Sick Betta Please Help

[HelloHart]

Today i was changing the water for my betta (he seemed sluggish) and i forgot to put in water conditioner, i had him in the un conditioned water for about 1 hour.

I noticed he started acting funny. Like drunk or something lol he was floating and bobbing around occasionally laying on the bottom of the tank gasping for air.

Anyways, i took him out of the water, and added conditioner while it sat for 30 mins(we usually wait several hours just in case for the stuff to mix). I added him back in and he kept acting the same.

I decided to change the whole tank again. I let added him 30 mins after i conditioned the water. And he's still bobbing around.

If this helps, we got one of those moss balls a while back. so i dont know if that had anything to do with it? Also for the past few months his face has been white and the tips of his back fins. ( i thought he was getting old, we have had him for a year)

Anyways please help.

[Basement Bettas]

Originally Posted by HelloHart

Today i was changing the water for my betta (he seemed sluggish) and i forgot to put in water conditioner, i had him in the un conditioned water for about 1 hour.

I noticed he started acting funny. Like drunk or something lol he was floating and bobbing around occasionally laying on the bottom of the tank gasping for air.

Anyways, i took him out of the water, and added conditioner while it sat for 30 mins(we usually wait several hours just in case for the stuff to mix). I added him back in and he kept acting the same.

I decided to change the whole tank again. I let added him 30 mins after i conditioned the water. And he's still bobbing around.

If this helps, we got one of those moss balls a while back. so i dont know if that had anything to do with it? Also for the past few months his face has been white and the tips of his back fins. ( i thought he was getting old, we have had him for a year)

Anyways please help.

Swimming in chlorine for an hour burned his gills pretty bad. A little meth blue might help.. but damage permanent.

[kyasarin5]

I read on other posts that using aquarium salt helps them oxygenate better with their gills. I would also use dose of stress coat for healing fins.

[mursey]

Oh god. I did that to my betta for like 5-10 minutes the other day before I realized it. Then I added Prime immediately. How bad do you think my betta is?

Hello Hart I hope your guy recovers. :(

[HelloHart]

Update:

Apollo Passed away. He was a very spoiled fish, and i feel terrible i killed him. We gave him a nice memorial service. I'll miss him. :'(

[Myates]

I'm sorry you lost him :(

A tip for you for the future-

Most of the common brand conditioners out there work instantly, just a quick swish (or add it in while pouring the water into the tank) is all that is needed and it's ready to go. No reason to have to wait for it to work (unless you either found some info from many years ago, or using an off-off brand).

[Basement Bettas]

Originally Posted by kyasarin5

I read on other posts that using aquarium salt helps them oxygenate better with their gills. I would also use dose of stress coat for healing fins.

Salt increases the slime coat and helps with external parasites. It is not a cure all.. and you need to use it only when needed. And I don't like stress coat. That stuff "coats" the fish. Don't want anything "coating" damaged gills. Probably having a hard time breathing as it is. Add a very little meth blue and keep it in water for maybe a week and see how he does. The meth blue is used when ammonia burns gills to help oxygen transfer. Keep water clean.

But again.. damage may be to much and he may have issues.

[Coppermoon]

Originally Posted by Basement Bettas

Swimming in chlorine for an hour burned his gills pretty bad. A little meth blue might help.. but damage permanent.

Meth blue will help, so I second this opinion.

Meth Blue helps with oxygen intake not salt. Salt helps increase the slime coat.

I'm sorry you lost him :'(. I've done that before...killed 10 show males...it sucks :'(

[HelloHart]

Thank you every one for your help! It means alot. I'm a new user to this forum and i will definitely look forward to getting more advise when we get a new betta.

[Aus]

Sodium chloride (aka salt) is not a cure-all -- but it DOES help with recovery from ammonia exposure and most particularly nitrite poisoning.

Here's a few articles to prove it:

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.u...t.php?sid=2850

http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/AB939E/AB939E00.htm

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa031

http://www.algone.com/articles/fish-...ater-aquariums

etc.. I have read some even more specific ones regarding specific dosages of salt as a treatment for poisoning, but currently can't find them - they're on Google somewhere...