My betta baby might have TB

[purplemuffin]

This has been a horrible horrible two days.

Dionysus, my first and only betta, has suddenly taken a turn for the worse. It started out looking like swim bladder disorder. He had trouble swimming. But then it got different--instead of floating, he would sink. His body remained vertical, when he did lay on the ground(most of the time) it was on his side. When he did swim, it was clear his fins were clamped and his back was horribly curved downwards and making it hard for him to swim.

So I started treatment with indian almond leaves and epsom salt. Just in the time it took to prepare the water he already looked worse and had started to lose color. It's hard to tell if he has any injuries, his scales are a vibrant purple red that already look the color of a normal inflamed area on a different color fish.

By this morning he could barely make it to the surface of the water. His eyes are now protruding out like popeye and he suddenly looks like he has lost a ton of weight and is looking malnourished.

I'm at a loss. His water parameters were fine. I didn't feed live foods--I don't know where a parasite could have come from unless something was just in our water. This all happened so fast. Ugh.

I've heard tuberculosis will often mimic other diseases since it affects the organs. I know it causes a bent spine. I also know it's fatal.

I want to wait it out, because part of me hopes it's just swim bladder disorder and he'll get better. He's just a year and two months old, you know? He could have bounced back and had a few more years with me. But with how bad he is this morning I don't know if I should let him suffer longer.

But he's my first pet fish ever. He is my little prince!

Such a sad, sad day.



Dionysus in his prime.

[Kyle1989]

Pretty fish don't know much about it but good luck hope he pulls through

[wolfy-hound]

TB usually takes a little longer to come to full bloom. Sounds like a sytemic infection. Unfortunately I've been out of bettas long enough to hav forgotten most everything except the Indian leaves. Sorry I can't help.

[purplemuffin]

I know it takes a while for it to take effect, but I have seen it come and kill off fish without ANY symptoms during that time. They all seem to be optional "it might cause this, but it might not", sort of things. I'm on a betta forum right now talking to them about it. It could be a bunch of different things. I'm still treating him--using the leaves and salt. He's still alive today but not well. Gave him shallow water so he doesn't have to swim up to the top. A betta breeder told me I will know for sure in 4-6 days what it is--if it's an infection, it should clear up with the medication and I will see improvement at that time. Almost all other betta infections get better with clean warm water, epsom salt, and indian almond leaves. TB is one of the only ones that actually does not respond at all to this type of treatment.

Still hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.

[wolfy-hound]

Good luck with him.

[purplemuffin]

Thanks.


Sigh, the sad boy this morning before his water change:




Sad to think in only a few short days he would look so different than his usual handsome self.

Still alive, still around the same healthwise. He sits normal sometimes, but sometimes sits vertical. I lowered the water for him so he can breathe a little easier, he likes to sit just underneath the top now while relaxing at the bottom.

Trying my best to keep him comfortable at least.

[SnakeKittyFishy]

Sorry to hear about your fishy, I hope you can find some answers. Looks like a stunner of a fish, I've had bettas but never had anything likes this happen

[Kyle1989]

Any change yet?

[purplemuffin]

Looking a little healthier and swimming horizontally again. Still dragging his rear end occasionally and spends most of his time at the bottom. Now he moves his pectoral fins though to keep his balance instead of just sitting there motionlessly! He will sit vertically still(but face up, not the face down death hang!)


See blur? He's still swimming around, looking for bloodworms.





Now he doesn't slide at the bottom any more, he keeps himself afloat barely above the bottom. Seems to have gotten spoiled on bloodworms now and won't touch pellets. At least it's a higher protein diet which is what I was going for, just hoping I can get him to eat other foods!

[ball python 22]

he sounds like hes doin better sicne he is not sittin still on the bottom of the tank