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HELP!!! There's something wrong with my betta!!!

5K views 109 replies 9 participants last post by  dramaqueen 
#1 ·
Today, I just noticed that near my betta (Sashimi's) eye, there is this weird spot. The pictures that I have are blurry, but hopefully someone can help me!
What is this!? I'm scared for him! He seems to be acting fine, he's eating and swimming and he's active. He's due for a water change tomorrow. But please! What is this?!







Also, recently, there's this weird stuff on the bottom of his tank. It just apppeared out of nowhere yesterday, and I'm wondering what it is. He doesn't seem bothered by it, and it doesn't seem to be harming him.



Please help my poor betta! I just got him and I'm trying to make him as happy as possible!
 
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#2 ·
The white spot could be ich. And I'm very familiar with that white fuzzy stuff. Happened to my betta tank a lot. I don't know exactly what it is, but you definitely need to clean the water and the gravel more often. If you clean your tank regularly, it shouldn't do that.

Is your tank in direct sunlight? Do you test the water?
 
#3 ·
I don't test the water because like every college student out there... I'm broke and I can't afford a good water test kit.
No, my tank isn't in direct sunlight, but I DO have a bright desk light next to it...
Also, its a 1.5 gallon tank and I change 50% of the water 2 times a week. (I've only had him for about 2 weeks now).
 
#4 ·
In my opinion a 1.5 gallon is too small. With a tank that small you should probably be changing 100% and cleaning twice a week instead of 50 %. I recommend coming up with some extra change for a larger tank. Ideally, 5 gallons, but practically at least 2.5-3. This is much cheaper than a water test kit. After you get a larger tank, or start cleaning it more often, the white stuff shouldnt be there any more, and he possibly might be able to fight off the ich by himself if that is in fact what it is. If he still has it after one week, or it gets worse quick, then you gotta go to the petstore and buy ich treatment. Good luck:)
 
#5 ·
In my opinion a good liquid test kit is an essential tool for any fishkeeper and isn't something you can really skimp on. Plus, if you order it online it will only run you about $15 and last a really long time. I also wouldn't recommend 100% water changes. They require that you catch the fish, move him to another container, and then acclimate him to completely new aquarium water. 50% changes are much less stressful. You could increase your water changes, but just add in another 50% change a week. Honestly I think even on a 1.5g tank two 50% changes a week should be fine once the tank is cycled, but you might want to do three a week until the tank is cycled. But then again...you can't ever be sure what your water parameters are without that test kit.
 
#6 · (Edited)
In my 10 gal, I have a stick-on tester for temperature, ammonia, and pH. I didn't trust the pH level, so I picked up an API pH test kit. Really simple stuff, a bottle of the "dye" and a test tube. Put a few drops in, shake it, hold it up to the card, voila. The price? Well, I'm not too sure, the boyfriend got it as a gift because he hated my stick-on one, and threw out the receipt. BUT, let me put it to you this way: his idea of being generous is picking up the tip at McDonalds. :p

But if you look, a lot of the API stuff is on sale right now at Petco. Regardless of how badly these chain stores treat bettas, they do have supplies that are much needed.

Aquarium Water Testing Equipment at PETCO

I wouldn't do 100% changes either. Also, I heard that on another breeder's site, he saw the same stuff at the bottom of his tank, and it turned out to be dust, fish slime, and general waste. If you don't have a cover on your tank, that's probably it. To be on the safe side, I'd take out the gravel, wash it thoroughly with hot water, rinse it with a bit of diluted vinegar, suck up what you can with a DIY siphon, and keep the gravel out until you know you beat it away.

I agree with what FlaNatural says: a 1.5 is too small. However, a 2.5 is okay in my mind. Just know that the smaller the tank, the more work it requires to clean it up, especially if there are no filters and heaters.
 
#7 ·
thanks for the info!
Well... I would LOVE to get a 10 gallon tank and a divider and put both my bettas in there, but I don't have space in my dorm for anything bigger than what I have.
Also, I have my other betta in a 1 gallon tank with an air pump and an undergravel fliter, and this tank is 100% clean, and my betta in there has ALWAYS been healthy.
I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to get the same tank that I have for my other betta for this one. I've had so much luck with the other tank.
I'm going to do that and see what happens
 
#9 · (Edited)
you could bring him to a fish store too, but that could stress him out, but you can bring a water sample and almost any fish store will test your water for free if your broke
 
#10 ·
aw poor betta
i cant see the spot very well but you should search the internet for fish diseases and see if there is a picture that matches. There are usually otc medications that you can but. There are 2 diseases called white spot and ick that you should look at.
 
