Dropsy...caught it early...is there any hope?

[freshwatergal]

I sure do hope so. I noticed that one of my betta's bellies looked big. So I did a fast on him, after trying to feed him a pea. Well, he didn't take it and the fast didn't work. I looked at him tonight and I noticed that his scales are starting to stick out. Is there anything I can do for him?? I don't have any internal parasite meds here now, but I can get some tomorrow...or do you think it will be too late?

Melafix won't work right? I would beg for help, but what I have seen online is there is no cure for it. Any advice is appreciated.

Tiff

 

[QTOFFER]

Sorry to hear about your betta.

You're right about MelaFix (BettaFix in the case of bettas) - it's pretty useless against any serious infection. Dropsy is an internal infection that affectis the kidneys. You have to get the meds deep inside the fish somehow.

The only real hope you have is medicated food, but I don't know where you could get that except from a vet. I'm grasping at straws here, but you could try Kanacyn by Aquatronics. It's a broad spectrum antibiotic that is supposedly readily absorbed.

Too bad Allivymar is not around this week - she might have had some better suggestions.

 

[freshwatergal]

Thanks QT.

 

[bettacove]

Once they are pineconed there is really is no hope. You really need to catch it early to treat it, and it can be difficult to detect, once there scales are sticking out its already too far along to treat sucsessfuly, but you can always try....I have yet to have a fish survive once they are pineconed.

ashley

 

[Devilishturtles]

I'm gonna have to disagree that there is no hope. IME, once the 'pineconing' has started, things have gotten bad, but not too bad. On three different occasions I have kept a dropsy affected fish alive, all that were pretty bad looking. :|

IME, fungus medicines work great. Try some Maracyn-Two by Mardel or Fungus Clear Tablets from Jungle. Both work great in my opinion and I have used both to successfully treat dropsy.

Don't give up! You still have a chance... 2 of my 3 fish that got dropsy are still living today

 

[Sati]

I believe it's pondmom who has a similar story. She had a koi who had reached the "pinecone" stage and is still alive to this day as far as I know.

 

[freshwatergal]

Well, I bought Maracyn-two today and put some in his tank. He looked pretty bad when I got home from work, but I will see how he looks tomorrow. I keep hoping!

Tiff

 

[pcbarr]

Hope your fish feels better.

 

[An t-iasg]

When one of my bettas got dropsy, I used Jungle Fungus Eliminator. I don't think he was pineconed yet, though (really can't remember, but he did have the bloated belly.) After 6 days on the Fungus Eliminator, he recovered. But then he got dropsy again about 5 months later, and he was really pineconed that time. He died 2 days later, and the Fungus Eliminator didn't help that time. Hope your betta gets better. A small pinch of epsom salts may not hurt, either.

 

[bettacove]

I tried Maracyn-two but it never had any affet on my bettas, and they wernt even too bad. I've also tried fungus stuff along with other meds but no effect. Weird.... Were yours bettas or other fish? Maybe some fish react differently to treatments.
Dropsy sucks, i hate it with a passion!

ashley

 

[freshwatergal]

I agree ashley. It has to be one of the worse diseases to see. It just breaks my heart. I have thought about "putting him down" but I just can't bring myself to do it. He doesn't look like he is getting any better. I will keep trying.

Tiff

 

[freshwatergal]

Well, Im too the point now where I wish nature would take it's course. His pine-coning has gotten worse, and it just breaks my heart to see it. I have been treating with maracyn-2 since friday night, and I know it takes a while for meds to work, but I hate thinking the poor lil guy is suffereing. I can't bring myself to put him down. He's just kinda floating there...not really doing anything, although he is still eating.

Well, say a little prayer for the little guy that his suffering might be over soon.

Thanks for listening,
Tiff

 

[An t-iasg]

Well, if he is still eating, there is some hope, I would think. I know it's terrible to watch a fish like that. My betta laid on the gravel for a week and didn't move, but he would try to when I talked to him, which didn't make me feel better. I thought, I'm the smart person here, (lol), why can't I make it all better? It's so hard when they get this way.

I'm sorry to hear about your betta, and I hope he recovers or his suffering ends quickly.

 

[PK Tester]

Is your fish ok? Or??