Willy a.k.a Jaws

Question
QUESTION: HI!  My betta fish will a.k.a jaws,  is recovering from dropsy.  I noticed a difference in his appearance right a way.  He began to pinecone and looked a little bloated.  When I saw his scales lifting a little bit, I immediately began research on what he might have.  After researching, I bought Maracyn-2, epsom salt and medicated fish food.  Being that his bloating was not extreme like other fish I saw online, I gave him epsom salt baths for ten minutes and last night only five minutes.  Yesterday was the last day of his treatment and today when I woke up he looked much better, but on one side I can see the scales are still somewhat lifted. It is not badly lifted, but I am afraid the dropsy will return.  Is it possible to do one more day of treatment to be sure the bacteria is completely gone?  I am afraid to treat him for the full five days because I do not want to overdose him, especially if he does not need the full five days.  Also, is it possible for betta fish to rip there scales.  Yesterday morning when I woke up I saw something sticking up from his forehead.  It looks clear.  Could it be something lodged in his forehead or could he have scratched it on something in his tank?  I know I can't know for sure what it is, but either way I fear that it might become infected.  Is there anything you recommend I do to see what is on my little guys forehead?

I greatly appreciate your time and volunteer work for our fish owners.

Thanks,

Britt

ANSWER: Hi Britt,

I'd continue the salt for the next week or so, slowly bringing it out of the tank by small water changes.

I think that the medication is not the thing helping as much as the salt.  Salt cures Dropsy in 90% of the cases, so let's just stick with that and let his body recouperate at least for 3 more days.

If it looks bad again, or starts getting worse, of course, re-medicate as you did before, but the less medication, the less stress, and the more chance he will recouperate.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Wow!!! Thank you for replying back soooo fast.  That was great.  

I have been taking him out of his fish tank to do the salt baths.  Should I add the epsom salt to his fishtank water and then slowyly bring it out?  Should I do 25% water changes to slowly bring the salt out of the water?  I just wanted to clarity that.

Another  question that I just remembered and it is something that I have been researching, but because of your experience you might know best.  Ever since the dropsy, his fins seem to be curled at the ends and are beginning to uncurl slightly; However, will this improve and will they completely open up again?

Another thing, he has something that appears to be sticking up from the corner of his forhead.  It looks like it might be something small and clear underneath his scale, but I am unsure.  I am afraid that if I leave it it might get infected.  Is  it possible that he may have rubbed the side of his forehead on something in his fishtank and scratched a scale and lifted it.  

Your response was very helpful and I will put your advice into practice immediately.

Thank you a loooot,

Britt

ANSWER: Hi Britt,

It sounds like he's still got a few things going on besides Dropsy.  I'd like to modify my advice a bit.

I had not realized he was being salt-bathed, but thought you had added 2 teaspoons of marine salt per gallon (or rock salt) to the tank, and had not realized that.  Everytime you take him out to bathe him, it is causing more stress to the fish.

Here is the route I would have gone, instead, and you can begin this tonight.

Two teaspoons of rock salt, dissolved, per gallon in his tank.

Leave it in and don't touch the water for 2 days.  Change out 25% after 2 days, and I would change out 25% each weekend for a month til the water is saltless.

You can add the Marycin in the salt-treated tank if you think there isn't much further recovery and it won't hurt anything, but give the salt a chance to work.

When you begin the salt treatment, if you don't see improvement after 2 days, leave it to a third day, but most likely he will show drastic improvement over that first 48 hours.  

Curled fins can comefrom many things, and perhapse he has them as a reaction to being medicated.  Fins are skin-covered.  Skin is an organ and so it can have visible reactions to conditions.

I hope this helps.  I hope it's very clear and concise, as I did try to make it understandable, but if you have any further questions, please write back.

Get better Jaws!

Renee

About the scale with something in it...we don't know, without seeing photos, what it is, so the best thing is the salt.  Salt treats most freshwater parasites that are external.





---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Forgive me i am unable to be at a computer and am writing this from my phone, my questions wont be as thorough, but i am desparate to restore him back to former health, for my comfort and especially his. anyway- jaws is doing much better. he has no bloating or anything like that anymore. only one thing i have noticed is his belly looks a little big, but i think he is constipated and i gave him peas, so once that gets cleared out that is one less thing to worry about. as i mentioned before, his scales r still a tad lifted, but not terribly, now the marine salt will help this symptom. also, marine salt will not harm him being that he has never been in marine salt before. also, will marine salt cause him to retain water? thank you for answwering back so fast and i will put into practice what u prescribed for my poor little fella.  i had only read a couple of articles about the use of marine salt and did not know much abou it, infact i could hardly findd info about it. with th lack of info ,i didnbt want to attempt it. i typically like a lot of info and then i feel secure and confident enough to proceed with out any fear. i know there are lots of questions and i greatly appreciate ur care and concern for my little. sorry if anything sounds short or abrupt.  qwerky keyboard is a pain. i wil: defintiely reco~mend u to anyone who needs fish help.  britt

Answer
Hi Britt,

In all my years of aquarium-keeping, I have never had any issues using marine salt on a freshwater fish.  In fact, I use it at home to treat sick fish and we do quite well with it, but you can certainly use whichever salt you wish to use.

If you are worried, use rock-salt.  It is pure salt.  No additives, and usually it's not iodized.

You can also purchase salt, sold for treating freshwater fish.

Marine salt and retaining water?  It made me giggle a little.  No worries.  I have never known of a fish retaining water from salt introduction.

See, adding 2 teaspoons of salt per gallon isn't a lot.  A marine aquarium uses half a cup of salt per gallon.  Two teaspoons isn't much at all.  Just a tad of salt to combat the Dropsy.  If you are worried...start with one teaspoon per gallon.  Tomorrow add another teaspoon per gallon, going to a total of 2 teaspoons per gallon (no more than that please) and he will be okay.

Here is an article which I agree with.  http://www.ehow.com/how_5855664_treat-freshwater-ich-marine-salt.html

However, I don't recommend 3 teaspoons of salt, ever.  Go up to 2.  It should work, even if it takes a little longer.  We never want to stress out the fish.

Just to clarify, if you have a 10 gallon aquarium, put in 10 teaspoons of salt, pre-stirred in a coffee cup so it's dissolved.  Tomorrow, pre-stir another 10 and add them.  That adds up to 2 teaspoons per gallon.

If he's in a one gallon bowl, add one teaspoon of salt tonight, and one tomorrow.

I truly hope this helps.  If you have any fish questions, ever, please write and feel free to get all the advice you need.

I'd rather you asked 1000 questions, then get my advice wrong and mis-dose the fish or something of that nature. :)

I hope little Jaws gets better soon.  He is lucky to have a caring owner.

Thanks and happy fish-keeping.
Renee