Betta has popeye - treatment questions
- Thread starter Chickadee
- Start date
I found Betta Revive on Amazon and ordered the expedited shipping before reading your posts. The product was $5 and the shipping $15. I was under the impression that the BR was critical, and he wasn't looking good at the time, so... Eh. It's only 20 bucks. I've paid more on other fish stuff. It's supposed to be here Monday. Amazon hasn't let me down yet.
The good news is he started perking up yesterday and he's still looking good this morning. He's swimming around more, seems to have more energy. He greeted me at the front of the tank this morning. He was a little unsure of the first garlic-soaked pellet I gave him. He ptooied it out twice before finally eating it. He's eating them right up now. I give him 1 at a time about every 5 hours so I don't bloat him.
And about the garlic. I tried the baggie method and it works great, but I must have one dry clove because there was no juice to be squeezed from that thing. I ended up adding just a drop of water to make a mush and then presoaked a bunch of them.
More on his poop. You said clear meant parasites? The clump I saw on him before was not dark in color. It was a cloudy looking mass. Last night I saw him poop and it was a beige color and came out in a few round lumps (like his pellets). His poops used to look tubular and orangey in color like his fins. (Once I thought a piece of his fin was falling away before realizing he only pooped.) So do you think it could be parasites? The garlic will help with that, right? I don't believe these meds will take care of parasites. There was another Jungle product that cured bacterial issues and parasites, and of course I didn't choose that one.
So far he's looking better. Will keep you posted.
The good news is he started perking up yesterday and he's still looking good this morning. He's swimming around more, seems to have more energy. He greeted me at the front of the tank this morning. He was a little unsure of the first garlic-soaked pellet I gave him. He ptooied it out twice before finally eating it. He's eating them right up now. I give him 1 at a time about every 5 hours so I don't bloat him.
And about the garlic. I tried the baggie method and it works great, but I must have one dry clove because there was no juice to be squeezed from that thing. I ended up adding just a drop of water to make a mush and then presoaked a bunch of them.
More on his poop. You said clear meant parasites? The clump I saw on him before was not dark in color. It was a cloudy looking mass. Last night I saw him poop and it was a beige color and came out in a few round lumps (like his pellets). His poops used to look tubular and orangey in color like his fins. (Once I thought a piece of his fin was falling away before realizing he only pooped.) So do you think it could be parasites? The garlic will help with that, right? I don't believe these meds will take care of parasites. There was another Jungle product that cured bacterial issues and parasites, and of course I didn't choose that one.
So far he's looking better. Will keep you posted.
I'm sorry you spent the extra money, but personally I would have done that anyway. I've spent more $$ on fish stuff, too, lol. I spent probably $75 - $100 on a $3.99 Brochis splendens that was my favorite fish, getting him over Columnaris and septicemia.
I do believe the garlic will take care of some, if, in fact, not all internal parasites, if not by killing them all at least in reducing numbers to a manageable level for the fish.
I haven't seen a Jungle lab medicated food that says it is anti-bacteria and anti-parasites, but that may be a new product and would be great to have and use instead of just straight antibactieral food.
Is it possible you are seeing undigested tiny bits of garlic? Nice solid tubular poop is normal and what we want, and I'm guessing the orange color was from the color in the flake you were feeding him.
If his poop is mucousy and slimy looking, thready, small pale lumps strung along on a filmy thread that looks like empty sausage casing (if you have ever seen that or know what I'm talking about); some of my family hunt deer and we'd make deer sausage out of some of the venison, so I've seen a lot of sausage casing, lol.
If his poop looks like that - he may very well have parasites. I hate for you to have to spend more money, but if you did see an anti-bacterial/anti-parasitic medicated food then I'd get that and have it on stand by. We can wait a bit and see if the garlic helps his poop start looking better.
Certainly, if his poop starts looking more like I described, or if his tummy looks swollen, I'd start the anti-parasitic food.
If the product is not a combo, but is anti-parasitic only, then I'd alternate the pellets: one and then the other every 5 hours as you are doing.
If he looks at all like he's getting bloated or constipated do another tiny bit of garlicky smushed pea to help with that.
I do believe the garlic will take care of some, if, in fact, not all internal parasites, if not by killing them all at least in reducing numbers to a manageable level for the fish.
I haven't seen a Jungle lab medicated food that says it is anti-bacteria and anti-parasites, but that may be a new product and would be great to have and use instead of just straight antibactieral food.
Is it possible you are seeing undigested tiny bits of garlic? Nice solid tubular poop is normal and what we want, and I'm guessing the orange color was from the color in the flake you were feeding him.
If his poop is mucousy and slimy looking, thready, small pale lumps strung along on a filmy thread that looks like empty sausage casing (if you have ever seen that or know what I'm talking about); some of my family hunt deer and we'd make deer sausage out of some of the venison, so I've seen a lot of sausage casing, lol.
If his poop looks like that - he may very well have parasites. I hate for you to have to spend more money, but if you did see an anti-bacterial/anti-parasitic medicated food then I'd get that and have it on stand by. We can wait a bit and see if the garlic helps his poop start looking better.
Certainly, if his poop starts looking more like I described, or if his tummy looks swollen, I'd start the anti-parasitic food.
