Miranda Marie Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 (edited) Hey, guys. I could really use some advice. My betta fish - Romi - has been struggling since the beginning of July with some illness I can't identify. It started out with some weird colored patches on her body, turned into mild swim bladder problems (she lists over on her side when trying to turn around and looks "floppy"), and her fins are ragged like she has fin rot. She's also very thin but continues to eat ravenously. Even though she is floppy and weak seeming, as soon as she sees me, she comes to the top to beg for food. Tank perimeters/details: Ammonia - 0ppms Nitrite - 0ppms Nitrate - 5ppms Aquarium co-op heater Aquarium co-op sponge filter Lots of Crypt plants Nothing sharp in the tank Tank mates: 1 nerite snail, 2 dream blue neocardina shrimp At this point, I have tried everything except salt (because of the plants). Two full rounds of the med trio. A round of Expel-P incase it was a different kind of parasite. Switching up foods so we're alternating 3 different high quality kinds. Increased water changes to 2x a week. At this point, I am considering adding aquarium salt as a last ditch effort despite the fact it might kill all the crypts. She looks so sad and I hate seeing her so floppy. I did see Irene's sonic the betta fish video about the electrical current and thought maybe that was it. I can't feel an electric shock when touching the water, but I don't have great feeling in my hands either. I'm considering buying a new heater just to see because at this point, I am at my wit's end. 😕 Any and all ideas you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated. Should I do a salt bath for her? Risk the plants and add a low dose of salt to the tank? Get a new heater? I'm willing to try pretty much anything that might help. Edited August 31, 2023 by Miranda Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 Can you post a picture of the fish it will help with a diagnosis you say it's thin does it have a sunken belly have you notice any rapid breathing hanging out near the surface lethargy flashing spitting food out @Miranda Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Marie Posted August 31, 2023 Author Share Posted August 31, 2023 On 8/31/2023 at 2:13 PM, Colu said: Can you post a picture of the fish it will help with a diagnosis you say it's thin does it have a sunken belly have you notice any rapid breathing hanging out near the surface lethargy flashing spitting food out @Miranda Marie She spends half the time laying in the bottom of the tank among the crypt leaves, looking exhausted/weak, and the other half hovering at the surface. I haven't noticed her gasping for air, but her gills do move fairly quickly. No spitting out food or flashing that I can see. Today she's definitely looking very weak and lying down more than usual/doesn't come up to beg as much as usual when I am near the tank, which has me pretty worried. 😕 The camera over exposes the color, so she isn't quite as vibrant as in the photo, just as a heads up. Though she isn't super pale either. She's quite thin looking, looking down from overhead, her head looks too big in comparison to her body size. The addition of Expel-P this week seems to be making her more lethargic, so I might do a water change and see if she perks back up... I don't really know what to do at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Marie Posted August 31, 2023 Author Share Posted August 31, 2023 On 8/31/2023 at 2:34 PM, Miranda Marie said: I don't think she's going to make it through the day. She's declining very rapidly now. 😕 I'm gonna guess the initial infection damaged her internal organs and that's now the cause, but I think she's close to passing now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 On 8/31/2023 at 10:41 PM, Miranda Marie said: I don't think she's going to make it through the day. She's declining very rapidly now. 😕 I'm gonna guess the initial infection damaged her internal organs and that's now the cause, but I think she's close to passing now. What I would do as she's going down hill rapidly is add some aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 5 gallons at that level it won't harm your plants and it will aid Gill function and add essential electrolytes and I add an extra air stone if she still alive tomorrow I think it would worthwhile doing @Odd Duck treatment protocol for parasitic infections with weight loss and lethargy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Marie Posted August 31, 2023 Author Share Posted August 31, 2023 On 8/31/2023 at 4:25 PM, Colu said: What I would do as she's going down hill rapidly is add some aquarium salt 1 table spoon for 5 gallons at that level it won't harm your plants and it will aid Gill function and add essential electrolytes and I add an extra air stone if she still alive tomorrow I think it would worthwhile doing @Odd Duck treatment protocol for parasitic infections with weight loss and lethargy I'm not familiar with the medication names. Are these the same as Expel-P and Paracleanse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 On 8/31/2023 at 11:51 PM, Miranda Marie said: I'm not familiar with the medication names. Are these the same as Expel-P and Paracleanse? Levamisole the active ingredient in expel p praziquantel is the active ingredient in prazipro you can use paracleanse active ingredient is praziquantel and metronidazole 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Marie Posted September 2, 2023 Author Share Posted September 2, 2023 (edited) So she's still alive. Yesterday she looked very rough, but today she is swimming more (albeit listing onto her side a *lot* still). Here's a better picture of the side that looks strangest. I went ahead and started another round of the med trio and added salt. I'm gonna order Prazipro and Maracyn 2 I think? I dunno at this point. If she doesn't get better soon, we'll have to consider Euthenuzing because it seems cruel to leave her struggling to swim... Edited September 2, 2023 by Miranda Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Marie Posted September 8, 2023 Author Share Posted September 8, 2023 Well, today I made the decision to euthanize. None of the meds were doing anything anymore and she hadn't moved at all since early yesterday morning. It would've been harder, but she didn't even resist me netting her out at all or even flop around when I placed her on the rock to crush her. 😕 She wasn't gone, but she seemed to be almost completely paralyzed. I'm sad and still at a loss on what was wrong with her, since I tried every med the co-op sells and nothing seemed to help. At least she's no longer suffering. 💔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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