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Sick Betta after a Move.

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  angila 
#1 ·
Housing
What size is your tank? 10 G
What temperature is your tank? 79-80
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
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? No

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? Once a day, at night 3-5 pellets

Maintenance

How often do you perform a water change? Weekly [doing one today]
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 1/3
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Nutrafin water conditioner

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

Ammonia: Low I don't know exact number
Nitrite: Unsure
Nitrate: Unsure
pH: 8.0 I think
Hardness: Unsure
Alkalinity: Unsure

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? He is pale
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Lying on the bottom, doesn't come up much, doesn't swim around much.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Day after we moved.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Water change, and bringing the heat back to the regular temp. Slowly.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? I have treated him for fin-rot before
How old is your fish (approximately)? I have had him a little over a year.




Ok now that that is up. My betta has been very lethargic and pale since we moved. He wasn't super active beforehand but it is worse now.

During the move I had him in a tiny tank that was around 75-80 due to the heat in the car, when we got the the apartment his mini tank did drop as he was set aside while I set everything up [our apartment is pretty cold] and due to the fact that I did not have any water conditioner at the time he remained in his mini-tank the night. Though I did float it in the slightly warmer 10G tank overnight to give him as much heat as I could but it was still rather low due to the poor heater [his good one was broken in the move not in the tank] I was able to get him a good heater today and have been slowly rising the temp in his tank all day he is around 80 now. But he is still lying on the bottom of the tank and is quite pale. I'm not sure what to do to help him, or if I have done something to make it worse. >.<

We have been living here since the 28th and though he did eat a little the first few nights the last 2 he hasn't eaten, I got him to the top to try and eat last night but if anything he maybe had one piece before he floated down to the bottom again. He seemed lethargic when we were at the old place but not this much, and he wasn't so pale.

He seems to be to tired/lack of energy to swim around or stay near the top, he's hardly moved at all just lays there breathing...And it seems a bit of his fin is missing, the top fin has a strip missing up to near his body.

Is there something I can do to make him comfortable/better. I don't want to go throwing a bunch or random medicine in the tank before I know whats going on.
 
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#2 ·
He may be just stressed out from the move still. All the loud noises, different temperatures, different surroundings.

Just keep his water warm and clean. Some aquarium salt can help with stress and restore electrolytes. Just follow the directions on the box and discontinue after a week or two.

Maybe you can soak his pellets in pure garlic juice. When my betta wouldn't eat soaking his pellets in garlic raised his interest.

How this helps and I hope he gets back to normal! :)
 
#3 ·
UPDATE: I just did a water change 1/3 of the tank and he seemed to perk up a bit. Came up to the surface to visit me, I was able to feed him while his filter was off and his food sat in one place for a while. He has gone back to the bottom of the tank, but he's moving around a little more. I'll update again tomorrow.

I'll have to see if I can pick up some Aquarium Salt, although my roomie may have some from her betta's

Here are some pictures :


Apollo, at the bottom of his tank. He's still there now.


His full tank view. You can see him at the bottom left corner.
 
#5 ·
By the way, you may already know this, but the aquarium salt sold at the pet store is very expensive... and it is simply un-iodized salt.
The same salt can be bought for a fraction of the price at the grocery store. It is called pickling or canning salt, or rock salt. If in doubt, check ingredients for iodine and the package for any mention of iodine.
It is the exact same thing, but one quart of pickling salt costs less than two dollars.
 
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