Help please! Irene or somebody betta....dropsy????!!

[Tre]

I know bettas. I’ve had bettas for 20 years....bred em and they are like underwater puppies. 
Tanks are fine. Normal maitnence routine and testing. Looking at some babies and saw this.... My male Plakat, Mochi. 

No Swelling but what appears to be pineconing. I’ve only seen swollen bettas pinecone. He had just had 3 hikari pellets.
Please tell me it isn’t so.... Is it dropsy?? Eating, active, swimming and sleeping all normal. I know it’s mostly near his gills and front end. Not flaring. I can’t even think of anything. 
If it is I’ll put baby shrimp from grow out into tank and put him in to quarantine. I don’t want to treat if it’s not needed obviously. 

[Tre]

In quarantine with salt, paracleanse, and antibiotic that I had on had....it’s downstairs. I want to say neoplex but not sure at this second. seems the same. No physical change detected. He did not seem thrilled in his salty 2.5 gallon hospital, as he was seeming to try to get out. I don’t use salt in his tank as he’s a Plakat and I’m not concerned about fin issues. 
I’ve always given some salt to longer finned betta tanks. 
I guess I’ll update when time permits. If anyone versed in bettas or dropsy (where are goldfish nuts when you need em) could give me anything. Successes....I’ll even take failures, encouragement or “it’s not dropsy it’s...”

😞

(lighting in photos my be tinged green due to lid on hospital)

[JessR]

Due to the pineconing I would probably continue treating for Dropsy. I'm not aware of any other betta diseases that have that symptom.

If he starts bloating you can always try Epsom salt baths/dips.

[Tre]

Yeah. Hospital tank has aquarium salt, antibiotics and anti parasitic meds. 
I’ve never seen pineconing without dropsy. He may be a little bloated but not much at all if any. Hard to tell with the scales out.  No swimming issues. Still his spunky self today. 
It’s baffling. Hoping I’ll see any Change. From top down he’s looked fine. It’s mind boggling. 

[Tre]

@Irene, I can tag on my phone! Ohhhh. Omg. Any ideas on my boy here. I need an all points APB on reason for pineconing without swelling....

I wish I could just make him all better instantly. Most betta groups just clove oil if there’s pineconing. Horrifying. 

[Irene]

Oh no, I'm sorry about your betta fish! The only betta that I owned that got dropsy within 24 hours of buying him and passed away the very next day, so I don't have much experience with successfully treating it. Most people see it as a fatal disease, but I wouldn't give up without a fight, especially he looks fine from top down. I know your hospital tank has salt and meds in it. Not sure what your salt concentration is, but here's the recipe I recommend for treatment if you're interested: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/aquarium-salt-for-sick-fish

[Tre]

2 hours ago, Irene said:

Oh no, I'm sorry about your betta fish! The only betta that I owned that got dropsy within 24 hours of buying him and passed away the very next day, so I don't have much experience with successfully treating it. Most people see it as a fatal disease, but I wouldn't give up without a fight, especially he looks fine from top down. I know your hospital tank has salt and meds in it. Not sure what your salt concentration is, but here's the recipe I recommend for treatment if you're interested: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/aquarium-salt-for-sick-fish

Thanks Irene. He’s looks similar still. He’s hanging in. Tried some flaring and such as I noticed he’s not pooping. Only fed him daphnia in there. Continuing Maracyn 2. Finished paracleanse treatment. Other antibiotic in there too. 
I’m at such a loss. Whatever it is....it’s slow but I don’t know what else to do. Fasting, drugs and salt. Little daphnia to see if that would help him poo....odd cause I see a little swell in the abdomen but not a lot. Swimming ok. Not seeing any issue. Laying more but it’s a hospital tank. He just got screwed out of his awesome 10 gallon aquascape and buddies. 

[Tre]

It looks like there’s nothing to be done. Rosh Hashannah tonight. Mochi had been doing ok. No change but never worse. Even my husband commented how odd it is. 
He is now swimming in corkscrews. I removed the sponge filter and lowered the water with an airstone and heater still in. 
I tried everything and he looked to be holding steady. Sigh.... 

[Tre]

Thank you all for your help....He hung on 3 days with the low water level, but sadly passed yesterday.  Really bummed by this loss but trying to "just keep swimming".