Betta Fish: My Betta Is Dying, and I’m Not Ready to Say Goodbye

A few months ago, I was walking around my neighborhood when I decided to stop by a pet store.
That’s when I saw him.
A beautiful white Dumbo Betta named El Lider, sitting inside a tiny mayonnaise jar being used as a fish tank. He was cramped, with barely any space to move.
I couldn’t just leave him there.
I decided to give El Lider the life he deserved. I brought him home and set up a 5-gallon planted aquarium for him, with everything I could provide to make him comfortable and happy.
I’ve had him since December, and he quickly became much more than just a fish. I watched him grow, swim around his plants, and enjoy the home he finally had.
But now, I’m afraid we may be reaching the end of his story.
El Lider has developed dropsy, and despite everything I’m doing, he has stopped eating. I’ve been treating him with Kanaplex and salt baths, hoping he can pull through.
It’s been three days since he last ate. He barely wants to swim anymore, and most of the time he just rests.
I know he’s only a little fish, but after everything we’ve been through, saying goodbye is still incredibly difficult.
I just hope that, whatever happens, El Lider knows that he was loved—and that his life became a little better after I found him in that tiny mayonnaise jar.