Posted by squishy_fish on March 14, 2003 at 21:20:30:
Hi. You guys have helped me before (with Squishy), so I'm hoping you can help me with his colleague, Squirt.
Squirt is a blue betta, whose normal home is a 1 gal tank with undergravel filter. (The other fish, Squishy, has his own matching tank). Here's what has transpired to Squirt:
Monday: I notice Squirt has a white spot on his eye. Not fuzzy, just white and on his cornea. I automatically think, fungus, since our other fish (in another tank) was just recovering. I treat him with Jungle Fungus Clear. He still eats and acts normally.
Tuesday: I start thinking, maybe it's popeye. The spot isn't fuzzy, and Squirt's eye does appear to be ever-so-slightly protruded. I consider for a while, and add Mardel Maracyn-Two to the tank.
Wednesday: I notice that in addition to the white spot on the eye, Squirt has developed some white fuzz on his side by his tail. I think, good thing I treated him with Fungus Clear. He continues to act normally, but I notice a little stiffness in his tail area. I give him the second treatment of Maracyn-Two.
Thursday: Bad news. Squirt is now sitting at the bottom of the tank, and can't seem to reach the surface to breath. I panic, and promptly transfer him to a small 1/2 gal bowl (unfiltered). I use the standard acclimating process, and except for the little container I transferred him in, most of the water is new.
Thurs. night: On my way home from work, I buy Maracyn. (Just in case.) Surprisingly, Squirt is still hanging in there, but he is obviously suffering a lot. The white fuzzy spot is gone, replaced by a big gap in his blue scales with yellow flesh peeking through. He is breathing pretty hard. White spot on eye is still there. I add Maracyn to the tank, and Maracyn-Two as well. I honestly don't know if he'll make it through the night.
Friday morning (today): Squirt is still hanging in there, but things don't look good at all. I doubt he'll be alive when I get home.
Friday evening: I thought Squirt was dead. He was on his side. But when I looked down at him, he tried to say hello to me! He shifted all of his weight, and managed to drag himself around. I lowered the water level to a level where he doesn't have to struggle to breathe. He takes breaths, but they bubble out his gills. White spot on eye is faded, but gaping gash in his side is still there (looks very painful). No fuzz anywhere.
In a last ditch attempt, I put in the recommended doses of Maracyn, Maracyn-Two, and MarOxy. I know mixing meds is bad, but I just had to do something.
I honestly don't know if Squirt will make it, but in the event he pulls through the night (he might--he's a fighter), I'm wondering the following:
Any advice? How long does it take for Maracyn to take effect? Anyone see this before?
Thanks.
(and I'm off to see if he is still alive)
