A final query: seeking valuable advice

[Dawnrider]

I've been thinking nonstop about my betta's health, and I'm torn between trying to treat his issues or considering euthanasia. I made a post a while back asking for advice, but I didn't get any responses, so I'm hoping someone can offer some guidance this time.

If I decide to continue treating him, I could try the almond leaves for his velvet, as some people have suggested. For his bloating, daphnia has been mentioned, but I'm not sure if it'll make a difference. I've been observing him, and he doesn't seem to be moving around much - he never really has, not since I noticed the velvet. I have a towel covering his tank due to the parasite, so when I lift it, he swims around near the front, almost as if he's asking for food. Since he's bloated, I haven't been feeding him, and after a few minutes, he swims off to rest on his plants or at the bottom of the tank. I'm not sure if he's behaving this way because he's hungry or because he's sick, but like I said, he acted the same way before the bloating. Is he suffering, or is this just his normal behavior?

On the other hand, euthanasia is also an option. I'm starting to doubt that any medications or the almond leaves will help his velvet, and as for the bloating, I'm not convinced that it'll do anything except make him bigger. He only seems to get bigger when I feed him peas, and I assume the same would happen with his regular food. I'm not sure if the daphnia would magically fix everything, but I've never used it before. I don't want to ask my parents to spend more money on things that might not work, but at the same time, I don't want to be selfish. As the title says, I'd really appreciate any advice.

[pastime1]

I'm not sure why you started a new topic when the old information would've been really helpful too. If you're certain it's velvet, then I think following the clear instructions on how to treat it would be the best course of action - I've heard it can be cured.

Have you raised the temperature in his tank yet? I'm no expert, but I've read that this can also help with constipation, assuming that's what's causing the bloating and not something else.

[detroit]

Hi there,
I think you should start by reading up on how to treat velvet. Almond leaves, or any leaves for that matter, aren't going to be of much help since velvet is caused by a parasite that requires medication to kill it. If you already have the medication, then go ahead and treat it.

However, if you don't have the medication and are hesitant to spend money on it, euthanization might be a viable option. From my perspective, if treating the fish is going to be too much trouble and too expensive, I'd consider euthanizing it. In my experience, sometimes it's just not worth the hassle and cost of treating a fish. Where I'm from, buying a new fish is often cheaper than treating a sick one. And more often than not, the fish still ends up dying despite the time and money I've invested in treating it. I don't have personal experience with treating velvet, so I couldn't say what the chances are of saving the fish with medication.

That being said, try not to feel too bad if the fish doesn't make it. Trust me, it's not easy to treat and save a sick fish.

[Dawnrider]

I'm not sure why you started a new topic when the old information would've been really helpful too. If you're certain it's velvet, then I think following the clear instructions on how to treat it would be the best course of action - I've heard it can be cured.

Have you raised the temperature in his tank yet? I'm no expert, but I've read that this can also help with constipation, assuming that's what's causing the bloating and not something else.

I started a new thread because my old ones tend to get lost in the mix and I figured I'd get more responses this way.

I appreciate your input, but I've already tried a few treatments for the velvet. The tank is covered, the temperature is as high as it can go, and I've added some aquarium salt. I've also been using cupramine, but unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be doing much. I did try another treatment before that one, but that didn't yield any results either. I'm hesitant to keep trying new things because it's not me who's paying for it - my parents are.

I've been wondering if the lump on my betta might not actually be bloating, but something else entirely, like a tumor. I initially ruled out dropsy because he was still swimming fine and his scales weren't as pineconed as I'd expect. However, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that it's indeed bloating. He does get bigger when I feed him anything, and during water changes, I never seem to suck up any waste, which makes me think he's not pooping.

[Dawnrider]

Hi there,
I think you should start by reading up on how to treat velvet. Almond leaves, or any leaves for that matter, aren't going to be of much help since velvet is caused by a parasite that requires medication to kill it. If you already have the medication, then go ahead and treat it.

However, if you don't have the medication and are hesitant to spend money on it, euthanization might be a viable option. From my perspective, if treating the fish is going to be too much trouble and too expensive, I'd consider euthanizing it. In my experience, sometimes it's just not worth the hassle and cost of treating a fish. Where I'm from, buying a new fish is often cheaper than treating a sick one. And more often than not, the fish still ends up dying despite the time and money I've invested in treating it. I don't have personal experience with treating velvet, so I couldn't say what the chances are of saving the fish with medication.

That being said, try not to feel too bad if the fish doesn't make it. Trust me, it's not easy to treat and save a sick fish.

A few people suggested almond leaves for their antibacterial properties, so I thought I'd consider getting them. I don't really want to buy more medications since my parents have to pay for them. I already have cupramine, but like I said before, it doesn't seem to be working. I know velvet is supposed to be treatable, but nothing seems to be doing the trick. I appreciate your input, by the way - it's exactly what I needed to hear. I'd feel bad giving up on him, but I'd also feel bad keeping him alive and testing all these products on him that my parents would have to buy. I think I could euthanize him without too much trouble, but I'd feel guilty afterwards. I already feel guilty for probably causing most of his issues - I had no idea treating a fish would be so difficult. I'll probably wait to see what other people think before making a decision.

[pastime1]

I think it's helpful to keep old topics together, especially when there are new replies, so they don't get lost in the list. If possible, it's best to start new topics for unrelated issues.

I'm pretty sure it's velvet, but I've been questioning it lately. I've been looking at old pictures of my betta, and he does look normal in them. Maybe I'm just overreacting. If you'd like, I can post some current pictures of him to get a better idea of what's going on.

I'm currently in a treatment phase, using cupramine, but I'm not sure if it's working. I've also tried another treatment before this one, but nothing seems to be helping. I've raised the temperature as high as it can go, and I've added some aquarium salt, but I'm not sure if that's enough.

My betta is a few years old, I'm not exactly sure how old, but he's been with me for a while. The temperature in the tank is at its highest point, but it's not extremely high.

I've been thinking that maybe I've been overfeeding him, and that's causing some of the issues. A single pea might be too much for him, like you said. I've been trying to limit his food, but it's hard to know what's best for him.

I've heard that live food is the best for fish, but I'm not sure where to find it. I live in a pretty urban area, so I don't have access to ponds or rain barrels. I've been using pellets and peas, but maybe that's not the best option.

When I show him a mirror, he doesn't really react. He just swims around like normal. I'm not sure if that's a good sign or not. To me, it doesn't seem like he's suffering too much, but I'm not sure what to look for.

[Dawnrider]

I'm not sure why you started a new topic when the old information would've been really helpful too. If you're certain it's velvet, then I think following the clear instructions on how to treat it would be the best course of action - I've heard it can be cured.

Have you raised the temperature in his tank yet? I'm no expert, but I've read that this can also help with constipation, assuming that's what's causing the bloating and not something else.

I'll take some new pictures soon. I went back and looked at the old ones, and I can see why you wouldn't have been able to see the velvet - it's mostly below his head and none of the pictures show that angle. When I shine a flashlight on him, I can see the shiny, reflective scales that look like velvet.

I actually finished the cupramine treatment already. I was supposed to leave the concentration in the water for 2 weeks, and it's now been 3 weeks since I first added it. My betta's about 2-3.5 years old, which isn't too bad considering how I kept him before moving him to his heated 5-gallon tank. The temperature's currently at 79 degrees.

I think someone in one of my previous posts might have helped me figure out what's causing the bloating. I never soaked his food, and his pellets expand to be way too big. I also feed him freeze-dried foods, which isn't great. I do cut up the peas into small pieces, though - about fourths - so it's not like I'm feeding him the whole thing.

I know live food is better for him, but I've never had the chance to start my own cultures. There aren't any ponds or similar bodies of water around where I live. I just tried showing him a mirror, and he completely ignored it. He just sank back down to the plants. To me, that, combined with his lack of movement, makes it seem like he's in some pain. If it didn't seem like his issues were bothering him, I wouldn't be considering euthanasia.