help with my betta fish issue

[florabug]

It's been a while since I last posted, my previous thread was about Pence, my fin tank, who somehow miraculously recovered from Ich.

Although it's been a while, I'm now noticing something similar happening. Pence spends most of his time at the bottom of the tank and appears to have trouble swimming up to the surface to breathe.
He still comes up to eat at the surface but seems like he's having a hard time making it up there.

Any thoughts on what might be going on? Pence is over a year old now, his birthday was around January-February 2017.

Thanks for the help.

[wasteman4]

I'm curious to know more about Pence's current condition. Are his scales looking a bit off, like they're sticking out in all directions? Is he appearing bloated at all? I'd love to see some pictures of him if you have any. Could you also share some info about your tank and water parameters?

[florabug]

No pineconing, but his abdomen does look a bit bloated. He's in a 5.5 gal tank with 5 neon tetras - I know some people say it's too small for them, but they've been doing great and getting along fine for months. I try to do water changes every week or two. Here's a picture - sorry it's not the best quality, but hopefully it helps.

[wasteman4]

I'd say it's definitely too small for the tetras, just because they seem to be doing alright doesn't mean it's the best environment for them. We should stick to the established guidelines to avoid potential issues.

I'd recommend rehoming the tetras or upgrading to a larger tank for their sake. As for your betta, it's possible he has mild dropsy, I'd suggest moving him to a quarantine tank and treating the water with aquarium salt to see if that helps alleviate the symptoms.

[goldminer]

No, you can't use aquarium salt for bloating or dropsy, it's gotta be Epsom salt baths. Epsom salt is basically magnesium sulfate, kinda like a laxative for humans, but for fish it can help with swelling too. Just make sure to get the unscented, undyed stuff.

So what's Epsom salt do for my fish? It's got a few uses actually. It can help with constipation, reduce swelling, and even help with swim bladder disorder. If used right, it can make a bloated fish feel better and even help with dropsy.

Here's the deal, you gotta use 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per gallon of water. That's 3 teaspoons. Don't overdo it.

Now, how long does my betta need to stay in this mix? 10-15 minutes, that's it. 10 minutes for less severe cases, 15 for more severe ones. Don't leave it in there for too long.

Before putting my fish back in its tank, I need to acclimate it for 2-5 minutes to avoid shock.

To prep the dip, I need a clean 1-gallon container, a smaller one, water conditioner, a measuring spoon, thermometer, net, and my full attention.

First, fill the gallon container with clean, treated water that's the same temperature as the tank water. Then add the Epsom salt and stir it up. Get a second container with 1/4 salted water and 3/4 tank water, that's the "reviving station".

Carefully put my fish in the salted water and keep an eye on it. If it passes out or gets stressed, I need to get it out ASAP and put it in the reviving station. If it's okay, just keep an eye on it during the dip time. Once it's done, put it in the reviving station to adjust, then back in its tank to recover.

[florabug]

I'm considering trying this, but I'm really worried about stressing Pence out and losing him. His scales are sticking out a bit, and he has clamped fins, which is why I think he might have dropsy.

The bloating is also a concern, and I'm hoping this will help. I've read through the instructions, but I'm still a bit unsure - do I need to do the Epsom salt soaks just once, or will I need to repeat the process multiple times?

[goldminer]

The possibility of Pence dying from stress does exist, but it's extremely low if you do everything correctly. You might need to repeat the Epsom salt soaks a few times, though. Also, stop feeding him for a few days - his belly's swollen and food isn't helping right now.

[florist]

I'm curious to know more about Pence's current condition. Are his scales looking a bit off, like they're sticking out in all directions? Is he appearing bloated at all? I'd love to see some pictures of him if you have any. Could you also share some info about your tank and water parameters?

So, I'm gonna reiterate - ditch the aquarium salt, it's not what you want to use here. Epsom salt is the way to go, and I've already laid out the instructions for you on how to give your betta a bath. Also, keep in mind that your betta is probably stressed from being in a tank with those neon tetras - bettas are solo animals, they do best on their own.

[florabug]

I've been thinking of cutting back on his food anyway, since he hasn't been coming up for it much lately. I've actually already started feeding him less.

The tetras are now in the ten gallon tank. Last night, my mom moved Pence there too when I wasn't home. To be honest, the water quality in the 5.5 gallon was terrible and the temperature was way too high. I'm glad he's out of there for now.

He's just lying on the bottom of the ten gallon tank at the moment. I wasn't really keen on moving him, but maybe once I give the 5.5 gallon a good cleaning, I can move him back.

[florist]

It's been a while since I last posted, my previous thread was about Pence, my fin tank, who somehow miraculously recovered from Ich.

Although it's been a while, I'm now noticing something similar happening. Pence spends most of his time at the bottom of the tank and appears to have trouble swimming up to the surface to breathe.
He still comes up to eat at the surface but seems like he's having a hard time making it up there.

Any thoughts on what might be going on? Pence is over a year old now, his birthday was around January-February 2017.

Thanks for the help.

I'm concerned about the 5.5 gallon's temperature, it can get really hazardous for fish if it gets too high. What's going on with the temperature, do you have a filter in place? It's possible the heat could've been stressing Pence out even more.