I've been searching for answers for hours, so I'm sorry if I've overlooked where the answer to my problem may already be answered. I brought a male betta home a few months ago and he's been thriving with no issues. yesterday, I added a heater, though I didn't turn it on yet, the temp is still mid to high 70s. I also added a fake soft plant that wouldn't snag his fins, since my last live plants died... thought he would like a second place to hide, although loves his cave. also...and I'm sorry, I just didn't know better, I added a light, a blue one, that was too bright. he has never had a light before, and so after some research, I really think it just stressed him out. so away with the light after waking this morning and finding poor Dorty (my 5 y/o named him) extremely lethargic. he would not eat his breakfast. several hours later, we come home from school and he is still very, very lethargic...like, I don't know if he's going to make it. but the water is suddenly cloudy. from what I can surmise, the introduction of the light gave rise to a bacterial bloom, or whatever? I don't know, I'm still figuring this all out as I go, so bear with me...so I vacuumed the gravel, removed 1/2 the water, cleaned the sides, checked the ph...ph is good, added some easy balance... I tried to be very gentle and as unintrusive as possible, the poor guy is so stressed. I have not even added water back in yet. what do I do? will he live? he's in a 10 gal filter tank, eats about 3 pellets of food. he is hanging in there, no physical symptoms other that floating on his side and acting mostly dead, but occasionally will right himself and swim a little. stays near the top...which is uncharacteristic of him. please help? thanks
I tried to be very gentle and as unintrusive as possible, the poor guy is so stressed. I have not even added water back in yet. what do I do? will he live? he's in a 10 gal filter tank, eats about 3 pellets of food. he is hanging in there, no physical symptoms other that floating on his side and acting mostly dead, but occasionally will right himself and swim a little. stays near the top...which is uncharacteristic of him. please help? thanks
Thank you! I ran right out and bought the salt and stress coat and am waiting... his color is good - improving, even, and the tank has already cleared, but I'm not ready to add water yet just because I feel like he's going through enough stress. I just added the touch of salt and some of the stress coat...I'm scared that every attempt is just going to do him more harm, but I really hope he hangs in there. Should I pull him out into a bowl with no movement/filter/air, etc? I just think it might be too much, but at the same time, his current environment seems a little aggressive with all the motion going on... I just don't know. ***AND THIS IS NEW***I'm seeing pieces of his fins floating in the water! Do beta drop their "plumes" during stress??
How often do you do water changes? You said you removed half the water due to it getting cloudy, but haven't added any new water... I would say get him into some good clean water to start. Just make sure the temp of the new stuff isn't too far off the temp of his tank.
Honestly... I had let it go longer than I needed to without doing a partial water change...it's been longer than a month and I was on about 25% every few weeks until this last month... he's got plenty of water, but it's about 2/3 full... I could start slowly adding water back in (matching temp, of course), but I am just scared to keep aggravating his situation and creating more stress... Do you think adding water will help?
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