So, I have a co worker who has a betta fish that she said has lost it's color and is bottom sitting and looks kinda bloated. (i'm assuming it's dropsy maybe)
I know she just keeps him in a vase, has had him for about a year, and she said she hasn't been using any water conditioner when changing the water. I have asked her to bring him into me tomorrow, and she said if he is still alive, she wil (I really hope she does).

I have had 2 bettas before, so I have 2 five gallon tanks, complte with filters, etc...
The tanks are no longer running, as the bettas passed early this summer, and I did not think I would get any more. I am going to get one of the taks up and running tonight, and I will put media from my goldie tank in the filter to help start seeding it.

Anyhow, any advice on what I should to to help this little guy? I can keep the temp at 80. Should I add salt or melafix? I know I really need to wait till I see him before I can start diagnosing, but I would like some round about ideas of what I may need to do. I do have maracyn two incase I should need to treat for dropsy....

I just spoke with her a bit more, she said she will bring him in tomorrow. I asked her a bit about his condition she said that he is bloated, and that she thinks he does have some scales sticking up I hope it isn't too late

If she "thinks" & it's "some", there is some hope. If it was full blown dropsy, she probably wouldn't have said "think" or "some".

I hope you can save the little guy, grain.

yeah, I was thinkin the same thing! I just hope he makes it from now till I can get him...she didn't seem to think that he would.

Thank you for the encouragement though!!


And, I have decided that if he does not make it, the I am going to buy one. I figure that I kept my mom's betta alive and well for 4 years, that's pretty good, so maybe I should try and give another one a good home. I hate when people keep them in those stupid little vases with no filters or anything!

good for you for rescuing him. If it is dropsy then you will need to go the antibiotic route. check this post out for treatments on illnesses
http://bettysplendens.com/articles/page.imp?articleid=930
It will help to keep the temp around 78 , add some salt and melafix would not hurt .but is he really does have dropsy you are gonna have to go the antibiotic route

Cool, thank you for the info, bettaqueen! I am hoping that he is not as bad off as she says, and that I am able to save him. I have the tank all set up now, and I know that is an immediate improvement from the vase he is coming from. I do have maracyn two just incase i need to use it.

Just for info, how much salt should I add, and how much melafix? It is a 5 gallon tank with an aqua-tech 15 filter.

it should be enough if u raise the salt to 0.1% and add the melafix as the directions say, that would be half a teaspoon I think for 5 gallons, I just use the cap to measure it. Good luck I hope he makes it!

Thanks to everyone for the help, but she said the fish died last night

That's too bad.

Had you got him earlier, I know you would have saved him, grain.

rip little guy.

Thank you Jack. I do wish I could have saved him


But, I have decided that I am going to buy one...and that will probably save whichever one I do buy from the fate of a short life being kept in a jar!

Ain't that the truth.

Who will be the lucky one?

sorry to hear that, post pics when u get ur new betta

I definately will!!

I am going to let my mom pick out whichever one she wants She picked our Old Red, and he's the one we had for 4 years, so that worked out pretty well.

I am now the proud owner of a beatiful new betta named Rainbow (by my mommy)....he has a dark blue body, it gets lighter blue to turquoise as you go back toward his tail, then the tail by the body is reddish and blue toward the ends.....i'll post pics as soon as i can!

they aren't the best pics, but they do the trick:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v150/grain190/DSC03821.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v150/grain190/DSC03824.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v150/grain190/DSC03823.jpg

he's a very pretty guy, I'm sure you'll give him a good life

his colors are great

wow he look so healthy

thanks everyone

He is really one of the prettiest bettas that I've ever seen! But, you can see from one of the pics that his tail has a small area that looks like it had started to rot kinda...who knows how he was kept before I got him. But I have the water to .01 salt (that's 1 tsp per gallon, right?)...so I am hoping that helps it grow back quickly. But he seems really happy and healthy, and he loves his new tank!

I am going to try to get better pics....those don't really do him justice.

Rainbow is a beautiful boy!! Congrats to you and your mom. I bet he loves all the room in that tank!

he's a very pretty little betta aint he?

He is a really nice fish I love his colour.

Thanks everyone!! He sure does seem to be happy in his new home

that's one pretty betta