Zenyfish wrote:
Quite honestly ... a salt bath won't do anything except irritate the fish.
Zenyfish, Iâ??m sure you believe this, but it would carry more weight as a recommendation if you would supply some reasons for why you say this. For example, have you treated bettas in salt baths and had them react poorly? On a thread like this, I think weâ??re obligated to supply more information when challenging a tried and true procedure like a mild salt bath for what is, after all, a fat perchlike fish.
So â?? even though I donâ??t want to beat this point up too much - I think I should post back on this thread to explain why I made the suggestion for the salt bath, in the first place.
Whiteymoza, this is what I know about the use of therapeutic salt baths.
I have not been able to find, and have never seen, where leading fish authorities say that they know that salt, at low doses, irritates either the eyes or the gills of a freshwater fish. Instead, they seem to say that there is no evidence of it. Certain fish have been reported to not tolerate salt well, even at low doses, but the information is anecdotal and is contradicted by other sources, in similar authoritative positions. I have not seen bettas included in those lists, in any case.
I am not suggesting the routine use of salt or a prolonged exposure to it. In fact, itâ??s imperative that you keep an eye on the fish and adjust the dose as needed. This is easy to do â?? add fresh water directly to the quarantine tank to dilute, or prepare more salt solution to enhance. I assume you would be able to tell if the fish were to
become irritated, as you seem very confident that the fish is
not irritated at this time.
Many hobbyists simply will not use OTC fish meds, but will use salt, if they use anything. Tonic salt for freshwater fish is a mild medicine that can do them no harm when used properly, and may very well do them some good, as many hobbyists testify.
At a low-dose, the salt bath will help clear the gills of excess mucus, not irritate them.* Ulcers and skin lesions place a burden on the osmoregulatory system, so Iâ??ve read many times, which stresses the fish. If the fish is stressed, and is losing body salts to the surrounding water, then the salt bath can help minimize these losses and keep the fishâ??s salt-to-water ratio in balance, thereby making the fish more comfortable. In this case, I am considering the "tumor," or whatever it is, to be in this category; (because no one knows what it is, do they? The growth hasnâ??t been lanced and sectioned and given for biopsy. The assumption is that itâ??s a tumor, but it could very well be a fluid filled sac, or a condition caused by an internal parasite.)
I have kept several bettas, and they live several years. The one I have right now is just about 3½ years old. I have never seen any growths of any kind on my bettas; possibly this is because they are kept singly in small, but decent-sized, planted tanks by themselves. However, other people I know have used salt baths effectively on bettas, for various parasitic and "fungal" conditions, and even Epsom salt baths (to relieve constipation, which is a fairly common problem with bettas, although probably not the problem with your fish. In that case, the bulge is usually farther down, toward the tail.)
Thereâ??s a lot of information around regarding mild salt baths and fish. Whether you try the salt bath is entirely up to you! I am sure you can do the research for yourselves and decide what you want to do. I suggest the salt bath as a way to make the fish more comfortable; to ease respiration and to possibly draw out any excess fluids building up and rupturing the fish. A salt bath is something you might consider trying, before deciding on euthanasia (which I think you would like to avoid, since there seems to be a huge debate about how to do it properly.) If your fish is not uncomfortable or stressed, perhaps you should do nothing. After all, itâ??s not an open wound.
Zenyfish wrote:
There is one other thing you can do. Someone told me they've done this successfully. Anesthesize the fish (I think they used drinking soda, 7Up). Then cut off the tumor with a razor blade.
Whitey, if you try this, and end up with an open wound, have a nice salt bath standing by for the betta.
Heâ??ll need it!
Seriously, I think you would need a lot more information before trying the above technique, which may very well work - I have no idea.
Well, I hope things work out with your fish. Bettas have a way of grabbing your attention and becoming real pets.
_______
Deborah
*higher doses may stimulate mucus production which, I understand, can be a good thing, but with bad, short-term, side effects.
EDIT: changed the word
cyprinid.
