# New betta with injuries...



## wodesorel (Mar 26, 2006)

Now that I'm actually spending some time with him, I'm a little worried.

The right side of his body sustained some injury at some point in time before I got him. His right eye is slighty cloudy, but not swollen, and has a red ring around it - almost like a black eye in humans. He can move the eye, but I can't tell if he can see out of it. He's also MISSING his right side fin. There's only about three rays there that are half as long as they should be. He's swimming quite well for the injury. Are side fins something that can grow back?

His stomach is also abnormally swollen. He's appetitte could be better, but I only got him two days ago, so I'm expecting him to not be chowing down completely yet. I guess the only way to tell if it's internal damage vs. parasites or constipation is wait, hunh?

I bought him from an actual display tank - not a little bowl, and he was swimming around in it just fine without issue. His side fins are almost completely transparent, and his color is a reddish/coral, so I didn't even notice there was a problem until just now. There is no sign of any sort of infection or fungus. Should I add melafix just in case, or just let him be with fresh water twice a day?

Thanks!


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## Guest (Jun 25, 2006)

Sounds like he has pop eye and fin rot or his fins got chewed, what other fish were in the tank with him? I'd treat with maracyn and put an airstone in the tank as meds take oxygen out of the air.


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## wodesorel (Mar 26, 2006)

He was by himself, actually. 

There is no signs of redness or stringness on any of his fins whatsoever.

And both his eyes are the exact same size, just one is a little bit cloudy, so I don't think it's popeye.


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## wodesorel (Mar 26, 2006)

Okay, I lied - it's popeye. 

He's also having swim bladder problems now.

I started treatment with Maracyn Plus (it's all I have on hand) last night. He's looking really pathetic.

Is he a lost cause yet, or is there still hope?


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

You need to put an air stone in the tank to increase oxygen, I'd also get maracyn instead as its better for treating pop eye.


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## Sprite42 (Mar 10, 2006)

Don't overfeed him. If he is very swollen, I would fast him for 48 hours and then try to give him some frozen pea, skinned. The kind with no salt added. 

An airstone will give more oxygen in the water, but bettas are surface breathers and won't require it. Some bettas will be further stressed by the airstone. Make him as comfortable as possible, warm, clean water and follow the directions on the meds.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

Well sometimes the betta can't get to the top to get the air so an airstone does help.


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## wodesorel (Mar 26, 2006)

He can't swim very well, so he's just hanging on the side of the vase near the top of the water.

He hasn't eaten since I brought him home Friday night, so he's already been fasting for over 48 hours, and I've seen no sign of poo. I put pieces of a frozen pea in last night, but it was like he didn't even notice there was something on the surface of the water. I tried a couple different kinds of food as well and a shrimp pellet in case he likes to eat from the bottom. (I've had females who never ate at the surface.) I can't tell if it's that he has no appetite, or that he can't see/sense the food because he's in such a bad state.

I've been replacing his water twice a day. I lower the water till there's just enough for him to stay upright and then add fresh, rather than stress him by having to net him to do a full change. 

Any other ideas would be welcomed. He really looked horrid this morning. I feel really bad for him.


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## wodesorel (Mar 26, 2006)

He now has a large red sore next to the infected eye, and I think it's bleeding. The scales are raised on his head around the infected eye as well.

He's so frustrated that he can swim right, he has "fits" where he suddenly goes bonkers and spins out of control for about 30 seconds before he stops and drifts, rear end up, to the top of the water.

I'm really really worried now.


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

The raised scales means he has dropsy and when the scales raise that's it's at it's last stage and is almost all the time uncurable. This link may help http://www.bettatalk.com/betta_diseases.htm scroll down to dropsy, it appears he has the symtoms of drpsy and there is no known cure, sorry.


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## wodesorel (Mar 26, 2006)

Again, not his body - his face.

(And I'll have you know my last betta had severe dropsy and made a full recovery.)


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2006)

Well like the site said that if a betta recovers from it that means it wasn't a true dropsy as dropsy always kills.


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