I got this female betta off a breeder 2,2 1/2months ago. I named her Nemesis after the greek gods because she was a feisty little thing-flaring at everything that came her way. When I first got her,she lived in a 2 gal. pickle jar while I looked for a tank for her. When I get new bettas,I like to keep them close to where I am just to observe them,so Nemesis sat in her jar on the end table for a little over a week. Everytime I fed her,she would pounce out of the water to snatch up her food. And when she wasn't eating,she was flaring at me. Well, I finally got her a tank. 5gal-filter-heater-sand substrate-silk plants the works!--Fit for a queen! I put her in her new tank which was now in the dining room. That nite I happened to go to the lfs,and I purchased another betta---and placed him in nemesis's old jar. Two days after she was put in the 5 gal.- I noticed that she was still in the corner on the bottom hiding-The reason I knew this was because everytime I walked thru the dining room,she would shoot out and up and follow me from one end of tank to the other. After 4 days,I just had a feeling that she wasn't happy,so I took her out of the tank. Her jar was holding the newest betta,a big boy so I couldn't use the jar again so after thinking about it I moved one of my baby bettas from a smaller jar into the 5 gal., and put Nemesis in the small jar. It only holds about 1/2 gal if that-so I knew I had to find something else. Meanwhile , Nemesis was put right next to me on this small table. Everyday she started coming right over to watch me when I sat down. She started following my finger up and down the jar as I traced it. She quit flaring -she quit diving out of the water for her food,and that is when I realized how much she loved me. It wasn't just about food anymore-lol-don't get me wrong,she's still a litttle pigface but it's different now. We have bonded..... I switched her name to Elizabeth,because her face is cream colored,her eyes are huge and dark-she has the chubbiest human looking face with this little upturned snout-all prim and proper.....Well,a couple weeks ago I ordered baby goldies online from this co.-To make a long story short-they came with sickness and lice....For the last 3 -4weeks,I have done my 80 hr. work week,and the week I'm off was trying to fit all my water changes etc.in,and trying to get these baby goldies healthy. Almost all my free time has been focused on getting these goldies better-they've come a long way,but there still not there yet. In doing this,I have some how let my Elizabeth down.... I was looking at her for aminute 2 days ago,and I was laughing cause her face was getting so chubby-told her she was going on thesouth beach diet.....Today,I decided it was all betta day. I got up this morning,and sat on the couch with my Elizabeth,and we just kind of looked at each other for a while. Thats when I noticed that something was really wrong... Elizabeth almost propelled herself up out of the water to get a breath! when she did ,I realized that her right gill was terribley inflamed!! She looks simply horrible!!! Her water hasn't been changed as of ten as I usually do,but was no way bad at all. Shes in an odd jar that distorts her somewhat,or maybe I would have noticed this sooner. I did a water change on her and I've spent hours on line trying to figure out just what to do. I have very little meds in the house because I've never had the need for meds until the last couple of months. Her whole side of her right side ,the gill,up to her eye looks like she has an infected tooth -it's so swelled up to her poor eye.She's darting out of water to take her whole head out it seems to catch a breath....Noone was on koko's-I didn't know what to do,all I knew was that she wasn't breathing good at all-it was really terrifying... I salt-dipped her for as long as I could.With her gill so inflamed all I could think is how salt makes their gills work better..I just pray that I didn't irratate it worse. When I put her back in her treated water,I watched her for a while-she sunk,like I knew she would at first,but now shes up at the top again..I have bright lights on now so I can see better,and now it almost looks like her face is pine-coning.It doesn't look good at all..... I am so sorry if this thread goes on for-ever,but Elizabeth means the world to me... I desperately need your soothing words and advice....Am I gonna lose my girl-what should I do????? Help me please...

Sharon---


Honey, I'm SORRY!!! You and me usually help each other with this stuff, but I honestly have no clue!!! Is it possible that it's not swollen, but maybe she can't close her gill cover??????

Do you have any antibiotics? Anything?? JFE (Jungle fungus eliminator) is actually an antibiotic, if you have any????

