Sick Female Betta

[Ziggs180]

I've had my Female Betta for about a month now in my Community tank, no bullying by other tankmates or anything. But the last couple days shes been acting very lethargic. For past two days she hasn't been moving much, hasn't been eating, and has been having long stringy nearly transparent white poop. I've also noticed her fins and tails have started deteriorating.

I moved her into a breeder cage I recently purchased, and threw in some Anacharis strands for cover.I have a seperate Quarantine tank ready, but it needs some cleaning before I can move her into there, I'm also worried the move might stress her out and kill her.

What could be the possible cause and cure for this? When I got her a month ago she was very active, but she looks pretty bad. None of my other fish are having any problems.

 

[Ziggs180]

I have pictures, shes been in this position all day.

Note the tiny white dots arent ick, its actually dust on the camera.

 

[Bettacrazy]

If her scales are looking a little raised it might be early stages of dropsy. It may or may not be dropsy but what ever it is you should start with some salt baths. They help with early stages of dropsy, ich, fungal infections, and fin rot.

 

[Ziggs180]

Then i take it, it would be a good idea to move her to the Quarantine tank? I was looking at her eyes, and it almost looks like they are starting to swell.

 

[ocminpin]

Awww... I hope your little one gets better soon!!

 

[absolutangel04]

Yes, I would move her to the qt. It may be the angle, but she looks bloated to me.
Stringy white poop can also be indicative of an internal parasite. Or, she may have a bacterial infection of some sort.
How is her appetite? Her eyes look perhaps a bit swollen, but its hard to tell.
I agree with bettacrazy about doing a salt bath to start with.
Does she have trouble swimming? If she does look bloated to you, is the bloat even or is one side a bit more bloated than the other? Any scales sticking out?
What are the water parameters?

 

[Ziggs180]

Bad news, checked on her this morning and she was dead in Quarantine. last night she was doing some erratic behavior and was floating almost completely perpendicular to the water surface, I was going to do a salt bath this morning but its to late.

I examined the corpse, and noted that her belly seemed a little bloated and the scales were pointed out, so it looks like bloat. I'm still wondering how this disease came about, she was fine for about a month since I got her, and i've had no other fish deaths or any new introductions since I got her (Except a new plant, but I ran it under hot water). Also did a W/C a day before I moved her into Quarantine.

 

[ocminpin]

Bad news, checked on her this morning and she was dead in Quarantine. last night she was doing some erratic behavior and was floating almost completely perpendicular to the water surface, I was going to do a salt bath this morning but its to late.

I examined the corpse, and noted that her belly seemed a little bloated and the scales were pointed out, so it looks like bloat. I'm still wondering how this disease came about, she was fine for about a month since I got her, and i've had no other fish deaths or any new introductions since I got her (Except a new plant, but I ran it under hot water). Also did a W/C a day before I moved her into Quarantine.

Dropsy :-( I'm sorry...
I just lost a betta this week with the same thing.. I thought he was bloated and tried to fast him and give peas but then noticed his scales sticking out..

 

[absolutangel04]

If the scales were pointed out, she probably have dropsy, not just bloat. Dropsy is caused by fluid building up under the skin and it can be the result of multiple things like an internal bacterial infection of a liver malfunction. If it was caused by an internal bacterial infection, she probably came to you that way and you just didn't know right away.
Dropsy can also cause the eyes appear swollen, so that explains the eye appearance.
I am very sorry for your loss.

 

[Ziggs180]

The eyes werent swollen by alot, I didn't even notice until I took a very good look and saw one slightly bigger. Strange thing is, She was in a cup, so i figured she wouldn't be carrying an infection. Does Dropsy spread? All of my parameters are at 0, with Nitrates constantly near 0 (Amazon Sword sucking it right out of the water).

 

[absolutangel04]

Whether or not it spreads depends on what was causing it. Keep a close eye on the other fish for any signs and for the best.
If you bought her in a cup, its not the best environment for bettas. Places do it because the bettas can often survive and it keeps them from harming each other since they can't be bagged together, but its bad for the fish's health and its not uncommon to get a betta in a cup that had more issues than the purchaser realized. I have bought them before and not known about underlying health issues.