New Betta from Thailand not doing so good.

[Surferjo]

Originally Posted by bryanacute

Try to slowly change the temp. Start at 82 and work your way down until you reach your desired temperature.

Im moving it up from 76. Are you saying bring it up to 82, than back down to 80?

[Sena Hansler]

I would not medicate a betta who is just new to a tank, environment, and temperature. Everything is new to him - i don't think using salt is going to do much.

As for temperature, get it to 78-80.

[bryanacute]

Oh. Yes that's a good idea.

[callistra]

Move it up. You can do a degree an hour until you hit 78. That should be peachy. I bet the yellow was IAL. I wouldn't do salt. I would look into some IAL.

What's the Ph of your water? .25-.5ppm ammonia is too high and it could be stressing him. A 1 gallon needs a minimum of one 100% change a week with a couple smaller changes in between. The suggestion in this forum sticky is 100% every other day. I find a 50% on day 2 and 100% on day 4 yields about .25ppm ammonia before the full change.

Despite a lot of debate, full water changes do not need to be stressful. What stresses the fish are swings in ph and temperature. If you use properly heated aged water and have a good stable ph, they don't bat an eye at the change. I've been doing 100% weekly changes on fish for years now and as long as you have a handle on these things, and still pretend you don't and acclimate slowly, they do fine. My fish get far more stressed out in being cupped than having the actual water changed. They actually are happier once it's all over than the time the spent cupped.

[Surferjo]

Originally Posted by callistra

Move it up. You can do a degree an hour until you hit 78. That should be peachy. I bet the yellow was IAL. I wouldn't do salt. I would look into some IAL.

What's the Ph of your water? .25-.5ppm ammonia is too high and it could be stressing him.

PH is 7.6

Ammonia is at 0 ppm now. I did am 80% tonight at around 5pm

[callistra]

Well it all sounds excellent.. Just bump the temp and you may look into IAL for him, but otherwise sounds like he's ok. I'd bet anything the yellow was IAL and they do tend to be a lot more active while that is present in their system.

[Option]

I think you might just be over-reacting a bit. As long as his gut is moving (i.e., still eating) then you're out of the woods in my experience. He may not be happy but if he's eating whatever you're feeding him then he's already better off than many times I can think of after getting a new betta home.

[Surferjo]

Temp is holding steady at 79 now.

I ordered some IAL off ebay. I assume it will be a while before it arrives. It doesn't seem to be available locally.

Yes he is eating very well. I pick up some Brine shrimp yesterday and he chomping them down.

Maybe i should start thinking of a name...

Thanks for all the help. Ill keep you posted.

[Surferjo]

Well I think you may be right. He is just a lazy fish. I'm seeing a little more movement from him and he is eating well. Thanks for all your help.

[JAGalletta]

Just to add to the dialogue - I think it is a good idea to order meds or remedies (such as IAL) via the internet because the shipping delay gives you a period of time to observe your fish and to possibly realize that he doesn't need anything at all. I think that sometimes it's hard to leave the tank alone and let the fish do his thing. Like many people on here will say (and I agree), proper conditions such as paramaters, temperature and tank size, will do wonders for a fish, and many times they will not need medication if they are not showing absolute signs of any of the diseases or disorders listed on the Betta fish diseases and treatment stickies. After all is said and done, and your IAL has arrived, you will be in a much better position to determine whether he actually needs to be treated. My betta from Thailand didn't act right for a week or so after receiving him, but I kept on the water changes, and kept his temperature at 78 as best as I could before adding him to his permanent home.