Very Sick Betta. Please Help Me!

[Autumnsky]

Never have I had a problem using it. I usually mix the Epsom salts to liquid add the first dose over a day say divide in 3 parts. I have done in an hour though same divide in 4 parts add one part every 15 min. for a very serious case when I felt I could lose a fish.

If you are going to be traveling and away you can use the liquid concentrate as I mentioned before, and be fine.

I have used the one tablespoon per gallon as a maintenance treatment and even more (built up to 3T p/G) for 2-3 weeks for a very ill, like on deaths door type thing and then started reducing it back to the 1T and then like in one case the fish just lived out his time with (1T) Epsom salts for an additional ~ year because he couldn't stay well.

Otherwise normally just reduce it after treatment and an additional couple weeks till you have all normal tap water (always use treatment for tap water of course).

You might want to give this website to your fish care taker, who can create a membership if you would feel comfortable and then they can look for this thread (you tell them the info) so if there is an issue we could possibly help.

Sometimes you just have to know that someone else will do their best and it is possible the Betta could take a turn for the worse but it seems you are doing a lot for him and he is improving.

 

[Delapool]

Excellent advice above so just coming back to the ampicillin. On a quick look I couldn't find much use of it on the forum. I'll post some links later.

The issue is that it mainly treats gram-positive bacteria but in aquariums it tends to gram-negative infections. Not always but as a bet - the furan 2 mentioned above is the option I'd go with for treatment as it covers the gram-negative bacteria. The disclaimer here is I have never used ampicillin and have never looked like doing, so I've only looked into this in the last few weeks out of interest.

With melafix I find that a half-dose is as good as a full dose and in my tank, either on the road to recovery after several days or I'm going for stronger meds.

But clean water and they can come right by themselves. Really suggest getting the test kit though.

 

[nirbhao]

The real problem with Melafix is having too much in the water.

I've had huge success with Furan 2, but I really think you'll see a huge improvement with daily water changes.

 

[KTC]

Update - and Question

Thank you for your input everyone! I went on my trips and the daily 100% water changes in the 1 gallon tank have continued. I am still putting Stress Coat in during water changes but have stopped the Melafix. His fins are growing back and his eyes are no longer cloudy. I did purchase the test kit and plan to try and get his 5 gallon tank going again this week so I can get him back in there in the near future. I plan to read the article proceed above about cycling and try to get him back into his bigger home.

I noticed last night though that his little fins (under his belly) were clamped to his body. He swims around when I go to the tank, and relaxes them a little. As I was sitting there tonight, I noticed something white and almost fuzzy looking was by his belly (I couldn't tell if it was hanging off his fin or his stomach - I think it's stomach). I also noticed as he started swimming around that cloudy, stringy stuff was apprearing in the water. Is this parasites? He was last fed Sunday and will be fed again tonight. And there was poop in the bowl on Monday. Today I was going to switch to every other day 100% water changes but I am going to change the water again to make sure that cloudy stringy stuff is cleaned out.

The clearest image I could get was via a short video clip, which I have attached. You can see the cloudy thing floating at the front of the bowl.

Thoughts?