HELP! Is my Betta cureable or is he in pain and should be put down?

I posed this last week

"Over the past two weeks he has become less and less active. He now just lays on the bottom of the tank almost lifeless. When he does try and swim it takes everything he has to get to the top of the tank and then takes a breath and sinks back down. I have tried feeding him a pea thinking it is a swim bladder disorder but he won't eat it.

He lives in a two gallon tank with a filter and live plants. His has a heater which he seems to really like."

When all of this started i did a 3 day treatment of Betta Revive but no luck. As of this week he seems to be getting worse. I did another 50% water change with spring water because i do not trust what is in our water here. We are on a military base. I have tried withholding food with no luck. I tried giving him a Pea on multiple occasions but he won't take it.

At this point i'm not sure its just swim bladder. I have noticed his body looks raw or a bit burned up by his head and there are dark spots on his tail fin. I checked the amonia, it wasn't bad but i did the 50% water change with the spring watter and it seems to be fine now. Last night I treated his water with QuICK Cure (Formalin, Malachite Green)
I took 1/2 of the water out of his tank to make it easier to get to the top because he is still gulping for air occasionally I'm just not sure what to do anymore. Nothing seems to be helping.


I have ordered EMO Pro and should get it sometime next week. It says its specifically for Swim Bladder and Pop Eye.

I know it is a difficult thing to put down a pet but when the cost of all these meds start to add up it goes way beyond the cost of getting a new fish. I recently went through an experience myself where I got to the point where med cost just got to be so outrageous and I had zero results. So the best course of action was to put the fish down. I am not trying to sound cold but I think it may be time to let go.

It does not seem like pop eye or swim bladder to me.

if he looks raw and has bumps...sounds like a bacteria infection to me.

when bettas get sick they lay on the bottom..its hard to move all that fin around when you don't feel good.

have you increased the heat in his tank at all? 70s is a bit to low for bettas they like 80o and up 85 ish.

if you are going to put him down the most human way is clove oil.

get a dish with enough water to cover him.. put on tiny drop in the dish with him and wait about 5 mins he should stop moving about now..add another drop and wait 30 mins before deposing of the body (trash or dig a little hole for him in the back yard).

hope things go well for you.

The water is in the high 70's to 80 range.

The reason i thought it was swim bladder was becasue he lays on his side or props himself up agains the tank (head facing up) when he swims he sort of leans on his side. When he decides to swim to the top of the tank to take a gulp it takes every thing he has to get up there then quickly sinks back down. He refuses to eat, and becasue everyone said it was swim bladder we force feed him a pea like someone else suggested.

If its not a swim bladder what do you suggest?

I currently have Betta Revive and QuICK Cure on hand. I'm supposed to be getting the EMO Pro on Friday. I don't want to over medicate him but i truely don't think this is him getting old. It just hit all of a sudden.

I replied with a link on the other thread. Please answer these ?'s

1)what is the ph?
2)what is the ammonia?
3)what is the nitrites?
4)how often do you do water changes?
4.5)when doing the water changes, did you use warm water from your tap?
5)do you use dechlorinator? what kind?
6)do you use carbon in your filter?
7)what type of filter?
8)do you add salt to the water? if so,what type?
9)what were you feeding before this happened?
10)what other signs can you tell me about him? Be specific. ie: he is fatter than normal, he is pale or white, slimmy, etc....


Now I am going to answer my questions:
1)should be around 7.0
2)should read 0
3)should read 0
4)everyday 50%
4.5)never do this
5)prime should be used
6)never use this
7)one that flows at a solid pace
8)hopefully aquarium salt
9)hopefully food low in protein


I wonder if there is something else wrong with him.

here is another suggestion:
I would start a 10 day Epsom salt treatment on him.

Get a clean 1gal jug and fill with dechlorinated water of like temp (heat it on the stove if necessary) and add 1tsp/gal Epsom salt(Not aquarium salt) use this water for 50%+ daily water changes for 2 days-then increase the Epsom salt 2tsp/gal and continue the 50% daily water changes with this water for 7 more days-pre mixing the treatment water will help make water changes and correct dosage easier

Hold all food for the first 5 days and then offer half feeding twice a day during the remainder of the treatment

Maintain water temp in the 80-82F range

You can also add tannins to the Epsom salt treatment water from either-naturally dried and fallen from the tree Oak leaf, just float them in the tank (3-4) the more tannins released the darker the water the more the Betta will like it...this will soften the water.

Make sure the pre-mix treatment water is within a couple of degree in temp

Before using the EM-Pro, I would try this, or try this prior to receiving the meds. Its your call.
Good luck