 82 degrees is best) and keeping the temp as stable as possible is going to help a lot when it comes to your fish's ability to fight this infection. With colder water the fish's immune system will weaken, and even with the medications, it will be that much harder for him to recover.

If you can add live or frozen brine shrimp to your fish's diet, this will help give his immune system a little boost, also. Please be sure to strain the brine, especially if it's live. Brine is raised in saltwater, and that extra salt would be just more than your fish could handle. Frozen brine should be completely thawed in a cup of tank/bowl water for a good 10 - 15 minutes before giving to your fish, and as close to tank temp as possible. Doing this in the medicated water won't harm anything.

I wish you and your fish the best of luck, though it it difficult to say what caused the problem in the first place. When you list your other information, we can then sort through it and maybe find possible causes, so you can better avoid them in the future.

If keeping bettas I always suggest Fungus Eliminator and Methylene blue be on your shelf at all times. Anytime something doesn't seem right with a betta, go ahead and put it on that same treatment schedule. If there turns out to not be a problem, these meds will not harm your fish. This combination of meds will take care of most betta illnesses and also will help to avoid secondary infections anytime there is an injury.

Again, best of luck!


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## Ilovebettas (May 10, 2008)

Are these the two I need?


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## Ilovebettas (May 10, 2008)

These two, they didn't come up the first time.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4815

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4822


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Yes, those are the two!


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## Ilovebettas (May 10, 2008)

If I purchasse these two medicines, will he stand a pretty good chance of getting better or healing? Because it will cost me $25 to get the medicine and I'm only 16, so I don't really have a lot of money. I am ordering it, I just would like to know what his chances are. He has been resting on the bottom a lot lately. But he still has an appitite, and attacked his peas yesterday.


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## Ilovebettas (May 10, 2008)

I lost him........  I miss him so much, he just passed on last night. I loved that fish so much. He was the most friendly betta fish I've ever seen. I love and miss him so much, I love you Seaweed.   

I also want to thank you all for your help. Thank you ALL SO SO much!


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