Female Betta Bloated, slight pine coning

[shellieca]

So I am a little perplexed . . . 46g tank, 78-80F, med-hvy planted, Fluval 306 Canister, weekly 50%+ water change w/ Prime, sometimes ferts are added. Inhabitants are 12 Female Bettas, 2 Golden CAE's, 1 Mystery Snail, 4 (?) Nerite Snails (not sure how many are still alive, they're hard to find). I noticed about 3 wks ago one of the female Bettas looked bloated, stomach area bulging out the sides & in that bulged area the scales stick up but no where else do they pine cone. I put her into a QT tank (5g), added 1 tsp per gallon epsom salt for a few days, then upped the epsom salts to 2 tsp per gallon; after a week or slightly more she showed no change in appearance. This past Sunday I bought API General Cure (not knowing the cause of the bloating/pine coning), added that Sunday, did my 25%+ water change yesterday (Tuesday) & added the 2nd 1/2 of the meds. This entire time her behavior is normal, she still eats like a pig & her poo is normal so . . . what would you do? I'm going to let her finish this 2nd dosage & see if there's any change but other than that I'm lost . . . suggestions?

 

[jlk]

Metro (preferably in food) and epsom salts would be my suggestions. As you are already doing this, unfortunately, there really are not alot of other options. Does she seem any less bloated today?

 

[Oohitsae]

Have you been fasting as well with your epsoms?

I'd fast her for atleast a few days and see if that helps improve anything.

 

[shellieca]

I'll look into the metro. She's pooping so she's not constipated, poops appear normal, she hasn't gotten worse but hasn't gotten better, pretty much no change, still has attitude.

 

[jlk]

The newer Gen Cure formulations are mix of metro and prazi.

 

[shellieca]

Went to an LFS today & they had Kanaplex & metro powders so I bought both. I now have two female Bettas with problems. One clearly has full dropsy, pine coning all over so she is QT'd & getting treated with Kanaplex. The other has gotten a little more bulgy on the sides & more lethargic, but not full dropsy yet, still just some "pine coning" where her sides bulge out, I've started her on the metro. So fingers crossed for both.