Internal or external parasite? Or something else? Help!

[tokala]

I am getting so frustrated. Diablo has been off since I got him 5ish weeks ago, but has seemed really off for about a week now. All of his symptoms looked like a parasite so I started treating him for that. In another thread, someone suggested that it seemed more like an internal parasite. I have been researching this and methods of treatment seem vague. Does everyone else agree I should be treating for internal parasites, and if so, can anyone recommend a medication? I am so worried about losing him too after my freak accident with Siku.

Housing
What size is your tank? 2.5 G minibow as of last week to make QT/Treatment easier. Was in a 7.5 Gal before.
What temperature is your tank? 80-82
Does your tank have a filter? No
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? No
Is your tank heated? Yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Mostly frozen bloodworms- that is all he would eat when I first got him. In the last week or so, he will Eat/spit out a pellet and in the end eat most of it. 1-3 pellets a day, 1-2 bloodworms (depending on how many pellets he had). I know frozen food can carry parasites which could be the cause of his illness?
How often do you feed your betta fish? Twice a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Now that he is in his 2.5, daily 75%, and 2 100% a week.
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? See above
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Dechlorinator (Bettabowl plus) and for the last 3-4 days, Copersafe and aquarium salt (1/2 teaspoon per gallon)

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? Yes, many times.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH:7.8 ( I know it's high, i posted another thread before I got Diablo and it was recommended not to mess with it and let him adapt)
Hardness: Not sure
Alkalinity: Low?

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Clamped fins, scratches on his body. Swollen gill that doesn't shut all the way, he came to me like that and i thought it was just the way he was born.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Well, he hasn't seemed quite well since I got him a month ago from Thailand. It's hard to say what he was like before he came to me. But in the last week or so his symptoms have gotten worse. He is lethargic most of the time and floats near the surface or lays on the bottom with clamped fins. These moments are broken up with darting at/against anything he can. I have not seen this in the last 24 hours though. All of his symptoms have improved a LITTLE in the last 24 hours.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? They started to become very obvious a little over a week now. He has seemed off since I got him.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Yes, he has been treated with AQ salt on and off since i got him 2 week long treatments in the last 5 weeks. His symptoms sounded like a parasite so I have been treating im with coppersafe the last few days. The mystery is, He has no white spots or signs of velvet, so this may not be the right treatment.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Since I have owned him, yes.
How old is your fish (approximately)? 5-7 months.

[tokala]

Anyone? I have meds to treat external parasites (copper safe), and bacteria/fungus (maracyn-oxey i believe it is called? I am at school so can't look at the box at the moment), but will need to order something off the internet ASAP if there a different medication that is better suited.

[turtle10]

How did you acclimate him when he arrived?

[Oldfishlady]

Sometimes you can over treat and if you have had him in some type of treatment for the past 5-6 weeks...he could be getting toxic.......especially with the copper......I would stop all treatment and get him in fresh clean dechlorinated water for a while...get some Prime dechlorinator and start a fresh water treatment on him with every other day 50% water changes for a week and see how he does....

[tokala]

@ turtle10: Well i took about 40 minutes to first adjust him to the light. Then I floated him for 30 minutes to let the temp adjust. Then over a 7 hour period, I added about a teaspoon worth of new tank water to his baggy. I know some people take a whole 24 hours and that is probably what I should have done, because he still seemed in shock after he was finally released. At that time he was in a 7.5G filtered (baffled) heated tank. I ended up removing the filter after a couple days when I noticed it stressed him out and he was a lot happier without it. I did daily 50% water changes and 100% change once a week in his old tank.
@ OFL: that makes sense- he has only been on the coppersafe for 3 days now (going on day 4 now) and the rest have been a couple AQ salt treatments. I will try the fresh water treatment.

Thank you both for your responses.

[turtle10]

Hmm, all I can think of is that he wasn't adjusted enough. I would just do what Oldfishlady says. Good luck with your fish, I hope he gets better :)

[tokala]

Originally Posted by turtle10

Hmm, all I can think of is that he wasn't adjusted enough. I would just do what Oldfishlady says. Good luck with your fish, I hope he gets better :)

Thanks turtle10! I think you are right, especially given my higher pH. I should have stretched it out for a whole 24 hours. Thank you again for your response, I appreciate it.

[Oldfishlady]

You have to remember that a lot of these male Bettas have never seen more space than half gallon at most all their life...some tolerate larger spaces and other do not and then you add in water movement.....sometimes you have to acclimate them to the larger tank and filtration over time...and yet others love the big space and filter....but stress alone can really get them sometimes......high stress lowers immune response and every little thing can get them......you acclimated him properly to both water temp and chemistry...some Bettas are just more sensitive than others....you didn't do anything wrong........

Copper can be really toxic to fish, plants, inverts...be really careful with its use.....long term, wrong dose sodium chloride can be toxic as well.....

Good luck and keep us posted.....

[turtle10]

No problem, OFL knows her stuff so I am sure your little guy will pull through!

[tokala]

Originally Posted by Oldfishlady

You have to remember that a lot of these male Bettas have never seen more space than half gallon at most all their life...some tolerate larger spaces and other do not and then you add in water movement.....sometimes you have to acclimate them to the larger tank and filtration over time...and yet others love the big space and filter....but stress alone can really get them sometimes......high stress lowers immune response and every little thing can get them......you acclimated him properly to both water temp and chemistry...some Bettas are just more sensitive than others....you didn't do anything wrong........

Copper can be really toxic to fish, plants, inverts...be really careful with its use.....long term, wrong dose sodium chloride can be toxic as well.....

Good luck and keep us posted.....

He is definitely Mr. Sensitive. His little red belly gets pale at the smallest things. I think it makes so much sense that the acclimation to his environment and water conditions/medication would stress him out more than the next fish- he is such a whimp :) When I get home from school this evening I will start his first fresh water treatment. I will keep you both posted. I know I have been a needy newbie with all my questions and I can't express enough how much I appreciate the patience and help :)