Betta ill - have tried Maracyn, Tea Tree & Methylene Blue

Question
Chris -

Thank you so much for all your help.  My beta seems to be looking healthier.
I have one problem still that doesn't seem to change and I don't know how to
help my fish.  He can't seem to get his food.  I don't know if he can't see
it or that his mouth isn't opening enough to get it.  He goes for it but it
is like he hits it with his nose and he doesn't get anything in his mouth.
What can I do to help with his nutrition?  He got one little piece today but
that is all I have seen him get for several days and no one is here at the
office to feed over the weekend.  So he really has not had much food at all.
I kibble in 5-6 days maybe.  What can I try?


Karen

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Thank you so much.  I am on my why out to find Maracyn 2.How much salt do I use?
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Chris,
I have my beta in a large bowl - maybe 2  gallons.  I change h20 every 3-4 days.  No filter.  Keep the temp around 75-80 degrees.  I need a professionals help.  We have people that manage a 200 gallon salt tank in our office but they can't seem to give me the right advice for my sick beta.  I have had this fish 2.5-3 years.  He is very special for many reasons but most importantly.... he is sick & I can't get him well.  He has lost the coloring around one eye(but no fuzzy ick on scales), can't seem to find his food when he goes to grab it & has two holes in long tail and his top fin is turning white/gray with a bit of the fuzzies.  I have used Maracyn, Methylene Blue, tea tree.  What else should I try to do to help????  PLEASE - your input would be valued."

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Hi Karen;

It sounds like fin and tail rot. You might try "Fungus Cure" and aquarium salt. Or, "Maracyn 2" and aquarium salt.

You have done an excellent job caring for him all this time. He is a pretty old little fella now so he will have a harder time healing than a young fish. Bettas lifespan is 2 to 3 years, and they are already about a year old when we buy them in the fish store. That makes your little friend about 3.5 to 4 years old. That's a very long life for a beta! Do the best you can and keep his water as warm as possible. Hopefully he will get better from the change of medicine.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins
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Hi Karen;

I usually dose at the rate of half-a-teaspoon per gallon of water. Yours is a bout 2 gallons so one full teaspoon would be fine. Even if it's a little less or a little more than 2 gallons it's okay. Remember to use aquarium salt and not regular table salt. Table salt has additives that can hurt him.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins

Answer
Hi Karen;

I'm so glad to hear he is doing better! His vision might not be as good as it was before he got sick. He may have to be fed on the end of a toothpick or something. Moisten the food and the toothpick and guide it to his mouth. What you don't want to do is leave food for him to "eat later". It will rot too quickly and foul his water. You might consider taking him home for the weekend. Leaving him alone may cause his tank temperature to drop too low and he could get sick again. Most businesses turn off the heat on vacations or weekends, or they turn it too low for bettas to tolerate. Just a thought anyway.

Have a wonderful weekend and I hope your little guy keeps doing better!

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins