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Sick Baby Betta

646 views 10 replies 4 participants last post by  TiffanyP 
#1 ·
Housing
What size is your tank? 2 gallons
What temperature is your tank? 82F
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? NLS small fish formula
How often do you feed your betta fish? Used to feed him small amounts 2-3 times a day as he's a baby, but he hasn't eaten in almost 2 weeks now

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? In an 8 day period he gets two 50% changes and two 100% changes, rotating between the 2
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? Stress Coat +

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

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 8.2
Hardness: ?
Alkalinity: ?

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? He's lost nearly all of his color, he went from being a vibrant blue to a dull translucent brown with stripes.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? He doesn't swim around anymore except for to go to the surface to breathe, otherwise he lays on the bottom of the tank, more recently on his side, or like he's sitting up kind of.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Around Monday*
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Epsom salts at .25 tsp/gal since he's a baby, per recommendation of lilnaugrim
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No
How old is your fish (approximately)? Maybe 3 months? I've had him for just shy of 2 months and he was pretty tiny when I got him.

*I know that he's very constipated - he hasn't pooped in nearly 2 weeks. He's also refused food for the past 2 weeks as well, I tried daphnia and he just looked at it and swam away. He did eat a small portion of blood worm on Friday, but nothing before or since then. He was swimming fine up until Monday, that's when he started laying on the bottom more and not swimming. He appears fine except for his color loss... no strange patches on him or bumps/lumps. His fins are fine, no signs of rot and he's not clamped. I'm hoping the Epsom salts will help, but is there anything else I need to be doing? I'm really worried about the little guy. The picture shows how he sits. It also shows his iridescence - but really he has little to no color :(

 
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#2 ·
Update: He's been in Epsom salts most of yesterday and overnight last night. He's still lying on the bottom of the tank, only moving to go up for air. I have the water level lowered so it makes it easier on him as it seems to be a struggle for him to swim to the top.
 
#3 ·
Has anything been added to the tank recently in the last month or so? Has your tap water changed at all perhaps? Do you have well or city water?

Can we get pictures of his bloat? I want to see if he's actually bloated and how bad it is if it is. Have you seen any sort of worm like things sticking out of his anus at all?
 
#4 ·
No, he's always been in the tank alone with the same decorations/thermometer. I don't think the tap water has changed as none of my other boys are affected by it. And city water.

I'll try and get a picture of his stomach. No, no worms or anything. Give me a few minutes and I'll post a picture of him from just now :)
 
#5 ·
These are the best I could do, he's over in a corner which makes it difficult to get pictures. He really just doesn't look good at all.



 
#6 ·
He's laying on his back now, really struggling to breathe :( I think it's probably too late for him - I'll keep him comfortable til he passes, that's all I can do :(
 
#7 ·
I'm sorry :-( he actually doesn't look badly bloated, but I'm not sure what else it could be. I only hope he passes quickly without too much suffering :-(
 
#8 ·
Aww, I'm so sorry. I'm afraid I don't really have any advice to offer. Between giving him tempting food, daphnia for the possible constipation, epsom salt baths, etc., you've done everything I might have suggested. I hope that he either makes a miraculous recovery, or passes quickly. Based on what you've said, it sounds like you've given him a great home. Baby bettas often (usually?) just don't make it, and I've heard of people suddenly having one get sick with no apparent reason months after getting them. I don't know what the deal is, but I think that they shouldn't be sold so young. (Says the person who couldn't resist buying a sick little baby just yesterday...)
 
#9 ·
I agree hollyk, being sold so young is detrimental to their health not only short term but long term as well. It's sad to think that they most likely won't be able to live a long full life.
 
#11 ·
Yeah he doesn't look too bad in the stomach region. I think at least for his short life he was happy and comfortable, and very much loved - better than dying in a tiny little cup :)

I've got his tank covered with a blanket to keep it dark to minimize stress. I peek under the corner every so often to check on him and the light startles him and he jerks but then goes back to laying on his back. Just a waiting game now I think :(

I try to be optimistic, so on the plus side: I can go get the betta that's been haunting me at Petco for the past 3 weeks and not feel guilty about it :) Thanks for your responses!
 
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