Other than that, clean, clean, clean water..... let's see what others have to say. I think I'd definetly use an antibiotic, better safe, ya know?????

ohh no not good. iv never heard of the face pine coning only the belly and thats bacause of dropsy. do daily water changes(with aged water). wut did you say you were treating her with? i would go with a bacterial med. polygaurd would be a good one its a very effective med and treats for many things. do a search for polygaurd meds. its made by seachem.

Oh No Sharon!!!!!!!!!!

This can't be!

I wish I had advice for you - all I have are

I'll try searching around to see if I can find anything!!

Jenn

Sharon - this was on Bettatalk - Does this sound like what you're dealing with?????

DISEASE: INFLAMED GILLS
GENERAL INFO: The gill or gills of a betta may become inflamed, because of nitrate poisoning, and possibly bacterial infections, or even a defective gill (if it was born that way).

SYMPTOMS: One or both gills will not close all the way (look at betta from the top it is easier to see it then), gills may look red (inflamed) or not, in the last stages, the betta may be gasping for air, unable to breath.
TREATMENT: Isolate sick betta. Do a full jar water change every third day. Every time you change water, add antibiotic (Pick one that treats inflamed gills) to the water. In the case of nitrate poisoning, simply add one drop of methylene blue in betta’s jar.

When you see her swim away,her right side odf her facelooks twicw the size of her left. It's really hard to explain her body color-it almost looks like rows of dots-row of aqua blue-yellow in between-more blue-I can't explain but way she is colored makes it really hard to tell if body is pine-coning.when she swims away though,you can see it looks like each scale on her face is protruding out-(looks like pine-coning to me?) And even though it's hard -body doesn't look like that. Before salt dip it was really swelled ... Do you think when I did it,it could have irritated it and lifted face scales out? Anyway,when it comes to meds I have almost nothing right now-lots of ick/fluke etc. I have Jungle fungus clear-which I am trying right now out of desperation...treats fungus-fin & tail rot-septicemia-clamped fins-and dropsy....Do you know how much I hate trying this not knowing if its going to even help? I have to try something besides clean water.She always has clean water-I obsessively worry and tend to over exaggerate at times-but her water has never gotten to a bad point.

Omg, I'm sorry about your girl. It sounds horrible!. I know I can't help but I feel bad for you and her. I wish you the best of luck with Elizabeth. You've always seemed pretty "in the know", so along with everyone else here, I'm sure your girl will be fine. good luck, hun.

Sharon -

I went to Jungle & checked for inflamed gills (in case this is it). The fungus clear does treat for this. I'll keep searching for the swelling though!

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jenn



edit: They say it also treats dropsy!

Oh thanks hon! God ,I'm so sappy on this long drawn out thread,but she really does mean the world to me for some odd reason....I truly love all my fish some more than other's,but there's just something odd about Elizabeth....I pray I can get her back to health---I would be devastated to lose her.

Sharon -

Check out this link link

Look at the description of the first disease & then dropsy...

Does this help at all???

Jenn

Sorry it took so long to get back to you Jenn-been reading and readingand...Yes !! Helps alot,but hope its not too late gotta get to a lfs in the morn. as soon as possible!!! Thanks so much for your help hon!! Wish me luck!!!

Devs, how is your little girl doing today? I just read your thread now and am so sorry for what you both are going through...

I know that many people don't like the use of salt, but my Zacchaeus was sick the other day and I isolated him with fresh, clean water with 1 tsp aquarium salt to 2 gallons and he got better right away.. he had fungus but maybe salt would help your girl too...

I really do pray that she makes it..

Sharon -

How's Elizabeth today??? Have you made it to the lfs???



Jenn

Sharon I'm so sorry to hear you are having this problem. I wish I could help you. I just haven't learned enough. I'm sorry I was not on yesturday, even as support. I wish you and Elizabeth the best and keep us posted.

Laurie

Thanks Guys!!! No,I have not made it any where! I forgot that today is considered the holiday so the bussing will be all screwed up with times. I just don't wanna take 2 busses back and forth and then get stuck somewhere! This really stinks! My own fault though.... Elizabeth made it through the nite. She doesn't look any better at all,but she doesn't look any worse either-She's passing up the offer of food,and that's really a bad sign-especially for her. In a little while I'm gonna walk up to the local Eckerd,and get some Epsom salt,just to have. I do have her in that Jungle fungus clear for now-don't know if it will help or not-it says you can use it for dropsy,and I think thats what she has.... All I can do is hope for a miracle. They say that once a fish starts pine-coning......

Sharon

That really sucks!! <_<

I'll send prayers & positive thinking your way!!!!!

Jenn

Sharon, I'm with Jenn, sending many positive thoughts and prayers your way. And even though she is pineconing, don't give up hope.
If you need to talk PM me. I'll be gone awhile this afternoon, but I will check in from time to time.

Thanks hon-I will....Talk to you later.

Evening Sharon, how is Elizabeth doing? And you too? Did you make it to the lfs?

Laurie

Sharon -

How's your baby doin'??

Jenn

Thanks guys...Unfortunately,I didn't make it-I hate having to depend on other people.....Especially when they could care less. I'm still treating her with that med from jungle-Says to leave her in it for 4 days..I still don't see any kind of improvement....at all..... Jenn,Laurie-did you guys see that link I posted for Betta meds? I screwed up at first and didn't realize that I forgot to put link! I thought it was great,but am still surprised that noone has mentioned it.

She sounds like a little fighter Sharon, best of luck to the both of you.

Sharon, I seen it and assumed you got busy and was going to post it further down in the thread. I have seen others do that. I'm still so new to this it didn't dawn on me, oops. I know it is frustrating depending on others. Hang in there I'm sure someone will get you there soon. Do you have any local friends other than your daughter?
It is good that she isn't getting worse, even though she isn't better yet, a stand off is better than worse. So on the positive side, that's better.
Is she eating today?

hi sharon.

sorry i didnt see this a bit sooner. willies face swelled up a bit when he started to get popeye. it was just under his eye and it pineconed out a bit. eventually a few scales fell out from that spot and i could see whiteish pale (growth?) underneath. anyway, if theres localised pineconing, i would definitely say that its an aggressive bacterial infection and you should treat it as such. try to get a medication (of course, maracyn 1 and 2 are optimal) that is liquid wich calls for daily doses. just in case, you should be covering gram- and gram+ bacterias with the treatment. 100% fresh water changes daily or every two days and maybe a salt dip or two since she seems to tolerate them. and keeping her in a warm place throughout treatment would help. how do you think shed tolerate a bubbler? because shes having probs breathing, you should try to add an added source of aeration.

i hope you get this under control. she sounds like a lovely betta.

paul

Paul -

I was sooo hoping you'd see this thread so you could help Sharon out!!!!!!

Sharon -

about that link - I just figuered you were sooo bust with Elizabeth that you didn't get a chance to post the link!

How's she today???

Jenn

Hi Paul,Was wondering where you were... When I first spotted this,all I thought to use was this fungus clear because I thought was all I had. The last three days in it,I don't know if its helped at all...She doesn't look any better,but she's not dead either. her right side of face,is really swelled,and red from gill to eye,and when you look at her from behind,her face definately looks pine-coned. I was just digging thru eveyfish place I could think of,and I just found some Maracyn! Why didn't I see this 3 days ago!!! Anyway,I have dosage desolving in water now. I just did a complete water change,and as soon as pill desolves,I'll add med. I put airstone in(OMG!!!!!Where is my darn head-never thought of that,and here she is gasping!!!) It's kind of pushing her around a little more than I'd like,but she seems to end up going right over to it-I have it at top of the water to lesson the current from it..I don't know Paul...I just hope it's not too late. I have 3 really bad things against me allready--this is the 4th day?--She hasn't eaten since Friday---and she's allready pine-coned. I don't know -the odds are really against her from everything that I've read.Pine-coning's bad enough,but they say once they stop eating-well...it's pretty much over.I hope not! Any thing else you can think of? Thanks,Hon!

no maracyn 2, huh? i was hoping you could get some. try again tomorrow, if you can. maracyn 1 is a good start though. all you can do right now is make sure the water stays impeccable and keep her warm. thats ok about a little water movement, if she seems a little too bothered by it, hang the hose/stone half way upkind of suspened above the bottom of her container a little.

everything that ive ever read about bacterial infections like this say to supply extra O2, keep water clean, feed medicated food if possible, medicate with a broad spectrum treatment. salting is optional depending on the symptoms. it might not hurt to give her a salt dip or two to try and clear her gills out some.

what percentage solution has she experienced?

paul

Elizabeth died tonight about 9:30pm. I just want to thank everyone for not only their help,but all the support and pms I got...I don't know what it was about this little girl cause I've probably lost at least a half doz.bettas that came to me sick.-I was very upset with them being sick and passing but it didn't hurt me like this......not even close. Who would have thought that one little betta girl could steal a person's heart..... I've had alot of pets all my life that have come and gone, of those,two were devastating,and til this day,I have not gotten over them being gone. My cat Shadow,of 17 years-and my african gray parrot ,Buzzy. I still can barely talk of them,and strangely enough,I think Elizabeth-little fish that she was-will be the third....

Oh Sharon -

I'm so sorry!

You did everything you could. I know she knows she was very well loved.

I'll be on & off all day on Wed. You can pm me if you want to.

Jenn

Thanks for the hugs Jenn-need it! I'll be starting up that horrible for-ever long work week tomorrow,but I should be around for a little bit.

Ah Jeez.... I'm sorry Sharon. It never gets easy losing a pet does it? Maybe work will take your mind off of it a little bit. I'm sorry. Rest in Peace Miss Elizabeth...

Thanks hon- I'll be too busy doing this at work!!! By the way,I like the title under your name!

Thanks Devs!

I actually think the title is more befitting to a few others on this board,but I just had to have it

Yeah good luck with Elizabeth Sharon. I too get very attached to my Bettas. There is just something extra special about them, more so than other fish species.

I recently lost my Betta, Spike. He was just so wonderful, I spent hours just watching him and him me, and then one morning I found him dead on the bottom of the tank for no apparent reason. It was very upsetting.

Sharon, I'm so sorry I wish there was something I could say or do, but......
You are still in my thoughts and prayers. As with Jenn, if you need or want to talk, just PM me. It is so hard. You did the best YOU could at the time. You are a great fishie MOM.

Laurie

Oh, Sharon I'm sorry. I know it's hard losing a pet, really tears your heart out. But Elizabeth knew you loved her and did your best for her.

awww man!

sharon, im so sorry.but, her pain is over. it sucks, i know. with just losing willie and all, im right there with ya. :crp

were all here for you!

Woops sorry. As I am new to this site and still working out how to use it I didn't read past the first page of this thread. So when I posted my good luck wishes I didn't realise that Elizabeth had already died. Sorry about that, and about you losing her.

I was reading this thread eagerly awaiting the miraculous happy ending..and I was so sad when I read that she died. :crp

I'm really, really sorry

You are in my thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry about your Elizabeth.

Very sorry to hear the news Sharon, best wishes, Annette

You guys are the best....I really miss that little girl........I can't sit and watch tv because her bowl sat right there-and worse,I use to carry her upstairs when I was on computer .....just isn't the same I brought one of my baby bettas up here Either Snap/Crackle or Pop-they look so much alike ,but it doesn't feel so right.....ya know? Am I a nut case or what?/I really miss her......

No Sharon you are not nuts. It is hard when we lose a loved one, be it pet or human.
It won't "feel" right because it isn't her, but give it alittle time and enjoy the company of Snap/crackle or Pop.
And go ahead and miss her.

It is strange how we deal with death, for instance alittle story,
My aunt and my mom were super close and when my mom died Aunt Sally hasn't dealt with it, then 3 years after my mom, my uncle died. Now my Aunt is devestated, she gets hysterical all the time. She says, of all the people she has lost over the years, these 2 are the hardest, and she can't figure out why. I try and explain to her, their relationships were special and more deep, why would the pain be any different?
If our love is special I believe the pain is as unique. Doesn't make it easier to know this, but at least you can understand why it is what it is.

You are still in my prayers.

Laurie