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EMERGENCY! Herbert laying on side at the bottom of the tank, won't eat

1K views 12 replies 5 participants last post by  NorthernLights 
#1 ·
Housing
What size is your tank? 2.5g
What temperature is your tank? 72-75 degrees F
Does your tank have a filter? no
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
Is your tank heated? no (we live in a warm place)
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? none

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? topfin color enhancing betta pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? 3 or 4 pellets once a day except saturdays

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? once every 2 weeks
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? amquel plus

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

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? loss of color, skinny
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? sitting at the bottom of the tank, has spasms in an effort to get air
When did you start noticing the symptoms? this morning
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? *
Does your fish have any history of being ill? some bouts of minor fin rot but other than that, no
How old is your fish (approximately)? I'm guessing 3 years. I bought him 2 years ago but he was a fish that had been sitting at the local petco for a longgggg time before I scooped him up.

* I moved him to his original cup and put freshly dechlorinated water in. I tried dropping a pellet in and got no response. After that I defrosted bloodworms and tried feeding those to him with tweezers. Still no response other than another spasm for air.

I came back from a sleepover yesterday and fed him as usual when I went over to check on him today I found him in this state!! Please help me... I don't know what to do! He looks horrible...
 
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#3 ·
First of all, his water needs to be warmer. Bettas prefer 76-82 degrees. I know you've had him for a long time, and he's probably always been in water that cold, but since he's sick, you do need to warm it up slowly for him. Also, for a tank that size, you need to be doing more frequent water changes, at least 2 or 3 a week.
He could be getting old, and that is why he's not eating, but a very healthy Betta kept in perfect conditions has an average life span of 5 to 8 years, sometimes longer. Healthy Bettas kept in so so conditions, live 2 - 3 years, so yours may be on the way out.
Start with warmer water get a heater that is adjustable, and slowly warm up the water a few degrees at a time over several hours, and see if that helps him out any. If you have room, float his cup in his tank so that he can stay warm and he doesn't have to swim so far to get air.
 
#5 ·
oceanic salt mix is not ok for freshwater fish. You can use aquarium salt made specifically for fresh water fish for a maximum of 10 days, but you need to change the water daily and replace the same amount of salt that you take out. Oh, and remember to dissolve the salt before you put it in.
If the heater isn't adjustable, keep a close eye on temperature, you don't want to get too hot either and risk cooking him. Is it a small one designed for smaller tanks? But yes, you do need to keep him warm for him to start getting better.
 
#7 ·
That should be fine, keep us posted.
 
#8 ·
I think he has internal parasites, due to being skinny and darting. Aquarium Salt is for external problems and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with his physical stats... I recommend Epsom Salt instead, 1 tsp. per gallon, daily 100% changes, and only for 12-14 days maximum.

But to ensure it's internal parasites, how's his poo?
 
#10 ·
Hi, wow you have had your betta for a long time, so you have been taking excellent care of him. A betta that is 3 years old is sorta like a real old person, and start to look and act like they just need to sleep more. Perhaps you might want to talk to your mom or dad & show them Herbert....ok?
 
#11 ·
poor sick fishy

Tara,

Take a deep breath. I know you are frightened for your fish, and that is ok -- it means you care about him -- but you need to not let that take over. Take a few deep breaths.

Not eating for a day is not the end of the world. Bettas can live for quite a few days without food. Now, it does indicate that something is wrong with him, and you did well to notice that promptly, just don't panic about it.

The heater is a great idea, even if it only warms his tank a few degrees, that will certainly be helpful. Clean, warm water can have amazing effects. If you are keeping him in a cup in the tank remember to change the water every day, and if you do choose to add aquarium salt or epsom salt, remember it needs to be fully dissolved.

If you are mixing his water in a jug (I used to use a 1-gallon jug of spring water from the store, but with tap water, and add the salt then shake it up really hard for several minutes, and even then dissolving aquarium salt was tricky). Aquarium salt is sold at the pet store and you may need to ask for it. Salt used for marine/saltwater fish is completely different. If you decide to buy epsom salts, make sure you don't get the kind with perfume added. Lots of epsom salts include weird stuff like lavender. Go for the plain kind, and read the ingredients list. It should have nothing but magnesium sulfate.

Make sure to remove uneaten food from his water, especially the cup so that the water does not get spoiled.
 
#13 ·
I am so sorry Tara. You fought hard for your fish, and he is grateful to you.
 
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