u/technicolorsneeze

My beautiful boy seems to just be suffering. Like he's so depressed or too sick to move.

He was "rescued" (see my last post, linked below) a month ago because of a bit of bloat but just when the bloat starts to get better, something else gets worse, and the cycle continues. He's been in a hospital tank for a month being continuously treated, but I don't want him to live his last days in this tiny little inhumane tank. It was only meant to be temporary. I don't know what else to do.

Long story short, I've tried everything that has been suggested to me, ive been maintaining water parameters, doing water changes as necessary, we've done kanaplex, maracyn 2, even Jessiel's dropsy protocol (though he has never pineconed, aside from around the tummy bloat), fasts, epsom baths, I put a heater guard in and his scales are healing really well from heater burns, but im just stumped.

Im so confused and disheartened. I don't want to euthanize him, i want him to get better. But is it time to consider it? Is it inhumane to keep him alive like this? I have a giant beautiful planted tank that I created for him while in his in hospital tank, but im not sure he will ever get to see it, or if its even safe for him to see it. Im just sad.

Any suggestions are so so so welcome and GREATLY appreciated. I'm willing to do anything.

Original post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BettaClinic/s/YuxxABVXle

Okay so I "rescued" this little guy recently, he was given to me by a petsmart employee because he had bloat that they apparently weren't trying to deal with. It's been about 2 weeks of various treatments and he is still kind of bloated and his swim bladder is still wonk.

He is currently in a .75gal hospital tank with a small bubbler, a heater, some bio substrate, a floating log, no tank mates, and his water temperature is at a pretty steady 76.5°f His water parameters as of today via master test kit are as follows:

pH: 7.5 (struggling w this one right now, can't seem to get it down to 7)

Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate: 0ppm.

The first two days I had him, I did a couple epsom salt baths in a separate tank and 24 hour fasting, the bloat went down substantially. I did a couple more less concentrated baths but noticed his scales starting to get irritated. I stopped that, he got a 25% water change in his hospital tank and a bit of stress coat over a couple days. I *finally* got my kanaplex order, which I mixed with frozen bloodworms and fed him with it once every 24 hours for 2 days. I hand fed him and I've never seen a fish wait patiently like a puppy before, my heart melted... but I digress.

As of today (pictured), his scales are still irritated, his fins still look great, and so far, no pineconing. He can swim to the top and hold himself up there for a moment, which he could not previously do, but he still ends up on his side whether he is at the top of bottom of the tank.

I just don't know what to do? I have not tried methylene blue because I didn't think this situation called for it, but i have been checking the common betta disease page just in case anything changes.

The first picture is about 4 days after I got him, the other 3 are him as of yesterday and today. Side, tummy, and top view. He just lays on his side all day and I just want him to feel better and have some quality of life, but im scared to move him to a bigger tank while he is sick so I don't shock him.

Thanks everyone ❤️