#11 ·
White spot and ich are the same disease. From what I could see in the picture, it doesn't look like your fish has ich.

Don't trust those stick-on water parameter monitors. They're even less accurate than test strips and will begin to deteriorate in your tank and cause a mess. There's really no substitute for a liquid test kit (well, except for digital probes, but those tend to be a little on the expensive side).
 
#12 ·
hi
i have no real advise to give,i'm sorry to say,just this question......
do any of your friends keep bettas,because perhaps you could split
the cost of the test kit between you all.
i do hope you get to the bottom of this problem,and he will be ok.
 
#13 ·
Thanks guys! I'm going home for Thanksgiving on Friday, so I'm going to do a water change before that, and then I'm going to get a new tank for him over the break.
Another concern that I have is that I got gel feeders for my bettas (the ones that don't mess up your water). I got them for Thanksgiving break because I don't want to stress out my bettas by having them go thru 2 car rides in one week.
I'm concerned about my bettas though, what if they don't like the feeders? What if they don't eat them and they die? Will they eat them? Should I put the feeder in a few days before and not feed them so that they get used to the feedr?
 
#16 ·
The gel feeders are just a gel made of seaweed protein with daphnia stuck in it, so I think bettas should probably at least pick the daphnia out. I was out of town for ten days once and dropped one of the gel feeders in my tank. At the time, the tank just had a dwarf gourami, some zebra danios and some cories. The feeder had definitely been picked at. The fish seemed hungry but they were all still alive and active when I returned from the trip. Hope that helped!
 
#17 ·
I put the feeders in my tanks, and now all of the water is REALLY foggy. I don't know what to do, because I can't bring them home, and I can't not feed them for like 10 days.
What should I do?
 
#18 · (Edited)
White spot and ich are the same thing... Its hard to diagnose with the picture quality.. But it COULD be ich, I doubt it is if you've had him for two weeks now, is there anything in the tank he could have injured himself on? Is there a chance you could get a better picture? Perhaps a side view?

Lol I wish I had of noticed this thread had two pages before I posted...
 
#20 ·
Yeah, they're NOT supposed to mess up the water. And as I said before, I'm really broke (like I have negative numbers in my bank accounts) and I haven't been able to get a test kit.

I don't know what to do!!! I'm leaving in 2 days and I can't bring them home with me! Should I just leave the feeders in there and do a 80% water change when I get back? I'm gonna be gone for 10 days, and there is no way I can bring my bettas home.
 
#21 ·
Does it look like they are eating the food? Do the fish look like they are doing ok? I'd just leave the feeders in there. Its better than letting them go hungry.I can certainly understand being broke. I don't test the water in my little 1 gallon containers and my fish are ok. Good luck.
 
#22 ·
eithergice your friend keys and have them feed your fish or you could get a flake feed timer or one of those slow disolving pyramids food things
 
#23 ·
Dramaqueen... I have a one gallon and I don't test the water either, my fish has always been fine, so I'm not really concerned, I DO have a thermometer though.

I can't give my friend a key, I live in a dorm and everyone is going home, not just me.

I guess I'm going to leave the feeders in there, and I'll do a water change when I get back...

Ok, so here's ANOTHER problem, I have a live plant in my betta's tank, and while I'm gone I can't leave the tank plugged in, meaning I can have the tank light on. What do I do with the plant? Is it going to die?
 
#24 ·
The plant would probably be pretty damaged but should recover... What do you mean you can't leave the tank plugged in? Is there a heater? If batman said the feeders worked well for him then I would trust it. Only use like half of the feeder block or something. Then when you come home do a big water change.
 
#26 ·
:| .... To be honest... I don't know? Hah I assumed they were like regular vacation feeders and could be split? I imagine if fish could eat the block then it would have to be soft enough to cut? :dunno:

I just looked gel feeders up and they are supposed to be pretty good for not polluting your water. I can't say I have experience with them though.
 
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