Sick Betta - Clamped fins and floats on side

Question
Hi,
I've had this betta for about five months.  About two months ago, I was travelling, and my fish were cared for by a friend for a month.  Towards the end, my friend reported that this fish was eating less and had become lethargic.  I have had the fish back with me for about three weeks now.

Symptoms:
Very lethargic, just floats
Does not eat much at all
Fins are clamped (the tips look black and almost stuck together -- he used to have such a beautiful tail but now it's just stuck)
Started floating on just one side
Color seems a little duller, but not significantly
Lately it has appeared that he has a bulge in his abdomen, near the tail
He seems to have some shiny patches on his head and gills (it looks almost metallic)

I've been clean the bowl and doing fresh water changes about twice a week since he came back to me.  I kept him in my roommate's room where the temperature is 77-80 degrees.  I store spring water in the apartment and I use that for water changes.  I've been using tetracyline for about two weeks now, and a few days ago I also added some anti-fugus treatment because it looks like there could be some cottony white stuff on the fins.

It seems that he's getting a little more active, but he still floats on his side and the fins are still clamped.  Most symptoms have remained relatively constant, except the bulge near the tail appears to be new.

I feel like he should have either gotten better by now... or succumbed to the disease.  But since he's still hanging in there, I want to make sure I do everything possible to give him the best chance at a full recovery.  What else should I do?

Answer
Hi Alina;

It sounds like a very persistent case of fin and tail rot with maybe something else going on inside. It may also be a constipation issue. Keep using the fungus medicine but instead of tetracycline, switch to "Maracyn 2". It's a little different and will actually absorb inside the fish instead of just treating the outside of the body. Here is a good web page about using medicines in small tanks and bowls;

http://www.healthybetta.com/easymeds.html

Another thing that may help him is an epsom salt bath to clear the constipation and draw fluids out from the swollen area. Here is a web page with info about that;

http://groups.msn.com/TheBettaObsession/epsomsaltbath.msnw

More info on fin and tail rot;

http://groups.msn.com/TheBettaObsession/bettaillnessandtreatment.msnw

I hope he feels better soon......

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins