Betta is dieing "Help"

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

Hello
I have a betta who has a big bump on his left side. I have given him espson salt baths, and changed his water twice a day for the last 4 days. I have given him peas, and nothing is working. I am going out of my mind because he is still alive, rests on leaves, and comes to see me everytime I go near him. It pains me to see him like this. I have bred bettas, and have never seen anything like this. Does someone else know what I can do - or maybe it's too late. How can I make his last days less painful. He is in a two gallon bowl, and his water is at 80 degees.
Thank you
Lynn

 

[TabMorte]

Does he seem distressed? Has he lost any color?

My experience with Bettas is if they're eatting and coming to see you still then they're probably not that far gone.

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

Okay, I'm a little mixed up how this forum works, so hope you get my reply. No he doesn't seem stressed...after all he's been through, he seems okay on that point. I haven't fed him anything but peas in the last 4 days, and he spits them out. Should I feed the poor thing, and what should I give him! I have pellets that he loves, and I have frozen blood worms, along with frozen Mysis - I noticed that he has a red streak going though his tail, I don't think it was there before.
Thank you for all your help
Lynn

 

[crimsondeathforlove]

My blue betta Ryo has a huge bump on the side of him too. At first I thought he was constipated, I did the whole fasting and pea thing, but it turned out to be a tumor, at least that's what I'm told. He doesn't seem to mind it, he just doesn't swim around as much he used to. I put up pictures if you wanna compare Ryo to yours. These are older pictures his bump still looks the same, the smaller one just not red anymore, that was a bacterial infection that I took care of with some Melafix, now it like a peach color.

Ryo:

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

OMG - this looks exactly like my Betta - the bump is the same, and he is blue too. He is having problems getting to the top of his bowl, so I lowered the waster for him, and today I fed him frozen blood worms, and he ate them...He is bending in two, maybe I have given him too many espson salt baths. I will leave him alone now, and just keep his home clean, feed him, and hope is will be okay.
Thank you so much for the pictures, now I know, and I appreciate this very much.
Hugs...Lynn

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

I just notices that he has red streaks all the way down to his tail - bright red streaks. Should I treat him with Malafix?

 

[crimsondeathforlove]

Sorry to hear that it might be a tumor. Ryo doesn't swim much anymore either, he'll float at the top and rest on the rocks and swim very little, but I don't blame him I wouldn't move to much either with a tumor like that. Not to sure about those red steaks your talking about, it would help a lot if you could put up pictures or ask someone in the fish department at Petsmart or Petco. If you don't have one near you and could put pictures up I could take it to my friend at Petsmart and ask her what she think and what she recommends for you.

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

I brought him to the pet store this morning, and they think he is hemmoraging inside...they don't know about the bump, and think it is cancer. They told me to leave him in the bag, and put him in the freezer where he would die. They said there was nothing I could do for him. I couldn't put him in the freezer, so put him back in his bowl. He is eating, he is slow, and rests on leaves. The water is low, since he has trouble getting to the sufice for air. This has been hell for me, and him too, so now I will just wait it out. Thank you for all your responses.
Hugs...
Lynn

 

[Kissyboots]

Well if you do need to "put him down," I'd suggest freezing water first and then putting him in. My current betta has a really fat tummy too and I can't get him to eat peas. I'm wondering if he has a different problem than just with his digestion.

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/freshwater-general-discussion/51222-exploring-fish-euthanasia.html

 

[crimsondeathforlove]

I'm really sorry to hear that. I'd never be able to do that to Ryo, I'd do what your doing and wait it out. I guess I'm lucky Ryo's isn't cancerous. How old is your betta? Again I'm really sorry, I hope you stick around here though.

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

I'm going to get more bettas, this is the first time I have encountered a problem like this one...I have bred them, and never had a problem. I even had an experience with one male betta that stayed with his young until they were quite big! I had to remove some young ones, but suprisingly enough there was no fighting until they got big enough to put on the market...It's a once in a lifetime experience, and I wasn't looking to keep that spawn - lol
I'm going to keep my sick betta, he is eating, and he is no longer constipated....I gave him frozen blood worms, and that unblocked him. The pea trick and espson salt did nothing for him.
I can't kill a fish, unless I see that he is really suffering.
I'm going to keep Jon Jon (that's his name) and hope for the best.
Thank you, and I will stick around -
Hugs...Lynn

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

Whoops, I forgot to mention, that I don't know his age, he was full size when I bought him, and I have had him for one year. Darn you get attached to bettas though! I think that we are seeing more and more unknown deseases, probably because some are bred between brother and sister, and maybe the lakes, and rivers they come from are polluted...When you see how they ship them, it's a wonder the poor things make it to our aquariums.

 

[crimsondeathforlove]

Glad your sticking around. I've never seen how they are shipped I just see them in the boxes they come to Petsmart in. I'm really attached to my two bettas too. I've had Ryo for 1 1/2 years and Eclipse for 3 months.

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

I've worked in petshops, and have seen them arrive - they are so many who die, it is pitiful, and real masacre. They are sent in small, very small plastic bags, the smallest you can imagine...I was shocked the first time I saw this.... then they put them in small cups, I think it should be forbidden, but not too many people care about fish.
I just wanted to tell you that last night I changed his water again, a full change, and put in some aquarium salt, and a drop of aquarisol, and guess what??? The red streaks have disappeared!! I was so happy to see this. His bump is still there, but he is swimming a little bit more, and comes up to see me like he use to. I fed him his pellets that he loves so much, and tonight I gave him bloodworms, and he is eating well. I don't think they really can tell what is wrong, vets either, to know they would have to take a biopsy, and kill the fish. No way I will let them do that. Like you, I will let him live, and wait, maybe he and Ryo, will eventually live happy lives, well what ever they have left.
Hugs...Lynda

 

[crimsondeathforlove]

Super glad to hear he's doing better! If the bumps a tumor I don't think it will go away. That is really sad how they ship them though : (

 

[TabMorte]

It could be Fish TB. I've been reading about it lately (I have a theory about what most people take for Neon Tetra Disease really being fish TB). It apparently effects about 30% of fish and is particularly common in Bettas, Tetras, Gouramis and Platties/Swordtails (aka the most common fish).

Unfortunitely there's no way to know with out a biopsy (which just isn't feasable for most fish keepers) but you may wish to take the procausion of not adding any other fish to his tank and making sure to wash your hands really well after any time they've been in the tank.

 

[crimsondeathforlove]

I don't think Ryo has that but I did look it up, thanks for mentioning it. He lives in his own tank anyway and I alway wash my hands after every tank I touch.

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

I have read about this too, but it is extremely rare that humans get this, but I will be careful. I don't think he has TB because he is a real glutton, and eats very well. What worries me is that he can no longer swim like he use to, and sort of eats standing up, if you know what I mean, and he rests alot on leaves, or goes to the bottom of the tank. He is alone now, and I have brought the water level down for him to be able to come to the surface for air more easily. The more your read about these diseases, the scarier it gets!!! I know that this bump won't go away...but I once had a discus fish with a hard bump, and I cut it open and put a drop of live bearer on it - I know that was a stupid thing to do, and it was a long time ago, but believe it or not, that discus lived on to a ripe old age...I won't try that on the betta though, I was just lucky with the Discus.
Thanks for all the advice
Lynn

 

[lyndasimard15@msn.com]

Something else is happening now. I woke up this morning to find big bubbles on the suface of the water. This is no nest...the bubble are big, and everytime he opens his mouth, a bubble comes out...he also seems to be developing another bump on his right side....but he struggles over to greet me, and is eating. I wish he would die. I know this is a horrible thing to say, but I hate to see him like this. Just the way he comes over to see me, takes alot out of him, but still he comes. It's so sad...not much more I can do, but hope he isn't suffering.
Lynn

 

[crimsondeathforlove]

Sorry to hear, I thought he was getting better. I don't know what the bubbles could be. I hate to say this but if it that much out of him to swim maybe it's time to help him pass away, remember it's whatever you think is best. I'd see what others have to say first though.