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just got a betta today and it's dying! D:

2K views 13 replies 8 participants last post by  Rain Drop 
#1 · (Edited)
Darn it! He's just a a young little CT.....right now he's lying on his side and his gills are moving rapidly.....I noticed earlier today that he seemed to have a bit of trouble swimming, but now its come to this??!? D<

I don't know what to do.....if I don't receive any help I don't think he's going to make it :cry:
 
#3 ·
Hey, I bought two of my newer males from a petstore in a small cup each LIKE SMALL and basically they are just set out until they die in these cups (their water was disgusting)...so I grabbed two and saved them. They were in a similar fashion to your betta, trouble breathing and lying at the bottom...BUT they are both alive and swimming lots today...I will tell you what I did maybe this will help for you.

First thing I did was acclimate them to the water, once I seen their state I lowered the water level so that they could easily access the top of the water. I then fasted them for about two days, because mine had swollen bellies. I would do frequent water changes at this time acclimating them each time because I did not want to stress them (I didn't acclimate them for as long as when they first came home, just a few minutes). After two days I fed them dried blood worms (only a tiny bit each day). One of mine took only 3 or 4 days to be able to hold himself upright properly, so I increased the water level. The other (I thought would not make it) took almost two weeks and would not eat, but I was determined and kept with it..and he pulled though.

If you bought yours in a similar fashion they could have been water with toxic levels of nitrates or ammonia or other substances. They just need time for their bodies to recuperate.

I hope this helps you out and that your fish pulls through! Just keep a close eye on him :) I am rooting for ya!
 
#5 ·
shoot! I never acclimated him properly! I just let his bag water get the same temp as the tank water D: It's probably that......thank-you so much jamietron! I leave for work soon now, but I'm totally going to take action on what you advised as soon as I get home!!<3333
 
#7 ·
did you use water conditioner (it makes tap water safe for fish)
 
#10 ·
He never appeared sick in his little bowl at the store....and all the other fish were very healthy looking....except for one CT with major shredded fins....the girl working there thought it was cool looking D: ( I never said anything tho cuz I have no backbone Dx )

anyways, I just did a full wc and I'm floating him in a cup in the tank...once it's the same temp I'll slowly acclimate him. I also lowered the water level by half and I don't plan on feeding him today either.

I really hope this works....it's just that it almost looks like he's bottom heavy when he swims.....like he's too heavy for his own good or he's really weak or something :c Sometimes I swear he'll pass out because I won't even see his gills moving now!
 
#11 ·
My CT also swims like he is bottom heavy and he likes to lounge on the high leaf of his silk plant. I was a bit worried about him but he is doing fine. According to the fish doctor the Bettas are fairly lazy fish but the CT for some reason are a little more listless.

I would go ahead with your plan to fast him and all and just keep an eye on him but it's possible you just got a lazier fish.

Best of Luck to you both.
 
#12 ·
hope hes doing ok, question, ours dont come in cups, you buy them from a community tank,(they keep just one if male) they come home in a bag, i usually float the bag for 30-40- mins to aclimatise, but I usually drain off shop water(you never know whats in it),before adding the fish, I can fill my new tank with water from my other (very healthy) tank and it will already be cycled ready for the fish,does this sound ok?
 
#13 ·
Sharon, Water from your cycled tank isn't going to do much but add dirty water to your new tank, I'm afraid. The beneficial bacteria you're looking for actually live in the gravel and filter media, so you would want to use those instead if you want to seed your new tank. Also make sure to keep the gravel/media in a bit of tank water while you move it, or the beneficial bacteria will die. This will not fully cycle your new tank, but it will speed up the process. Do you have an test kit to help you cycle?
 
#14 ·
Thank-you BBgirl.

I can somwhat believe he's a lazy fish, but this is just too much.....he's struggling a lot and I can tell he's insanely stressed because he has weird blotches on his face....I almost think it's velvet actually. It's kind of shiny looking.

Sometimes he just floats there, gills not moving, fins not moving, nothing.
The only time he moves is when has to go up for air every few minutes, then he'll float back down and lay super awkwardly.
 
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