FLOATING BETTA - 4 WEEKS NOW

Question
"Hi, I hope you can help me. You are the third expert on this site I have asked... My poor Betta, Lucias, appears to have SBD as he is floating at the top of the tank.  I have tried everything I can find on the internet, and I have also spoken with the local fish store. To date we have tried fasting, I have fed him peas in an attempt to cure any constipation, but all to no avail.  The pet store suggested an antibacterial as a last resort.  I have just finished a course of tetracycline, but Lucias still floats.  This has been going on for approx 4 weeks now. He appears to be a little more active ie attempting to swim down, which is an improvement, although without success as he bobs back up to the surface. Now I noticed he is has some gray on his body, patches of almost iridescent white or silver. I don't know if this is fungus, or just a result of the stress of the possible SBD? It doesn't seem to be getting any worse.What can I do to help Lucias? How long does it take to get better from SBD? I now feed him one bettabite every other day. I have had him 2 years now. Is he just old? I don't know what else to do for him? What about a epsom salt bath?  Please...any advice is greatly appreciated.... "
1. TANK SET UP 2 YRS
2. BLUE BETTA
3. ONE
4. BIO WHEEL
5. NEVER TESTED
6. ONCE A WEEK/TWO WEEKS, 50%
7. 2 1/2 GALLON TANK


Answer
Hi Barbara;

There really isn't any timeline for a cure for SBD. Even if the initial cause is eliminated the swim bladder can still be left damaged and they never regain it's use. The main problem with swim bladder issues is that there are so many possible causes but only a couple of them are curable (constipation and bacterial infection). Fish can develop tumors, get injured, experience shock, get viruses, or just have organ failure. It's impossible to tell which one we are dealing with unless we could see inside him. That's obviously not an option for a little guy like this, so we just have to do what we can and hope for the best.

The constipation treatment wasn't successful, so antibiotics are the next treatment option. But, you need an antibiotic that absorbs inside to treat him internally. Regular tetracycline only works on the outside of the fish. "Maracyn Two" contains a form of tetracycline that will absorb inside. If you can't find that one, find a medicine containing Kanamycin. It's the only other antibiotic that gets internal.

The whitish grey stuff on him could be a different external infection or could be dead skin sloughing off after too-long exposure to the air. The Maracyn Two should take care of that too. You could also start using Melafix and aquarium salt to help him heal and soothe his wounds.

He is indeed an old little guy. You've done a great job in keeping him healthy all this time. Sometimes in spite of our best efforts they still get sick, especially when old. I hope he will recover in spite of that though...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins