Dropsy in Betta Fish | Symptoms, Prevention, Life Expectancy, & More

[@PaolaEP]

My fish also has what I think it’s dropsy, he started not moving that much and being at the bottom of his tank all the time but his appetite and responses were normal, he slowly started bloating (I thought he was constipated so I gave him peeled cooked peas) and then from one day to the next his scales raised, I had read about dropsy so I knew I had to get him some Epsom salt right away, I got it and have been doing salt baths every night for 15 min. Now instead of being at the bottom of his tank, he is on his floating log all the time, he does some swimming around the top of his tank but mostly he just rests... It’s been almost a month of doing the baths and for the last 2 weeks his swelling has gone down but he now has weird abdomen lumps and a mini bloated belly, his top fin was getting white and black (maybe fin rot) and he now eats only every two days and very little.... idk how he is still going he is so strong, he is 4 years old so I suppose all this is because of old age. Cause all the time I’ve had him he was an angry boy who loved to dart around his tank and jump out the water to catch food and try to fight my finger. Percy I don’t really know what’s wrong with you but boi I’m gonna be there with you until the day you decide to swim in the eternal ocean 💜🐠

[@mohammedasif7623]

Touching but happy to know that he lived 4 years.

[@1kfamilywithoutanyvideocha434]

U touched my heart at last para😭

[@superdragon3060]

I got a betta and he developed dropsy today im walking to buy the salt the scales are raised on one side she is bloated and is floating like a log i hope she gets better she was a bit bloated since i got her

[@sn00chie33]

Hey everyone, I'm about a month into curing my female betta of dropsy. Her scales are completely back down to normal, she's moved into her new forever home out of the medical tank, and she seems her usual happy self. Here's what I did: As soon as I noticed what was wrong, and trust me, it's noticeable, I put her into an Epsom salt bath. I used a ratio that's a bit higher than what you'd normally read online, at 1/2 teaspoon in a pint's worth of clean water for exactly a half hour. Make sure you stir up the solution to completely dissolve the salt. You also need to babysit them and make sure it's not too much for them. They could try to jump out, and if it looks like they cannot stay calm take them out immediately and try later with a more diluted dose. I did that every other day for a week and a half. Now this is important - make sure you take out any carbon that's in the filter. It interferes with the medication's potency. Also, drop an air stone into the tank if you can. I kept the lighting low the first week and withheld food until she was able to swim with ease. That was about three days for me. I gave her 50% water changes in the medical tank daily. It's imperative that the water be clean [and obviously 80°F]. I dosed her daily with the prescribed amount of artemiss microbe lift, which should be available in any lfs. I can't guarantee success, but I hope this may help someone because I was honestly so scared and heartbroken when I thought I'd lose her, and I'm sure that's how you feel now. Give it a try. Read yr pet's behaviors and be gentle with them, because every pet deserves love.

[@pugberry2260]

i’m hoping this will work, i’ve cried my eyes out thinking my fish doesn’t have a great chance of survival

[@ashirahirielnakamura6088]

Did you noticed it early or the scales was already like a pine cone?

[@sn00chie33]

the scales were pine coning. it was actually pretty freaky looking.

[@heaven7360]

So happy your fish made it!

[@Spirited_Driver]

Holey crap, thats an extremely heavy dosage of epsom bath!! I believe thats equal to about 5 Tsp per Gal.! Most readings recommend between 1/4 and up to 1 Tsp per Gal. for a treatment. Very Interesting however.

[@sachinmathew6809]

My crown guy has this dropsy …he got infected past two weeks back. I thought he was just bloated but later found though he got normal still he developed this bloating once again. It's swelling day by day, and cutting off his feed makes him lose strength. I'm just gonna feed to his death. Better to die happy eating than to survive in stress. I tried salt baths, medicine, tetracycline treatment too. First his fin was rotting - cured it, now he's up with dropsy. He was such an active, brilliant guy, he used to play around and show up every time I snap my finger to him. Such a brave man, sad to see him frowned and bloated.

[@kirani111]

Dropsy isn’t always fatal guys. Dropsy itself isn’t an illness, it’s a symptom. Many different types of bacteria can infect your betta and affect their kidneys, leading to liquid building up inside their bodies (meaning bloating and pine-coning, AKA dropsy). If you can manage the symptoms their immune system may be able to fight off the infection that’s causing the dropsy, but depending on the species of bacteria it may be incurable.

[@jasons8798]

so whats the best prevention, and do you believe all these box store betas are prone to it

[@AnimalLoverChanL]

ive delt with dropsy with lots of bettas. One of them had it 4 times it came and went and came and went. She lasted for a few weeks i was SO surprised that she was so strong through it. This was a very educational video. i hope lots of betta keepers see this. Dropsy is in fact what caused my sorority to split up, now days by bettas just have fin clamp. Thankyou for making this video for people, i hope you keep it online forever

[@BetterBetta]

+Animal Lover Thank you very much. Your betta certainly was a fighter. Dropsy is definitely frustrating. :/

[@blazingbettas8020]

this video was so helpful! If any of my children get dropsy I'll definitely come to this video for help

[@BetterBetta]

+Blazing Bettas Thank you very much! I'm glad it can help you - hopefully you won't need it though.

[@BestBeJenga]

Hi

[@dacronnewport8354]

BetterBetta is it ok if my betta eats a lot then has almost pine coned scales is this ok and how to prevent him from eating my algae wafers for otos

[@rosesmith7865]

Blazing Bettas I

[@hayleyalexander9045]

My red male betta half moon was so healthy and beautiful. I overfed him by a little and went through the consequence. He ended up bloated then pineconing, lost his colour, almost dead, his beautiful fins rotting away, wasn’t eating, staying in the one place, not flaring or reacting. I read and said it was dropsy. I even bought the natural euthanising treatment as this was brought up in a lot of forums/ videos and felt it was too late to help him. I decided to treat him, I never gave up on him. I used Epsom salt bath 1 teaspoon to 2 litres of warm water 15 minutes and I used interpet anti internal bacteria in his tank with clean warm water. After two days, his red colour has came back, he’s reacting to me and mirror flaring, swimming around his tank, ate 2 pellets, his fins have rotted but the colour has came back to his whole body. Do everything you can ❤ I was ready for giving up and glad I never ❤💕 xx

[@BetterBetta]

I’m so happy to hear that he pulled through! I love hearing these stories that bettas survive it, it’s so rare- especially when they get to that stage. Salt baths are amazing!

[@BetterBetta]

I’m so happy to hear that he pulled through! I love hearing these stories that bettas survive it, it’s so rare- especially when they get to that stage. Salt baths are amazing!

[@hayleyalexander9045]

@@BetterBetta I wanted to update you. I appreciate your reply. I gave him another salt bath and done a full water change to give clean water with the interpret antibiotic. The last couple of days he’s been eating pellets, more lively and to be honest no concerns. I am monitoring him though because this can return quickly. But his pineconing has reduced massively also. Bath salts are amazing, I think allowing them to swim in it and sit in for upto 15 minutes really works as long as it’s diluted properly 1 teaspoon Epsom to 2 litres of warm water. Xx

[@hayleyalexander9045]

@@BetterBetta I’ve also kept the temperature high too xx

[@ceciliapoblacion3589]

Thank you for posting this video.. I’m so sad watching my betta look so uncomfortable. Glad to know this can be common

[@animalyze7120]

So sorry to hear about Journey ;( Always sad when loose a favorite swimmer. S.I.P Journey! Good Video!

[@dawnruhl8405]

I lost my girl, Bacall yesterday to this. Thank you for this vudeo. I buried her between my rose bushes. I am devastated.

[@chloet9263]

Dawn Ruhl my beta fish is named Casper and he has dropsy 😢 im doing all I can to help...

[@lindydiddle6253]

I am so sorry you lost your bettas to dropsy! From what I've read online dropsy is a serious bacterial infection, and by the time a fish pine cones, or shows other symptoms, then it's in the final stages, and is usually lethal. However, I recently bought 4 fish medications, and one does list that it treats dropsy and that is Kanaplex. It's for bacterial & fungal infections. Kanaplex can, and in some cases should also be safely combined with API Furan-2 to make it even stronger. Now I'm not saying I have used it to treat dropsy, or that I know anyone that has had experience with it working on dropsy. However, Kanaplex is the only fish med I found that claimed it could treat dropsy, and maybe this info could be helpful to you, or others.

[@BetterBetta]

+Lindy Diddle I've also read that it is known to be bacterial, but definitely an extremely hard to treat bacteria as it is extremely hard to detect before it is too late. I've heard Kanaplex come up a few times, too. Everything you read has so many different treatments and various levels of success.. If only Dropsy was more straightforward - and curable!

[@hailywestcott8926]

Thankyou so much for posting this video. I had a female beta, I loved this fish so much I can’t explain. The past few days I’ve been worried about her it started off she was swimming around (normally with ease) but was swimming with a droopy tail almost like she was sad. But didn’t appear to be anything wrong with her. No fungus, no trouble swimming. bf came over and accidentally turned off the heater/filter for the night. Wen I noticed in the morning I turned it all back on the water was very cold. She wasn’t moving much she was just sitting at the bottom occasionally going up to get air then coming back down to sit still. Her gills weren’t even moving much. But my male crown tail also went through the same thing and he is fine. today the tank was due for water change so I did that hoping this would help her ... I changed her water then went out because I had an appointment, got home 4 hours later to find her lifeless bloated and Grey on some parts of her body and sitting on the bottom of the tank. Broke my heart it did. I hope she didn’t suffer. I feel so guilty like this is all my fault, But this video has helped me understand why she possibly went downhill so quickly but yet my crown tail male did not? .. my female that passed away did have scales like a pine cone since the day I got her, I lways wondered why she was different to my other Bettas. her appetite went away a few days ago but I just thought it was my fault maybe I over fed her. ? she deffinatly had the pinecone scales so this give me hope that I’m not all to blame.. 😢 Thankyou for posting this video very helpful 💜🙏🏻

[@BetterBetta]

I’m so sorry to hear about your betta, I’ve lost two bettas to dropsy and it never really gets easier. I’m glad that my video helped you feel more at ease.

[@heaven7360]

I found that looking at the stricken fish from above will show pine coning on a betta clearest. She did look bloated but I couldn't see any pine coning until I saw her from above. I believe I caused dropsy in my fish by feeding her too much. I tried so hard to save her with appropriate treatments but she didn't make it. I feel so guilty and I think of her so much these days. I know it sounds dumb but I really loved that fish.

[@sharminsultana1425]

Sorry for ur loss And there is no reason to sound dumb I also think of my late Betta very much S.I.P

[@mosteve30]

My female betta has been bloated for about 3-4 weeks. I thought it was dropsy but, maybe not if yours died quickly after that. Very informative video. Thank you.

[@BetterBetta]

Thanks and you're welcome! I've heard a few stories after posting this video about people's bettas living longer with Dropsy- the facts I've read before that I used in making this video stay true to me, but others have had better luck. If your betta is bloated but doesn't have pinecone scales, it could be constipation (which should be cured with a few days of fasting) or maybe swim bladder if she seems to have difficulty swimming. Swim bladder, thankfully, isn't fatal and your betta can still live a happy life with it with the proper care. If she does have pine cone scales, she may be one of the lucky bettas who can fight the disease. Hope this helps!

[@nadialeclerc3895]

My betta has a really bloated stomach and has had it for weeks now but he doesn’t have piconning scales. I fasted him for days, done salt baths, gave him daphnia and he started pooping swelling didn’t go down. Then I have him epsoms salt baths. Nothing again. He’s also swimming perfectly fine and has a great appetite. I’m not sure what else to do

[@deckmageccg3561]

Awesome video; thank you! It is always sad to see such a beautiful life go, as Bettas are so incredibly charismatic and entertaining. But thank you for your video; it's very necessary to know what is happening so you can at least prepare yourself emotionally. Thank you!

[@BetterBetta]

Thank you. I did want to make something educational out of her passing. Glad it could help others and it was appreciated.

[@StarlightBettas]

Dropsy sucks. When i moved into my new place back in July, in the span of 3 months i had about 5 or so of my bettas suddenly get dropsy and die. I lost my favorite boy, Emerald and i was so upset. There was no obvious reason why they got sick, my water was good, i kept my bettas properly fed and cleaned tanks as normal, i guess the stress of moving most have caused it. by the time pineconing starts, its usually too late. once my bettas start to act lethargic i get worried and do a water change because with the ones i had who got dropsy started to act weird only a day or two before they started to pine cone, it can happen so fast. I have actually never heard of a single case where a betta was successfully cured of dropsy.

[@Castellano702]

this might sound like a dumb question but ..is it possible to acclimate betas to salt water??a friend recently gave his betas and i hate to see them in those tiny bowls ..i have a 1,000 gallon tank and they would have more than plenty of room to swim around if it is possible to acclimate them to salt water ..

[@martinn7871]

a bit late, but it's gonna be a hard no on that one.

[@jennablumer4885]

My betta developed dropsy after jumping out of his tank. His entire face and back pineconed. However, he is alive and well at the moment. Maybe the pineconing wasn't dropsy?

[@gaileenkern3240]

Jenna Blumer how is everything? Sounds like he got injured. Hope he’s ok

[@heatherperez-hollis3071]

Unfortuanrly, Big Red has passed away from dropsy in the last five minutes. I've never experienced this in all my years of having beta fish. So I didn't realize the symptoms until yesterday. I did notice some bloating several days ago but didn't know what I was looking at.. Big Red lived over two years..... Does this mean the tank that she was in is infected? All of the plants,etc?

[@heatherperez-hollis3071]

I couldn't find a clear answer online.

[@BetterBetta]

Hi, I'm sorry about Big Red. It's possible the tank could be infected. Dropsy isn't necessarily a disease, but a symptom of one, so the disease that caused Dropsy could be infectious- it most often is, so it's best to clean everything up. If the plants are live, they should be fine, but plastic or silk plants should be rinsed off.

[@heatherperez-hollis3071]

Thank you so much. Okay so I don't need to put the bacteria clearer stuff they have talked about online in the tank? Just a good rinse? Also do you use a water filter for your betas? I never have but of course always had a heater... I've read that water filters create a current and it's hard for the betas to fight that... If you use one, which one do you use? Thank you so much for your quick reply.

[@heatherperez-hollis3071]

Thank you so much. Okay so I don't need to put the bacteria clearer stuff they have talked about online in the tank? Just a good rinse? Also do you use a water filter for your betas? I never have but of course always had a heater... I've read that water filters create a current and it's hard for the betas to fight that... If you use one, which one do you use? Thank you so much for your quick reply.

[@heatherperez-hollis3071]

Big Red was 2.5 years old!

[@satee4821]

My betta has dropsy and she's survived for 2 weeks now. She also swims around normally, and has a healthy appetite. She is more sluggish then she was originally. But this is the only difference. I started feeding my betta garlic oil, boiled spinach, boiled chicken, mosquito larvae. Her fins wont go down though. :( I also have been sitting her in 1 drop of this fungus killer for 5 minutes every 2 days.

[@cbdndpelrifjfj1195]

I think that Coral (my betta) is developing dropsy or is constipated but his scales don't look like a pine cone; He also eats his food but his stomach looks a bit swollen and he is always at the top. He also is pretty lethargic and he only moves around when I'm not in the room. My family just moved and he may just be tired but I'm really scared. 😢😞🐠 Edit: I just got home from school and he was at the bottom of the tank and I am concerned

[@jenniferjung9929]

The earliest symptom of a betta fish developing dropsy is the bloating and stringy/clear poop. The latest stage of dropsy is the pineconing of the scales in which case it is unlikely that the betta fish will survive. Dropsy is treatable but more often it is fatal. I would recommend keeping up with water changes and cleaning the bio media/filter, regularly testing water conditions, and not over-feeding the betta.

[@madiestar6054]

Well my beta most definitely has dropsy I'm just happy to finally figure out what's wrong he has been really lazy for about a month now and has terrible fin rot that I've tried so hard to cure. I noticed his scales today.

[@joe4282]

Do you know anything that would cause the pupils of a betta's eyes to look hollowed out? Nearly all the black of my bettas eyes are gone.

[@leannpartsch7913]

Currently I have a beta with dropsy and I don’t think he’s going to survive through it for very long. I love little Gilbert and it’s so sad to see him like this. When it’s all said and done, I am wondering if I have to throw out the fish tank or not or if I can just sanitize it and continue use

[@degenerate_femininity]

is it common for more than one female in a sorority tank to get dropsy? four of my nine girls have it and I'm devsstated :( I've tried my best to keep them comfortable but it's been 3 days and I can't stand seeing them like this anymore :*( I think I'm going to have to put them out of their misery today. I have clove oil, what is the recommended dosage?

[@ruinner]

Thank you! Currently trying to nurse a Red Betta back... Great info. Liked/sub'd :) p.s. love the out takes

[@onyxette]

Mine just developed the first signs of dropsy, I guess he has 3 days. :(

[@maditrev]

Mine too😭

[@a04mar]

Omg thank you so much. I feel horrible seeing him like this and was thinking of helping him go more peacefully. I have had Gandalf for more than two years and it saddens me to see him like this.

[@naive8154]

What's the kind of betta *Draco* cuz i have one and im curios!!😜😜😊😊

[@BetterBetta]

Draco is actually just a basic veiltail!

[@briannamoffitt1514]

Ok my betta has dropsy and I was just wondering how much and how often I should feed it? Or if I can just feed it like I normally would. Idk

[@evuteferret7541]

Thankyou for this video, my betta has most of these signs and this helped me understand whats happening with him.

[@BetterBetta]

I'm glad it was helpful, but very sorry to hear about your betta :(

[@vanessalee80]

My betta does have pinecone scales but it seems to be very healthy since it moves around a lot and it also seems to be very bloated so I don’t understand whats happening to it

[@corgiplush6894]

You need more subs! This is amazing!!

[@BetterBetta]

+Sophiarulus AJ Thank you so much! This makes my day :)

[@theupsidedownbear4622]

Under my bettas fins it kinda bloated and is brownish white his scales are normal but is swimming at the bottom more he’s eating normally but i noticed this about three weeks ago and he seems fine idk if he has drowsy or not

[@linnandersson3064]

I've been thinking for almost a week that my betta has dropsy. She hasn't gotten worse when it comes to her scales, it looks like she has an ucler on her right side (kinda like someone took a pair of tweezers and removed a few scales). I feel like if she had dropsy she would've passed already? She hasn't trouble swimming and her poop looks normal. She does have some kind of parasite on her mouth which I'm treating. Any suggestions?

[@BetterBetta]

+Linn Andersson The lost scales could simply be a small injury (scraped on a plant, bumpy ornament, etc). I do think your betta is probably Dropsy-free. :) Dropsy bettas act ill usually, lethargy, clamped fins sometimes, not eating, bloated - your betta seems overall healthy except for the view external issues that should clear up with your treatment. I wouldn't worry :)

[@linnandersson3064]

Thanks! Hopefully she'll make it 😕

[@wheresmycurry]

my betta has a bloated stomach, but his scales are not pineconed and his behavior is normal and he is still swimming around normaly. I dont know if he is sick or not, but hes stomach looks abit bloated than last time. Is my betta fish just fat? can someone help me

[@seraani8134]

Hi Sydney! I'm obviously a commenter on every video but I've had 3 bettas and none of them experienced dropsy. Does this mean I have been taking care of them properly? I'm not so hot in taking care of bettas but I love them❤️.

[@BetterBetta]

It sounds like you are doing a good job! Dropsy isn't fun- you are lucky you've never had to deal with it!

[@seraani8134]

BetterBetta I have your channel to help me if I ever have to deal with it!😂😜😘

[@MANCO_CAPAC_FAITE]

Thanks for you information, my female betta has it from 1 month ago and today looks like she is dying; she is under her submarine breathing too fast, all this situation is very sad .

[@BetterBetta]

I’m so sorry to hear about your fish ❤️

[@Chinita1198]

Hello I need help I moved my betta fish from a 1.5 to a 20 gallon and he bloated up because of over feeding and then started losing color and stopped moving around help!!

[@veronicaowl3126]

Hello, can I cycle new clean water in a big jug or in a bucket for 4 weeks? My tanks has white hair algae and I don't overfeed my fish. I am guilty of always deep cleaning its 4g tank every week because my betta produces so much waste, even though I gave him two pellets every two days in a week. I also keep him in a bin as well because I thought it was much bigger and spacious than any tank, also because it was $4 compared to buying a 2.5g for $15 . Please help and thank you. I'm also afraid my baby will get sick at any moment because of this.

[@BetterBetta]

+Veronica Owl I think cycling water directly in the tank (or bin in your case, which is very creative) is best, as the beneficial bacteria grows on the tank walls/ornaments/filter and such, not the water itself. I'm sure if you simply wash the ornaments you add to your tank in the discarded, 'dirty' water, and avoid washing the heater and filter if you have one, and not overly disrupting the substrate, you shouldn't have to worry. Just always remember to acclimate your betta after every tank change to avoid any shock from the water changes. Lastly, although algae is a fishkeeper's enemy in tank cleaning, to my knowledge it does not harm the betta as it is a live plant (even Marimo moss balls which are intentionally added to tanks are literally balls of algae). Even though it may be troublesome, the algae itself shouldn't make your betta ill. It's excessive growth could be due to the betta's large waste contribution providing it with lots of nutrients to grow. It may also be stimulated by sunlight, if your tank is in front of a window or other sunny spot. Hope this helps! :)

[@veronicaowl3126]

Thank you!!!!

[@zowey98]

I had to euthanize my Gizmo because he quickly developed dropsy and some other fungus. I believe he got injured from my filter I placed in the tank. I did not see an injury on him before, but a couple days later I noticed a slice in his side that turned white, his scales were pineconed, and was breathing heavily. I feel like I failed him... S.I.P my baby 😢❤️

[@sydneynaylor1375]

I just got my first betta yesterday it was a make crown tale do you have any suggestions for a new betta owner? Btw he's doing great

[@slegendary7719]

Hi, thank you for the video, it is very sad, I wish I would have know before, it is the second I lost and I feel terrible seeing him dying so painfully. Can you please tell me the name of the oil? thank you, I just cannot catch it on the video, thank you again

[@BetterBetta]

I’m sorry to hear about the fish you lost, I’ve lost about 3 to Dropsy now and it’s just as sad every time. ☹️ The name of the oil is called Clove Oil.

[@peepeepoopoo2122]

My beta fish has dropsy right now thank you for the helpful advice

[@BetterBetta]

Glad it was helpful, I’m sorry to hear about your betta. 😔

[@kn2627]

My poor baby has had a tumor for about a year.. I guess that messed up his immune system and I just noticed his scales are raised. He is not bloated, so I'm not sure if it is dropsy. For the last few days he has been really lethargic. I'm not sure what to do. I can't go outside to get him anything because of quarantine.. I don't know what to do. :(

[@kamogirlz]

My betta got pinecone scales after a hurricane hit my area, power was out for four days so he lost his heater and filter and then got ammonia bombed by his own filter. He's been alive longer then three days. He's not eating but can swim and stays by the surface.

[@BetterBetta]

I’m so sorry that you and your fish have been affected by one of the hurricanes that happened recently. 😔 It sounds like it could just be a stress reaction due to his habitat shifting quickly, many fish struggle to handle quick changes. I’m happy to hear he’s fighting that though! Luckily fish can go a lot longer without food than we think, so hopefully he can bounce back!

[@ashleybenson8688]

I have a betta with dropsy and hes been lying on his side at the top. I keep thinking he's dead but every time i open the lid he swims away. Ive tried treating him, still am, idk if he's getting better or worse. This started with a heater malfunctioning and the temp going over 90. I immediately removed it when i noticed but he hasn't been right since then. I can't imagine euthanizing him honestly.

[@GCaquatics]

that is pretty scary, when i get a betta i hope it doesn't get Dropsy thanks for sharing how to prevent it.

[@BetterBetta]

+MyView 10.75.69 No problem! Glad it can help someone.

[@meggrotte4760]

Thank you for the great video as you said I think most diseases can be prevented by stable water and clean water. Typically what I come across this bacterial infections are fin rot so I've gotten in the habit of just pre-treating my fish once with a series of three treatments and then they to be fine.. How to do this because I was going to large I'd buy a fish do all the right things and it would die. I started taking a look after 8 bettas had died. the first thing I noticed was the store was not properly set up for bettas. So for example if they would probably have about 30 days and most of them to be put into a plastic drinking cup with a lid that's for small shops but the prices for bettas are half the price even the most beautiful one. so keep in mind there's no heater but at least the filter is not blessing the crap out of them because they don't have a filter or as when you go into the large stores there's no heater no filter or there's a filter but it's too strong and then for the cheap fish like usually the veil Tails there put into plastic cups the most expensive fish are put into cubicles but the water's not cleaned regularly. what I'd like to do but I don't have any at the moment would be to start a betta rescue. what I want to do is purchase all the bettas that look horrible I'm small stores and big stores and I want to set up a place where they're able to have exactly what they need and I want to create tanks that provide everything for the person so they can come in and adopt a betta and I can teach them how to care for their beta by showing them one of our tanks that are waiting to be adopted...... As far as imported products the only thing I would purchase is Omega one products and almond leaves because we don't have that in Taiwan. I'm in the process of getting a second job and I was thinking about trying to save money and then starting a GoFundMe but I don't know if people would be willing to help I just love bettas and it's so sad to see these beautiful fish male and female you know just sitting there waiting and then over time due to poor water they eventually die. it's not really money that I want to make but I would like to not teach English anymore and I'd like to be able to employ my Taiwanese friends with a good income because they work like slaves at their other jobs. I want to be able to rescue betta's create beautiful parents at a reasonable price continue running the rescue you're selling a case and they said I needed another I just want to be able to have work available for my time with friends and then be able to help my mom and my cousin Jessie if her family and most importantly pay off my student loans

[@LegionOfShrooms]

I'm hoping my buddy doesn't have this. Going to treat anyways. Hoping for the best.

[@simonantonehie6392]

I forgot to feed my betta Tyler for two days (because of college work), I fed him bloodworms this morning and didn't notice anything odd. After I gave him his water change I noticed that he had a swollen belly, I used a different water conditioner than normal today because I ran out of his one I used stress coat so I thought it could be that. It's been a few hours now and I've noticed he's breathing quite heavily. He is still swimming around but will sometimes stop on top of his filter or underneath it. He also seems to be a bit more skittish and hides if you come over to the tank I don't know what to do

[@Hailey-fc8yi]

My poor betta fish Sammy definitely has this. 2 days ago I went to feed him like always and noticed he didn’t swim to the top like he always does. I looked and he was in the rock hide not moving. He usually always swims to the top of the tank when he sees me walk into my room even if its not feeding time. I immediately knew something was wrong. I thought maybe my cycle crashed since I had just changed my purigen filter a few days ago but I tested my water and everything was fine I still did around a 10% water change because I just felt like it was the right thing to do. (I’m not sure if it was or not) I told myself I would give him one more day and if he was not better I would euthanize him using clove oil. :( on day 2 my mom told me was up at the top and he ate some mini pellets that I have for my neon tetras. I was really relieved to hear this but when I got home he just looked awful. His color was fading and he had swelling and looked sort of bent. I also noticed he had the pinecone like scales. That’s when I came to this video :( I am so upset. The only thing that is giving me some kind of relief is that my water parameters are fine. Maybe he was stressed out Bc of the tetras and my snails. Or maybe it’s genetic.. I did get him from a chain pet store 😔 I don’t know but I really loved that fish. Going to get clove oil today to humanly euthanize him 🧡 rip my Sammy

[@corruptgoldfish1861]

I've had seven bettas. 5 of them died of dropsy. My little girl Nala has been bloated for several weeks. She now has a bent spine and pineconing. My levels are fine, I Don't know why her spine is bent.

[@courtneymeadows2416]

I need some advice on my beta it doesn't look like dropsy but I have no idea what it is it almost looks like he has scratched the scales off of the top of his head.

[@BetterBetta]

It's very possible he scratched himself on an ornament or plant. If it doesn't get any worse (and you slowly see improvement) I wouldn't worry yet. If there are any overly sharp ornaments or plants in his tank, maybe remove them, just in case it is what caused it. Hope this helps!

[@BellaAndBettas101]

I had a female pass with dropsy, but she had it for over a week :/ Very nice video! SIP Journey

[@BetterBetta]

+Bella And Bettas Some bettas are true little fighting fish. SIP to both our bettas. And thank you.

[@clawsandpaws1539]

I am so sorry about journey but I know it is extreme but there is a way to help a Betta with deposit. you have to drain the fluid out of their swim bladder with a needle. it doesn't cure it completely but I had 5 Bettas that lived well over another year after I did this and we're still blowing bubble nests and were their normal selves

[@BetterBetta]

+Grace Seeberger I've heard of aspirating, however although it does keep the swelling down, it still - like you mentioned - does not cure Dropsy. It wouldn't be something I'd be comfortable doing, for the results are often not as good as yours were and it puts the betta under tremendous stress. Are you 100% sure it was Dropsy that your betta had, and not SBD? SBD would yield your results of a much extended life through aspirating. If it was for sure Dropsy that your betta had, you are a very lucky person! Unfortunately with Journey though, she died incredibly quickly overnight, so I didn't get the chance to try any sort of treatment.

[@justarandomdinosaur]

I've just gotten a 20 gallon tank, and so maybe 3 weeks in or so i noticed that one of my mollies have gotten a bigger belly, and I've only just noticed it. But i was scared about it and wanted to see what it is I've looked and looked but idk, so im hoping some one could tell me. The fish only has a bigger belly, it doesn't have the pinecone scales and swims normally and eats lile the others. If anyone could tell me that would be great(I'm new at fish tanks so please understand my worry)

[@fishingandhockeyaquariums5167]

I had a beta that had it for 3 weeks but the scales didn’t go out but was bloated the scales didn’t protrude until 8:00 one night and was dead at 3am in the morning. It was the worst feeling in the world for me

[@Warhorse469]

I have lost 3 bettas to Dropsy I have done everything possible to give them the best possible life yet I have lost every betta I have owned to dropsy I have given up on owning betta's

[@zakariasmay4539]

my old betta, BlackBeard. A purple red and white dragonscale. had the dropsy for longer than over 5 days. i felt terrible so i had him put down. I have found that the Dropsy comes in only my male bettas? out of all my females they have only died naturally from old age. all my male bettas was owned at different times. The water PH is right, the heat is right and there is nothing there to stress them? everything was clean? i have no idea why all my males was gettin it. but i did come up with thinking from the amount of bubble nests they made, it was from gulping down too much air?

[@BetterBetta]

+Zakarias May I'm not sure what causes Dropsy, I've heard lots of different theories. I wish we could find a definitive one, and also a proven cure. I feel lots of people have lost a betta to Dropsy 😔 :( . It seems some bettas are true fighters and can live almost a week with it. Females can get Dropsy, thankfully your females didn't have to suffer from it. Hopefully we can find a cure soon.

[@the86driver]

damn! thanks for the info! my poor female koi...

[@elenasp3435]

My betta has dropsy. I can't understand what I did wrong.. I use antibiotics but idk whether it will help

[@BetterBetta]

I’m so sorry to hear about your betta. There are times that bettas can get dropsy and there’s nothing you can do to prevent it unfortunately- it’s nothing to blame yourself for!

[@elenasp3435]

@@BetterBetta Yeah I have heard.. He is not getting better but not worse either scince I wrote it and is still eating so I am a bit happy for him

[@goovan8987]

my betta stopped eating about a week ago now its looking like a pinecone (definitely dropsy disease) how is it not curable??? 😥😥😥😥😥

[@DolphincutieWorld]

Great Video! I learned a lot from your video.

[@BetterBetta]

+Dolphincutie World Thank you :)

[@idiotwilson1474]

can goldfish get this? our neighbors had a goldfish that it's scales looked like that and was bloating

[@BetterBetta]

Yes they can, unfortunately Dropsy can affect many different types of fish.

[@denisepollitt1021]

Yes they most certainly can. However, there is a breed of goldfish called 'pearlscale', that is very round and has raised scales naturally. I personally don't like them, purely because they look like they have dropsy. If you Google pearlscale goldfish, you'll see what I mean.

[@blazethecat363]

I just had to put my betta Drama Lynn to sleep due to him having severe Dropsy. it hurt to do it but it was for the best. I miss him so much now

[@BetterBetta]

Aw I’m so sorry to hear that 😔

[@blazethecat363]

@@BetterBetta thanks for your sympathy. I had to cover his tank up to hide it so I wasn't forced to look at it empty

[@leomadness6077]

I'm not sure if my betta might have dropsy he has scales on the top of his head that's poking up like a pine cone but nowhere else would that still be dropsy or am I doing something wrong ?😰he's also my first betta and I also love your videos 😊

[@BetterBetta]

+Leo Madness I think you are safely Dropsy free, as Dropsy usually does the opposite- pine cone scales all over the body, but rarely affecting the head. The scales on the head could have been raised up by a slightly rougher ornament he brushed up against (which should heal up fine on their own) or, in worst case scenario, it could be Popeye, which would be extremely noticeable- one eye red and swollen, and can often lead to the scales around the eye becoming raised. This can he treated with certain medications and it usually not fatal if treated in time, but I wouldn't worry. What likely happened in your betta's case is he bumped into an ornament and scratched himself. I'd assume you're doing everything right and enjoy your first betta :) And Thank you!

[@leomadness6077]

Thank u that's good to hear and I will be fixing that problem than and i understand I just got new ornaments and put them in there after a while when I was cleaning the tank 😊🐠❤️

[@Orophile_303]

My betta likes to just hang out at the bottom Wich is scaring me. He does swim around than just goes and lies down.

[@goldchemical1929]

Thank you for making these videos

[@pratibhaverma4900]

Lost mine this morning due to dropsy 😭 I wish I had used aquarium salt to get rid of fluids out of his body. He was breathing heavily. SIP Louie

[@aviahorizon6800]

I think my betta has swim bladder, or dropsy. I can't tell... He is quite swollen, and he only stays at the bottom of the tank. He doesn't swim much. All I want to do is heal him. Can someone here tell me if you recognize any of those symptoms I have just said. Thank you very much.

[@aviahorizon6800]

Well, I did a bit of research. And then I checked on my little Betta. It has unfortunately passed away... RIP My little Fish.

[@wiseguy2188]

You have such a beautiful voice that I bet you can cure a betta just by talking to it.

[@faithrogers4787]

I agree! She is beautiful.

[@radityaamoret]

This sucks in just 3 weeks my first betta that got dropsey died then in two weeks I was just cleaning the tank and I saw both of my favorite betta got dropsey this sucks one of them was my favorite one a Galaxy red koi nemo

[@RedQueenOfficial]

Good info

[@BetterBetta]

Thanks!

[@cactusamber1703]

😭😭😭 my betta is lying on the ground not moving now😭, that's how i found out he's not ok. He's literally dying. Idk if i should just kill him or let him die. It's hard.

[@emz8280]

A lot of the info on this vid is wrong. Dropsy can be curable and some fish live months with dropsy. Not 3 days

[@BetterBetta]

Thanks for your comments! This video is a bit old, and when I was doing research for it, I hadn't come across any cases where it was cured or lasted longer. Since filming, I once had a betta pinecone and had the pinecone scales disappear. I also read a few stories of cures. While this video is slightly outdated, it still has some valuable points, and the majority of cases do escalate so quickly the "window" where it can be cured has passed before most people know to treat.

[@emz8280]

@@BetterBetta okay thanks!! Yes there is good info in this vid for sure. Just don't want people to give up on their betta thinking it'll die in three days. When really they can get better and live longer. xx

[@TheBulbasaurKid]

my sister's betta has had dropsy for months, he's so big he's comparable to my fist, and she's trying to just dump him out in the yard and let him die

[@kaywilkerson4937]

Excellent video, very good information

[@papabrilliansyah7047]

My favorite betta collection also died by dropsy, I've tried many kind of curing method suggested by community but still it didn't work.

[@BetterBetta]

I’m sorry about your betta, dropsy really is awful. 😔 I also have tried everything in the books, and haven’t saved a fish yet. I made this video before a lot of these cured were discovered, and I won’t say they are all wrong, I haven’t personally had any success in saving my fish that get dropsy. 😢

[@BetterBetta]

I’m sorry about your betta, dropsy really is awful. 😔 I also have tried everything in the books, and haven’t saved a fish yet. I made this video before a lot of these cured were discovered, and I won’t say they are all wrong, I haven’t personally had any success in saving my fish that get dropsy. 😢

[@sitimarlina22]

My betta is having dropsy today. Before that 5 days ago she was attacked by her tank mate so i put her to a diffrent tank. Since than she refuse to eat and just today i notice dropsy.. 😭😭😭

[@weo1weo1weo1]

Something is really weird with my tanks, i have some with filters and some without but they all have live plants in them, all of the sudden all of the plants in all of my 7 unfiltered tanks started getting this wite fungus mold looking stuff on it and the water in the tanks started to smell super bad like sewage, i would change the water everyday but within an hour it would smell horrible again, within two weeks of this happening two of my bettas got dropsy(or something like it) and are on the verge of death and my other bettas were a bit lethargic but are better now. I decided to take the plants out to see if the plants were the problem(maybe the fungus was releasing toxic spores or something) it's only been two days and the smell is better but still not gone.... my 4 tanks with filters are all fine... anyone had this happen before with unfiltered tanks containing live plants?

[@daniellezinar9779]

Loved your video I think my beta has dropsy and I am so sad on what to do I feel like she is suffering some people told me she was pregnant but it does not seem that way everything you described pointed out dropsy to me !

[@rainbowteenydinos8868]

Danielle Zinar even pine con scales?????!!!!!! 😱😱😱😱😱😱😳😳😳😳😢😢😢😢

[@Vide0Browser]

My betta survived a month with dropsy... It refuse to eat and I was waiting for it to die.

[@petergrifin9538]

Am I the only one who got lost in her natural beauty, I forgot about my beta fish for a moment Jesus Christ I could watch her all day long😂😂😂😍😍😘

[@livelybettas2284]

will the scales on top of the head pop up aswell

[@BetterBetta]

+Marisa's Betta Fish Along the back is probable, but not directly on top of the head, at least not in the cases I have personally experienced.

[@haydeng.1328]

This video was very helpful so I guess it a like. I don't like what is happening to my betta. 😑

[@clawsandpaws1539]

yes I was sure it was dropsy and I did have a few that I did this on but they still did pass away I have done it on quite a few Bettas but only a small portion of them survived

[@4-hfarm671]

I had a betta that had dropsy for weeks and died and I think my other betta has it like he's in a comunity 29g tank planted

[@nerochan5668]

I just got my Betta and 2 days later I found out that he has dropsy... I bought him and he’s quite grumpy..

[@jackiekearney]

Thank you for sharing this, I learned something. I am new in Betta/freshwater , have only saltwater for over 3 yrs.

[@BetterBetta]

+Lovebetta I'm glad it could help!

[@SpacePets]

Awesome video, very informative 👌🏻

[@legoedasupremacy]

I wanted to know what I could have done to save my fish spotty he died on Halloween now I know I couldn’t have saved him :(

[@savagebettas5281]

I miss journey being in the beginning of the video😢😭

[@goldchemical1929]

Same

[@nuriasalazar1221]

is dropsy contagious? because my betta has dropsy.

[@BetterBetta]

+Lps Galaxy It can be, so it's best to remove any affected fish from a tank s/he may share with other healthy fish. Dropsy is a symptom of a disease, so if the specific disease causing Dropsy is contagious, then it makes Dropsy contagious. Most of the time, the disease IS contagious, but it's impossible to know for sure- so it's best to treat it as it is. Hope this helps. I am sorry about your betta having to have Dropsy.

[@nuriasalazar1221]

BetterBetta thanks so much, i did remove all of the fish

[@Lifewithpets72]

Excellent information.

[@BetterBetta]

+Lifewithpets Thanks!

[@DIYmadness]

Thanks sooo much for this video! My poor female Betta Luna has dropsy and has had it for 2 days now.

[@BetterBetta]

+xxalyssa Your welcome, glad it could help. I'm sorry Luna has Dropsy :(

[@ML-ks2lj]

I thought mine was constipated. Turns out it's dropsy. Going to put him to sleep. He has had a good 2 years of life with us. He was bigger when we got him to so im not sure how old he was to begin with. I'm letting this tank die off eventually any way. Not neglecting just keeping everything alive and happy for as long as I can. Cory's are about a year old so I probably have another or 4 years with them hopefully. Once this tank is gone I'm taking a break from the community until I can save up for a 55 or 75 long. Not sure yet.

[@BetterBetta]

Aw I’m so sorry to hear about your betta! It sounds like you took excellent care of him. ❤️

[@aliciarodrigues8408]

I just bought it yesterday from pet store and today I saw dropsy

[@BetterBetta]

Aw I’m so sorry to hear that. 😢