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I bought an ill betta in hopes of helping her either recover, or live her remaining time in a comfortable peace.

She has dropsy. It doesn't appear to bad yet so if it's got even the sligtest chance to be healed I'm willing to give it a go.

She used to also have fairly cloudy eyes, but that seems to be clearing on it's own with some help from a clean enivironment, a pinch of salt, and no stressful lights or what not.

Tomorrow I'm able to buy medications for her, though on hand I have a jungle fungal Cure which says it can treat dropsy, even though I beleive dropsy is generally bacterial and pretty much leads to kidney failure.

Any thoughts, ideas and information would be appreciated =)

Though being in Australia means I don't have the ability to get most medicines I hear alot about on forums.


Edit: I've been doing some picture searching and Im hoping Im right in that it could just be the start of a bacterial infection, her scales do look raised but I can't say it's to the extent of a pinecone.

Just about any major kidney or liver infection will require true antibiotics, the contact meds wont do the job. What brands are available to you?

Buying a sick fish? You soft hearted, sweet , sweet goof. I know its not to be encouraged, but I kinda respect the knowing decision when its made. Must admit to having done it a few times myself.

I should also mention that if the dropsy is caused by a kidney infection, then giving her antibiotics can be kill or cure, its never guaranteed to save then, mainly because most antibiotics use the renal system to produce the toxins that kill bacteria. To use antibiotics or wait is always a tough call. If you think she is gonna die anyway, then you gotta do what you gotta do,I guess. Reckon survival odds on dropsy are about 1 in 10.

Good luck with her. Rootin for ya.

That is one thing I would never do as you do not know exactly what is wrong and you require many skills to detect the correct illness and treat it the correct way then hoping it will survive

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

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Keith

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I'll share this story with you because who knows, it might help somehow.

I had a betta, he started getting 'fat'.....went way past that, thought maybe he had dropsy, starting doing the pine cone thing.....

Tried all kinds of stuff, nothing worked. Thought maybe he was constipated but no, nothing.

He remained this way for about 2 months, couldnt have been dropsy or he would have long been gone.

Anyway, I was setting up a pond in my backyard so I had A BUNCH of mosquitoe larvae in there, which I was using to feed all of my fish, they loved it, how could they not....live food.

As to not make this a novel, whatever the fish had got cleared up, it is all gone, the fish somehow is back to normal. How is beyond me but he seems to be ok.

I did nothing other than feed him live mosquito food, what that could have done for him may be explained by someone that knows, not me, but it somehow cured him, if you will.

This might work, this might not but perhaps sharing the story might help you or someone else.

Her pine-coning is coming down =D Though upon getting torch batteries, I beleive she's got velvet too =(

Im not too sure though since it's mainly on her upper half... I'd inspect some more but she stresses very easily and I don't want her to get worse.

Especially around her gills and a bit onwards from there she's got a rusty golden sheen, could this in some way be natural? If not what action should I take?

Right now the meds she's on are a tiny amount of epsom salt and tetracyclene (if anyone can recommened how long and often that should be used please do)

Hi,

tetracycline is a road spectrum antibiotic and not stable in water. You will have to add fresh medication every day withh a water change of 25% in between. It is usually provided as a hydrochloride and your water should have a pH below 7.5, otherwise it will not do much good. Dosae is 1/4 teasponn per 20 gallons of water. You will have to treat for 7 to 10 days, don't stop earlier, even if symptoms do not persist.

Good luck!

She didn't make it I'm afraid, things were looking better but she passed on later that night at her favorite computer watching corner

Goodbye lil fishey

Sorry for your loss. Sometimes it doesn't matter what you do, their number is up.