Popeye on a betta

[connor31556]

Hi guys I have a betta fish that I got from petsmart about 4 months ago she's been fine till about a week ago when I noticed she had popeye and I separated her into a big breeding box. I had since I do not have a qt tank she started to eat quickly but it's been a week and it hasn't gotten better so I'm starting to think she's also constipated so I've done every 2 days 40% water changes this got her better (since she got the popeye) so I have 2 questions 1 can I add epson salt into the main tank to help with the popeye and 2 what should I give her to help with the constipation please reply quickly

 

[King Fisher]

If you get bloating with popeye or pineconing with popeye it's usually dropsy. Nearly impossible to cure. Dose 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt per 5 gallons of water. Wouldn't hurt to pick up some meds for dropsy like Maracyn. Just make sure to remove any carbon from the filter.

 

[connor31556]

If you get bloating with popeye or pineconing with popeye it's usually dropsy. Nearly impossible to cure. Dose 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt per 5 gallons of water. Wouldn't hurt to pick up some meds for dropsy like Maracyn. Just make sure to remove any carbon from the filter.

Ok so last night I did a epson salt dip on the betta and gave him some of a pea to eat the bath seemed to work as the bloating went down a little and I noticed he pooped today and he is nibbling at the peas but he is still not doing great and I am thinking it is safe to say he does in fact have dropsy so I am going to try to get meds for her but when I do get these meds I dont have a qt tank so can I just do medicine dips or medicine baths?

 

[King Fisher]

The dips will work. I personally will dose the whole tank with 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt per 5 gallons and run it for about 5 days. Then do a couple of large water changes. If you aren't comfortable with that then the dips for about 20 min at a time will work but I'd add a little more Epsom in the dips..... A teaspoon per gallon of water.

 

[connor31556]

The dips will work. I personally will dose the whole tank with 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt per 5 gallons and run it for about 5 days. Then do a couple of large water changes. If you aren't comfortable with that then the dips for about 20 min at a time will work but I'd add a little more Epsom in the dips..... A teaspoon per gallon of water.

I am going away for a week next week and I am really trying to avoid dosing the hole tank so I am going to have to do the dips but how often should I do the dips

 

[King Fisher]

Once or twice a day

 

[connor31556]

Once or twice a day

I'm sorry I got lost are we talking about medicine dips or epson salt dips

 

[King Fisher]

Epsom salt

 

[connor31556]

I have been doing the baths and he is still resting on the bottom of his holder and wont eat that much ut he can also move his eye again I am thinking about doing a tank epson salt 5 day bath but I only have a community tank with her 2 female swordtails one corydora and 2 shrimp will they be ok if I do the 5 day bath

 

[King Fisher]

Well I don't believe it will hurt them in the short term as long as you do a couple of large water changes afterwards.

 

[connor31556]

Well I don't believe it will hurt them in the short term as long as you do a couple of large water changes afterwards.

Well heres the situation I'm in i am leaving on sunday for a week and coming home on late Friday night like midnight and while I'm away my sister will come over and check up on and feed the fish but she has never had fish and has no experience nobody who would come over and feed them that I do does I plan on doing a water change on sunday morning before I leave at this water if I put in the salt does it sound good to you because the betta already doesnt love the salt dips and I have other fish another factor is that I have a cartridge filter so I couldn't take out the charcoal he does this sound to you I just want my thoughts doubled checked cause I really dont wanan come home to a bunch of dead fish

 

[King Fisher]

You got four days.....so I would do 50% water changes daily until you leave. During these changes do 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt per 5 gallons of water. Feed your Betta once a day up until Sunday. Keep your tank at 80 degrees. On Sunday before you leave do a 50% water change, put your Epsom salt in and feed your Betta. If your fish sitter isn't experienced I wouldn't have her feed your fish. Your fish can go 5 days without eating and will be ok in a mixture of Epsom salt. When you get back, feed your Betta and do a 50% water change....don't add Epsom salt. The next day do a very large water change.... around 80%. As of right now I would order Marycn 2 (meds) because if he isn't better by the time you get back he will require medication. I believe the dosing is 3days at a time then large water change.

 

[connor31556]

You got four days.....so I would do 50% water changes daily until you leave. During these changes do 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt per 5 gallons of water. Feed your Betta once a day up until Sunday. Keep your tank at 80 degrees. On Sunday before you leave do a 50% water change, put your Epsom salt in and feed your Betta. If your fish sitter isn't experienced I wouldn't have her feed your fish. Your fish can go 5 days without eating and will be ok in a mixture of Epsom salt. When you get back, feed your Betta and do a 50% water change....don't add Epsom salt. The next day do a very large water change.... around 80%. As of right now I would order Marycn 2 (meds) because if he isn't better by the time you get back he will require medication. I believe the dosing is 3days at a time then large water change.

Ok 1 thing I dont have a heater I can set its preset to 76 or 78 I dont know second for the food the idea was to put the food in baggies because the fish are still not full grown I will do the changes but with the salt in tank should I do the dips on the betta or not ps thank you for all the help without it she would be down the toilet already

 

[connor31556]

Ok 1 thing I dont have a heater I can set its preset to 76 or 78 I dont know second for the food the idea was to put the food in baggies because the fish are still not full grown I will do the changes but with the salt in tank should I do the dips on the betta or not ps thank you for all the help without it she would be down the toilet already

One more thing with the temperatures here in new york the tank stays around 81 unless I put the ac on and it will be off for my absence soo that's good?

 

[King Fisher]

Anywhere from 76 to 81 will be fine when you're gone. Personally, I'd dose the tank with salt. It won't hurt your fish in that short of time. Obviously you will do several water changes when you get back to remove the salt. I've dosed entire tanks for a month straight during an ich outbreak without issue. When I was first starting this hobby I would dose 1 teaspoon of salt per 5 gallons of water during every water change for years because that's what I was taught at the time. So I've personally seen fish survive for years with salt in the tank. In your case it's very short term. If your fish hasn't gotten better when you get back I'd say the salt isn't working in your case and id switch to meds such as Maracyn 2 or Furan 2.

 

[connor31556]

Ok just dosed the tank with salt all fish are looking fine but the betta doesnt look like hes getting better I'm going to get the meds tommorrow but that I will need to dip which med do you suggest

 

[King Fisher]

Maracyn 2 or Ampicillin should do it. Unfortunately, I don't believe these meds allow a dip. I think you have to run it in your tank for a few days then do a large water change if I remember correctly. You also have to remove any Carbon or filters you have before you dose the tank. My suggestion would be to get a 1 gallon Betta bowl at your local fish store and place your Betta in there for treatment.

 

[connor31556]

Welp you take the good with the bad in this hobby and when your first starting up with this hobby the bad far outweighs the good the betta was doing great 2 weeks ago and now hes out of his pain thank you king for all the help it made her final days a lot more bearable for her through this I learned alot about what to do when fish get sick and next time I will be able to spot it and stop it and cure the fish before the disease wins thank you again for all the help and this will come in handy next time

 

[King Fisher]

No problem bud. Sorry to hear about that. There's a lot of disease that is difficult to cure and some that is down right impossible. Don't beat yourself up over it. I lost alot of fish starting out.