If the product is not a combo, but is anti-parasitic only, then I'd alternate the pellets: one and then the other every 5 hours as you are doing.
If he looks at all like he's getting bloated or constipated do another tiny bit of garlicky smushed pea to help with that.
Actually, Jungle Labs Anti-Parasitic medicated food does have metronidazole in it which is an antibiotic that works to fight some kinds of bacterial and parasitic infections, so that may be what you saw.
Glad thiings are looking up Chickadee. I just want to add that BFM and Mel rock! (Thanks, BFM for correcting my incorrect statement about removing media-- I did mean carbon and wrote media, so I am glad that you straightened that out in time!)
Thinking good thoughts for the little guy!
Thinking good thoughts for the little guy!
Thank you and I totally agree! And for those who don't know, Saje has been helping me with Sparky and my snail, Gilda, since practically Day 1. Thank you, ladies!
Mel, I know exactly what you mean about the string of sausages. I see that in guinea pigs when they are ill also. It looked to me like 2 semi-digested pellets held together by a whitish string. I tried to suck it up with the turkey baster to get a better look, but it got lost in the gravel. (Sparky had his nose in the way the whole time and I lost track of it
) I haven't seen him poop again, but I've been watching.ETA: Mel, yep, it was the anti-parasitic medication and the label said it also helped with internal bacteria.
He's still acting better, has been begging at the front of the tank all night. He still rests a lot, but he's also swimming around more. He looks more alert, almost like his old self at times. Keeping fingers crossed that he continues to improve...
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BettaFishMommy
finkids make me happy :-)
just to clarify, garlic will not kill parasites (from my reading/research), but it will create an inhospitable environment in the intestines of the fish so parasites won't want to 'live' there.
great to hear he's doing better Chickadee! although that poop is worrying me a little. go with the anti-parasite food like Mel said, and keep us posted!
great to hear he's doing better Chickadee! although that poop is worrying me a little. go with the anti-parasite food like Mel said, and keep us posted!
You're so welcome, Chickadee.
Thanks for the kind words Chickadee and Somerville. I know the always awesome BFM feels like I do: it is just wonderful to see a poor little sick fish getting better, and if we can help with that it just feels so good.
I know Saje has been a stalwart help and support to you Chickadee; what a nice lady.
I'm not ready to break out the champagne, yet, but it does look like he's really improving and is on the road to recovery. I'm so glad.
I think I would not go off the anti-bacterial food until he's been on it at least a total of 5 days; 5 to 10 days being the recommended treatment period. We want to finish off any bacteria that are being hammered by the two antibiotics in that food.
As long as he's improving on this protocol I think I would hold off on starting him on the anti-parasitic food. I think it would be better not to feed both types of medicated food at the same time.
Let's see how things go with his poop to see if the garlic and current meds are taking care of internal issues. Go heavy on the garlic.
When the BR comes in on Monday I'd follow the directions and dose his tank with that. Continue to do water changes daily.
If things continue to improve we may not need to go with the antiparasitc medicated food, at all. If the poop doesn't start to look healthier by the end of the 5 days on the anti-bacteracterial food we can go to the anti-parasitic food. The treatment recommendations on that is to feed for 3 consecutive days a week for 4 weeks.
If he takes a turn in the other direction at any time we can revisit what we're doing and consider any changes we need to make.
ADDENDUM: I'm going to double check on the safety of Neomycin, which is in the Betta Revive, in the tank while he's on the other antibiotics that are in the medicated food. I think it's OK, but I"m going to double check that.
Thanks for the kind words Chickadee and Somerville. I know the always awesome BFM feels like I do: it is just wonderful to see a poor little sick fish getting better, and if we can help with that it just feels so good.
I know Saje has been a stalwart help and support to you Chickadee; what a nice lady.
I'm not ready to break out the champagne, yet, but it does look like he's really improving and is on the road to recovery. I'm so glad.
I think I would not go off the anti-bacterial food until he's been on it at least a total of 5 days; 5 to 10 days being the recommended treatment period. We want to finish off any bacteria that are being hammered by the two antibiotics in that food.
As long as he's improving on this protocol I think I would hold off on starting him on the anti-parasitic food. I think it would be better not to feed both types of medicated food at the same time.
Let's see how things go with his poop to see if the garlic and current meds are taking care of internal issues. Go heavy on the garlic.
When the BR comes in on Monday I'd follow the directions and dose his tank with that. Continue to do water changes daily.
If things continue to improve we may not need to go with the antiparasitc medicated food, at all. If the poop doesn't start to look healthier by the end of the 5 days on the anti-bacteracterial food we can go to the anti-parasitic food. The treatment recommendations on that is to feed for 3 consecutive days a week for 4 weeks.
If he takes a turn in the other direction at any time we can revisit what we're doing and consider any changes we need to make.
ADDENDUM: I'm going to double check on the safety of Neomycin, which is in the Betta Revive, in the tank while he's on the other antibiotics that are in the medicated food. I think it's OK, but I"m going to double check that.
BettaFishMommy
finkids make me happy :-)
just to let you know, i've never combined Betta Revive with any other meds. being as it has the anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-protozoan properties in it, IMO another med would not be required. don't forget K.I.S.S.!
