Please help me understand which medications to use for my sick betta

[MordyBroke7]

Hey, hope you're doing well. I have a very sick betta and have been trying to research what to do and what to get. I think I've just researched myself into a confusing mess of details, though, and I need help to make sense of it all.

Here's what's going on:

Betta I bought from the store had some fin rot when I brought him home. I treated him with Microbe Lift Artemiss daily (before I knew there were two types of microbe lift).

The fin rot started to heal, then came back reallllly aggressively. I noticed about a week ago he looked larger, now he's displaying dropsy. A lot of people say to just put him down, but I've also read posts saying that they've cured dropsy and I'm not ready to give up yet. He isn't either. He is still swimming and eating. Also, yesterday, noticed he now has a fungus problem on his tail.

I know we don't have much time.

I've lowered the water level for him and have been doing 100% water changes daily. Giving him epsom salt baths 2x a day. Treating with Microbe Lift Artemiss and Herbtana, as well as Maracyn Oxy. (Is this different than Maracyn 2?)


I've heard medications like Furan-2, Kanaplex, Metroplex, and Methylene Blue, so would any of these meds be better then what I'm using? Can I mix them? Which ones? Please help, thank you!

 

[Autumnsky]

What other fish, inverts, etc. do you have in the tank?

You have a lot going on.

It is good to do your water change before doing treatment.

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You can use Epsom Salt (which isn't salt but Magnesium) dissolved first, use it for treatment in the tank - the dips are not as effective. More below.

What size is the tank?

Often the symptom of Dropsy means there has been internal damage and there is a reduced chance of survival. Guard your heart.

Kanaplex brand name (it doesn't have to be this brand) / medication Kanamycin is a good medication for treatment.

If you have Kanaplex great get started.

Do you have salt which has no iodine? If you do, actual aquarium salt, salt Kosher, sea salt as long as it has no iodine, flavors, additives etc. helps reduce water build up.

Mix in warm /hot water in a cup /pitcher- .5 tsp per gallon -
[Must cool with water to tank temp and use dechlorinator always whether I mention it or not- don't ever want that to be confusing]
(Mix the Epsom Salt the same)

Remove the appropriate amount of water so your salt water will have room.
You can add this mixture a bit slowly about just some to get it started, about a half hour add a little less than a quarter. After a couple hours add a quarter and so on.

What is the temp of the tank? Should be around 78F

Do you have an airbubbler? If so add it.

You can use Epsom salt / ES plain which it sounds like you have.

You can start with 1 tablespoon per gallon. It sounds like it is extremely serious, so I am recommending the tablespoon to start instead of teaspoon.

You can also reduce the amount of water in the tank to around half to 3/4.

Mix like with the aquarium salt AS.

If you are doing both aquarium salt and ES you would need to remove the amount of water you will be adding in with the AS and ES.

I have used Kanaplex with ES before and was able to heal my fish. I have not used the AS combination with the other 2.

Again when adding this into the Betta tank make 5 parts visually or using a measuring cup, it can be an estimate. Add this first dose, then repeat every hour.

He can have this treatment until you get Kanamycin.

You can skip the other treatments you were using.

Antibiotic treatments are hard on the fish.

So on the chance that the fish seems to be doing better before the medication. Consider using just the AS and ES and the daily big pwc.

For example:
Doing 5G pwc? Make up the amount of AS and ES needed for the 5G replacement pwc water.

Hoping that helps.

 

[Blueberries]

How’s your fish doing?