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Sheldon again. Breathing, lifeless, now finrot?

582 views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  Pitluvs 
#1 ·
As some of you may know, I got Sheldon from the store last week, he was in a state of distress and his ammonia readings were over 6ppm. I took him home, placed him in clean water over night, and switched to AQ salt the next day. It was suggested that I take him out of the AQ salt yesterday, so I did. He's been getting progressively worst :(

To add onto the downhill in his behavior and wanting to swim or do anything other than float, he's now twisting sideways, blowing bubbles out of his gills and there is a sudden and fast case of fin rot going on.

What's my next plan of action for him? I know I may loose him, but I'd like to keep trying to help him. Yesterday he was clamped and not moving, but holding himself upright. Today he has little control, but he is moving his fins. He watches me every time I am near his tank :( He even flips sides so he can keep an eye on everything I'm doing. My heart breaks for him :(

Housing
What size is your tank? 1.5g Tetra
What temperature is your tank? 78F as per preset heater
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? Tried a few pellets the day he came home, but no interest in eating since
How often do you feed your betta fish? Usually 4 pellets twice a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? daily
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? stress coat, tried AQ salt before removing it

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

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
pH: 7.8
Hardness: n/a
Alkalinity: n/a

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Was unhealthy from the start, but has become more lifeless, loss of swimming balance, finrot
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Still aware of surroundings
When did you start noticing the symptoms? From the moment I brought him home, yesterday he was clamped and in one place, today he's more loose and unable to keep himself upright if he tries to swim
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Started AQ salt, but stopped
Does your fish have any history of being ill? New fish
How old is your fish (approximately)?Pet store buy 6m - 1y
 
#4 ·
The way I like to do it....I premix my treatment water and use it for 50% water changes every 15min for 1hour to get them acclimated to the salt and tannins the first day...then I make daily 100% starting the next day- unless the water in the premixed jug got too cold and then I will do back to back 25% until they are roughly in 100% of the fresh treatment water....since your guy sounds pretty stressed...I would start out with 25% every 15min for 2 hours and then 50% every other day while in the QT container

I use a 1gal jug to premix my treatment water (old milk jug)add my salt and tannins so they can steep and salt dissolve-shake well before use...this makes water changes and proper dosage easier....
 
#5 ·
I have jugs and hospital tanks here, I've used salt many times just never that high of a content lol I'll get to mixing this and start him soon. I don't have tannins though, my leaves were supposed to be here by now but the seller sent them a week after payment :(

Thank you OFL. Wish us luck.
 
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