Multiple diseases in betta fish?

Question
hello,
I have a short-finned male betta fish, a little less than a year old. He once was an active little fellow, very interactive, lovable, and energetic. However, recently I've noticed that he's exhibiting symptoms of different diseases. His "stomach" is abnormally bloated and he is floating sideways, a symptom of Swim Bladder Disorder (although his appetite has not been lost). Also, there are several strange white trailings coming from his gill area, perhaps sign of gill parasite (?). I'm really at a loss to the solution to my dilemma. I have quarantined him and his water quality seems to be fine. In his old aquarium setting, he had a plant on the surface. I made sure that he still had enough breathing space and that the plant was not producing bacteria through rot. I was wondering if you could tell what disease he has contracted. I plan to purchase, soon, tetracycline. Please help me. I don't want to lose him.

Answer
Hi Alice,
The swollen belly+floating sideways may be Swim-bladder disorder induced by Constipation. The white trailings may be excessive slime production due to the stress.


I would fast him from his regular food and either try or combine a treatment of feeding a bit of a green pea (on the end of a blunt toothpick tends to work well) and completely thawed brine shrimp/daphnia to help get his digestive system going. Sometimes if bettas are fed too much flake food or pellets and don't receive enough variety they can develop blockages.
*Also you should try some epsom salt. I believe the dosage for small betta containers is 1/8 teaspoon divided into 5 equal parts. One part per gallon. This treatment has been used plentiful times before. It is quite safe and not very stressful. Just make sure the epsom salt is predissolved in a small cup of his tank water and add little portions at intervals to get him use to it.


Now even with this treatment I can't guarantee all he has is just constipation. Unfortunately it could also be anything from a cyst/tumor, internal bacterial infection, kidney malfunction, ect...



On a side note:

Clean water is always important for bettas, especially when they are sickly. Try to change his water in large amounts daily until you can be sure he is better.

Also keep his temp warm at least 78-80F to help his immune system.

Best of luck and I hope all goes well!
Karen~