Betta Dropsy

Question
I have had a crowntail betta for about 8 months now, and he has always had a rather large stomach.  I thought he was fat (and often joked about him), but my boyfriend's crowntail betta also had a larger stomach, so I figured it might be something about crowntails.  I watched his diet a little closer, but even when I fed him less, he maintained the stomach.

Now, I have noticed that he has mildly raised scales.  His belly looks a little more bloated than usual, but it is hard to tell.  I figured it was probably Dropsy, and I was very dissappointed. =/  I love my little Rags.

However, now I notice what looks like an open sore on the underside of his belly.  I read that Betta Tuberculosis can have red marks on the belly, but I can't really see the redness very well, but there certainly is a protrusion with redness underneath his belly.

Is there anything I can do to help this poor guy?  What's wrong with poor Mr. Rags? =(

Answer
Hello Sara-

Sorry for the long wait; I hope Rags is still okay.

Anyways, Dropsy -as you probably know- is usually fatal. A few people have had some success with adding a small dose of Epsom salt to the tank to relieve the swelling, but this is not really a cure, it just treats the symptoms.

Fish tuberculosis, on the other hand, is usually characterized by a crooked spine and wasting away of the fish, along with the open wounds.

My advice would be to add some Epsom salt to the tank and treat the wound with Melafix. If he does have Dropsy, at least you can make him as healthy as possible until his time. Some fish can last much longer than one would expect.

Hope little Rags can improve...
-Amber Worman