My classroom beta started swelling up. At first I thought it was constipation so I didn't feed him for several days, then tried giving him a part of a pea. His fins are not pineconing, and the swelling is worse on one side than the other.
I have given him Maracyn 2 for 5 days (today was the 6th day) and I have been adding Epsom salts at the rate of 1/16 a gallon a day. They helped at first, but now I think the bloat is back. Today, however, was the first day I fed him normally because he looked alright this morning.
Should I try medicated flakes or Tetracylcine? His movement pattern is normal, he's acting like himself, he just has that swelling on the side. I'm hoping since it went down originally when I started the treatment that it's not a tumor.
Is he eating? If he is interested in food-- I really don't think that he's got dropsy (which is what you'd want to treat with antibiotics for, even though it is pretty much untreatable). I have had several bettas who had dropsy-- they stop swimming around and stop eating and get bloated. I have had at least 2 with tumors-- they got larger and larger-- definite tumors which made it look like they swallowed a marble (over time). One of them lived for a while, about a year, like that-- I fed him peas and pellets, to be sure he wouldn't get worse by overeating with all that swelling. The other one's tumor reduced to normal! He's still around and eats peas and pellets regularly still. So, I think you'd want to do the antibiotics only if he seems ill- not interested in much. The epsom will help relieve the swelling-- I've only used up to 1/4 or so teaspoon in about 10 gallons. So, an epsom bath I think would be dramatic and I don't believe it would help. I think it would be harmful to do so much.
Try feeding him baby food peas on a toothpick. That may help, or may keep him 'regular' and thus more comfortable.
Let me know if you have any other ??s or concerns, aimee
On 2/05/07, May wrote: > Aimee- > > Sushi's bloat is getting worse. I left him for a week with another > teacher and now that I'm back it's terrible. > > Are there any antibiotics I can use with epsom salt? It still seems > to be the only thing that works but it's not working as quickly as > it used to. > > Also, should I try an epsom salt bath? What are the directions for that? > > Thank you, > May
Sushi loves to eat peas, but they're still not helping. He'll eat them and get bigger but he still hasn't used the bathroom....
Do you know anything about daphnia? I've read that it relieves constipation, but what kind should I use? I have to admit I'm a bit creeped out about feeding him live food.
-May
On 2/05/07, Aimee wrote: > Hi May, > > Is he eating? If he is interested in food-- I really don't think that he's got dropsy (which is > what you'd want to treat with antibiotics for, even though it is pretty much untreatable). I > have had several bettas who had dropsy-- they stop swimming around and stop eating > and get bloated. I have had at least 2 with tumors-- they got larger and larger-- definite > tumors which made it look like they swallowed a marble (over time). One of them lived for > a while, about a year, like that-- I fed him peas and pellets, to be sure he wouldn't get > worse by overeating with all that swelling. The other one's tumor reduced to normal! He's > still around and eats peas and pellets regularly still. So, I think you'd want to do the > antibiotics only if he seems ill- not interested in much. The epsom will help relieve the > swelling-- I've only used up to 1/4 or so teaspoon in about 10 gallons. So, an epsom bath > I think would be dramatic and I don't believe it would help. I think it would be harmful to > do so much. > > Try feeding him baby food peas on a toothpick. That may help, or may keep him 'regular' > and thus more comfortable. > > Let me know if you have any other ??s or concerns, > aimee > > On 2/05/07, May wrote: >> Aimee- >> >> Sushi's bloat is getting worse. I left him for a week with another >> teacher and now that I'm back it's terrible. >> >> Are there any antibiotics I can use with epsom salt? It still seems >> to be the only thing that works but it's not working as quickly as >> it used to. >> >> Also, should I try an epsom salt bath? What are the directions for that? >> >> Thank you, >> May
I don't know about daphnia. I wouldn't do the live food thing either-- could introduce parasites, maybe? Try feeding only peas for a few days. It's not a great source of nutrition for the little carnivore, but may relieve the constipation. keep me posted! I hate to use epsom for too long, too. Maybe just don't add any salt after a water change. aimee
On 2/06/07, May wrote: > Sushi loves to eat peas, but they're still not helping. He'll eat them > and get bigger but he still hasn't used the bathroom.... > > Do you know anything about daphnia? I've read that it relieves > constipation, but what kind should I use? I have to admit I'm a bit > creeped out about feeding him live food. > > -May > > > On 2/05/07, Aimee wrote: >> Hi May, >> >> Is he eating? If he is interested in food-- I really don't think that > he's got dropsy (which is >> what you'd want to treat with antibiotics for, even though it is > pretty much untreatable). I >> have had several bettas who had dropsy-- they stop swimming around and > stop eating >> and get bloated. I have had at least 2 with tumors-- they got larger > and larger-- definite >> tumors which made it look like they swallowed a marble (over time). > One of them lived for >> a while, about a year, like that-- I fed him peas and pellets, to be > sure he wouldn't get >> worse by overeating with all that swelling. The other one's tumor > reduced to normal! He's >> still around and eats peas and pellets regularly still. So, I think > you'd want to do the >> antibiotics only if he seems ill- not interested in much. The epsom > will help relieve the >> swelling-- I've only used up to 1/4 or so teaspoon in about 10 > gallons. So, an epsom bath >> I think would be dramatic and I don't believe it would help. I think > it would be harmful to >> do so much. >> >> Try feeding him baby food peas on a toothpick. That may help, or may > keep him 'regular' >> and thus more comfortable. >> >> Let me know if you have any other ??s or concerns, >> aimee >> >> On 2/05/07, May wrote: >>> Aimee- >>> >>> Sushi's bloat is getting worse. I left him for a week with another >>> teacher and now that I'm back it's terrible. >>> >>> Are there any antibiotics I can use with epsom salt? It still seems >>> to be the only thing that works but it's not working as quickly as >>> it used to. >>> >>> Also, should I try an epsom salt bath? What are the directions for that? >>> >>> Thank you, >>> May
Sushi seems to have leveled out, but he *still* has not used the bathroom. I found some freeze dried daphnia and tried that with the pea- nothing. I don't think that the epsom salts are really helping either, I stopped using them and he swells up and goes back down on his own.
I discovered that I had used too low a dosage of the Maracyn 2 when I tried it last. I'm thinking of trying again with it and Maracyn simultaneously.
I'm so frustrated by this. He still generally acts like his normal self, too. He has been less active lately but I think that's more to do with my not feeding him his usual food.
Could a tumor swell up this quickly?
So frustrated.
-May
On 2/08/07, Aimee wrote: > I don't know about daphnia. I wouldn't do the live food thing either-- could introduce > parasites, maybe? Try feeding only peas for a few days. It's not a great source of nutrition for > the little carnivore, but may relieve the constipation. > keep me posted! I hate to use epsom for too long, too. Maybe just don't add any salt after a > water change. > aimee > > On 2/06/07, May wrote: >> Sushi loves to eat peas, but they're still not helping. He'll eat them >> and get bigger but he still hasn't used the bathroom.... >> >> Do you know anything about daphnia? I've read that it relieves >> constipation, but what kind should I use? I have to admit I'm a bit >> creeped out about feeding him live food. >> >> -May >> >> >> On 2/05/07, Aimee wrote: >>> Hi May, >>> >>> Is he eating? If he is interested in food-- I really don't think that >> he's got dropsy (which is >>> what you'd want to treat with antibiotics for, even though it is >> pretty much untreatable). I >>> have had several bettas who had dropsy-- they stop swimming around and >> stop eating >>> and get bloated. I have had at least 2 with tumors-- they got larger >> and larger-- definite >>> tumors which made it look like they swallowed a marble (over time). >> One of them lived for >>> a while, about a year, like that-- I fed him peas and pellets, to be >> sure he wouldn't get >>> worse by overeating with all that swelling. The other one's tumor >> reduced to normal! He's >>> still around and eats peas and pellets regularly still. So, I think >> you'd want to do the >>> antibiotics only if he seems ill- not interested in much. The epsom >> will help relieve the >>> swelling-- I've only used up to 1/4 or so teaspoon in about 10 >> gallons. So, an epsom bath >>> I think would be dramatic and I don't believe it would help. I think >> it would be harmful to >>> do so much. >>> >>> Try feeding him baby food peas on a toothpick. That may help, or may >> keep him 'regular' >>> and thus more comfortable. >>> >>> Let me know if you have any other ??s or concerns, >>> aimee >>> >>> On 2/05/07, May wrote: >>>> Aimee- >>>> >>>> Sushi's bloat is getting worse. I left him for a week with another >>>> teacher and now that I'm back it's terrible. >>>> >>>> Are there any antibiotics I can use with epsom salt? It still seems >>>> to be the only thing that works but it's not working as quickly as >>>> it used to. >>>> >>>> Also, should I try an epsom salt bath? What are the directions for that? >>>> >>>> Thank you, >>>> May
Aimee-
Sushi's bloat is getting worse. I left him for a week with another
teacher and now that I'm back it's terrible.
Are there any antibiotics I can use with epsom salt? It still seems
to be the only thing that works but it's not working as quickly as
it used to.
Also, should I try an ...See More