Does my betta have dropsy?

Question

I know there is something wrong with my fish. He's a quite a bit fatter than when I got him, and now he isn't eating. I looked up some stuff online and I think he's got the dropsy symptoms. I want to treat them, but I want to make sure this is what it is. I've posted some pictures, can someone please confirm this? Or if not tell me what is wrong with him?

These are the best pictures I could get. If you look really close I think you can see the scales fanning out some.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/tsuki06/100_1396.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/tsuki06/100_1397.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v735/tsuki06/100_1400.jpg

Answer 1

You are correct. There is no doubt whatsoever that fish has dropsy. Dropsy is treatable, but at this stage the success rate is very, very low. Depending on exactly how long it's been developing mortality rates will run from 90 - 99% To be quite honest it's my opinion your best option is to humanly euthanize the fish. You may could clear the disease but there is also significant internal damage at this stage of the disease.

Sorry for the bad news, but I just want you to know the truth of the situation.

EDIT: In reply to another post, this is not a case of an over fed betta. The classic sign and give away here as you know is the pinecone look of the scales.

MM

Answer 2

Yup, it sure looks like dropsy. Great pictures! I wish everyone who had disease questions could post such good pictures! Actually, dropsy is not really a disease. It's really an internal bacterial infection. Fish may recover with no treatment and may die despite it. The swelling is because the fish is absorbing water faster than it can eliminate it, and it can be caused by many different problems. High nitrates are one thing to check. Internal bacterial infections, including fish TB, are other possibilities. High nitrates are usually the culprit. Good water conditions prevent this. If there are no water quality problems, you may want to attempt antibiotic treatment in a separate tank. Fish usually die from dropsy. Sorry. It's possibly the hardest internal bacterial infection to cure. There are a number of medications available such as penicillin, tetracycline and naladixic acid. The fish usually doesn't make it, but it's worth a try because at least you will know that you tried to do everything you could anyway.

Answer 3

dropsy. could be treatable, could not be, depends on what's causing it. the scales stick out because excess amounts of water under the skin. this is USUALLY caused by kidney failure, in which case you fish will die no matter what. bacteria is what causes the kidney failure usually, and the bacteria is usually from live foods (avoid!).

raised scales can also be caused by fish tuberculosis, which again has no cure. you fish will die.

there are FEW cases when the fish vcan be saved with salt dips (add 3 tablespoons of aquarium salt to a gallon of water and put your betta in for 30mins, take him out asap if he shows signs of distress) but in those cases it is not caused by kidney failure and therefore is not really dropsy. is also would most likely clear up on it's own if that's the case. you either have early symptoms of dropsy or not dropsy at all. try the salt dip, if it doens't get better in a few days or gets worse over the next few days your betta has dropsy and will die. sorry :(

Answer 4

I agree with magicman. It does look like dropsy and there is no gaurantee that treatment will work, but I would at least try. The pinecone appearance of the scales is the visual proof that it is dropsy. Most fish will not recover but it is possible. Good luck.

Answer 5

he isn't eating because you have given him so much food to make him so fat he can digest it fast enough.adding food every day knowing that he wont eat it is just polluting the water.give him a break for about 3 days from eating and change his water.he looks very bloated to me.here is an exerpt from a website:

Overfeeding can cause serious problem. Double Tail bettas will have swimbladder problem if you over feed them. They will start floating and may take up to several weeks to recover! So with DeltaTails, it is even more important to not overdo it when it comes to food. Also when feeding live food, especially live brine shrimp, you must be aware that bettas will not stop eating until all the live food has been gobbled up. So only feed reasonable amounts of live food to your bettas. They'll eat themselves to death. Literally.

Skip a day. It is a good idea to not feed your betta one day a week. Let his digestive system rest, let him clean himself out a bit. This does not mean that you should feed your betta whenever you remember, and that it is OK to feed him on and off and skip several days. You should feed him daily, and then skip one day every week.

Remove uneaten food: so it won’t rot and pollute your betta’s water. Some foods foul the water more than others. Uneaten food = food for bacteria = bacteria party/orgy= lots of bacteria joining the fun= bacteria then moving on to betta's body and latching on to it like leeches= sick betta= dead betta=depressed betta parent. Hence I can simplify the equation by saying that uneaten food = you are not happy.

How long can a betta live without eating? I am not sure exactly how many days, but what I do know is that they can survive without food for a long time. I had a sick betta who ate a half a live worm once a week and lasted three month that way. I know that bagged bettas have been reported to have survived in their sealed bags up to three weeks. So I guess, what I am trying to say is, if you are leaving on a week-end trip and won’t be home to feed your betta for 3 days, don’t sweat it. He won’t starve or anything :). Again that does not mean that you should not feed your bettas with punctuality.


i hope this helps,and good luck with you little betta piggy.

check this link for more info:http://www.bettatalk.com/food.htm
it includes pictures

Answer 6

I don't know very much about bettas, but they are rather fragile. I've known people who have had them, and the fish are not known for longevity. Your betta is very beautiful, however. I've never seen one with such variegated colors. I hope you can get an expert opinion about its condition. I'm sorry I can't be of much help, but wish you luck.