My Betta Won't Eat!

[cataze]

I've had Akira for 4 months now. He eats NLS, with FD blood worms once in a while.

A few days ago when I went to feed him, he would eat the pellet, chew, and then spit it out and let it fall to the bottom. He kept down one out of three pellets.

Now, he spits everything out. Even blood worms. I've read that Bettas can be picky eaters, or just want to play with their food. But he doesn't try to get it back after he spits it out. He hasn't had any of the pellets I've tried to feed him for the last couple of days. Now I'm starting to get worried.

He swims around like usual...seems as active as ever, though lately he doesn't come swimming to us to eat as much as he used to (which used to be everytime we walked near the tank...he was a little piggy!)

Is this normal?

Tank: 20 gallon tall (cycled prior to moving him in)
Filter: BioWheel 150 (baffled intake, baffled in-flow)
Tankmates: none
Plants : silk plants, and a few Marimos
Temp: 79F
Water is changed 20% every week-2 weeks

Thanks for your help!
Cate

[Alcemistnv]

Buddha went through a phase when he couldn't keep pellets down. I simply switched over to the flakes. If he were to ignore them, I'd wait a few days to fees him. Eventually he started eating the pellets again after realizing that he was hungry.

So it just might be a phase seeing as how nothing else is wrong with your fish.

[Pilot00]

The good suspects to check are his body and fins. Strange growths, torn fins that short of thing. You might want to use a flash light and inspect him closely for any abnormalities (like a gold dusting effect for example).

Also check his eyes and breathing.

Is the temperature stable? Anything that might have stressed him?

[cataze]

Thanks for your replies.

I check the temperature everyday, and it's pretty much always 79F.

When he started acting funny with his food, I checked for pop-eye, lifting scales, etc., and couldn't see any. I just checked him again. He came swimming over all happy to see me. No growths or dusting of any colour. No white spots. His eyes are normal. His breathing appears normal...not laboured or fast. But he still wasn't interested in eating.

One thing I did notice was that he had some poop coming out. It was a really long white string. My husband said he's noticed that a few times over the last couple of days. He thinks he's pooping an awful lot for a fish who has hardly eaten anything in days.

Could this mean he was constipated? Is white stringy poop normal?

I really hope it's something simple like constipation or just being finicky. I've grown so fond of the little guy. Every time I come in the room he swims to the front of his tank with his little pectoral fins going like crazy...it's like a puppy wagging his tail!

Thanks again!
Cate

[Alcemistnv]

If it's white and stringy, it could be internal parasites...

[cjconcepcion]

white stringy poop is definitely internal parasites... which is hard to treat, especially since he isnt interested in food anymore. he is in the tank all my himself right? no tank mates?

[cataze]

Oh no! Would the parasites come from the freeze dried blood worms?

Yes, he's in his tank by himself. How can I treat this? I do have a 3 gallon hospital tank I can move him to....

[cataze]

Okay, I've been researching treatments for internal parasites, and I am totally overwhelmed!

Is it okay to treat him in his 20G, or should I move him to my 3G hospital tank? He's in the 20G by himself. I just don't want to stress him by moving him to the hospital tank if I don't need to.

My LFS has many options in terms of medications: PraziPro, Seachem Metronidazole, Seachem Paraguard, API General Cure, Tetra Parasite Guard...I'm not sure what's the best treatment.

I've seen a lot of people talking about PraziPro. I've also read that you can use PraziPro and Metronidazole together.

Help please!
Cate

[sunlight]

even if your tank is 20 gall i would do more then 20% water changes and weekly.

White stringy poo is can be interanal parasites. Is he bloated? A lot of time fish belly will be bloated from that. I would think that it is internal parasites, but some one wrote that when it comes to parasites and the bloated look , you will also notice that the rest of the body looks emaciated. The swelling of the stomach is from the worms themselves taking up the room and causing the stomach to become extended. Oherwise , they would look very skinny due to not getting nutrients.

But i was thinking his body/behaviour still good because he just got them. Well he stoppled eating it is behavior change....So i don't know i would treat fish before it get to the point that it will be really bad.

It really easier to treat internal parasites when fish is eating so it can pass parasites through the waste. So i would still try to offer food to him.

It really easier for you to treat him in the hospital tank though since you need to use Epsom salt and do daily 100% water changes.

Epsom salt is the first aid to help betta with internal parasites. It will help to purge the parasites out of the system.

The town i live in we have Epsom salt in any pharmacy.

Pre mix 2 teaspoons / gall in one gall jug for the right dosage. If you don't have gall gall and container just make sure you shake and make sure it dissolved. Start doing daily 100% water changes. Of course with water conditioner. Make sure now water is approx the same temp as his water and acclimate the fish.

Now medications if you want to treat him or if you want to wait and make sure it is internal parasites. I read the post when someone treat fish with internal parasites and was able to get rid of them with combination of Epsom salt and Parasite Guard Tetra.
Give us update.

[Myates]

Go ahead and move him into the 3 gallon hospital tank during treatment, as you don't want to risk your cycle in the home tank.

1-2 tsp of Epsom Salt to use during treatment.. some of the better, more common treatments that tend to be recommended is Jungle’s Parasite Clear Fizz tabs or API General Cure. Use medication as recommended on package- some people like to do daily 100% water changes, but for some cases, like parasites, I prefer to do as the medication calls for that way you know you are not overdosing or making mistakes. You don't have to use all 3 gallons, if it's easier to work the medication down to 1 gallon, then do that.

White stringy poo doesn't always mean parasites, but that tends to be the most common symptom. You will also be looking for the betta to be losing weight, possibly a small bloated belly.

Since you have no live plants (moss balls don't count), and even though the tank is cycled you will still be looking to do 1 25-30% water change per week that includes siphoning of the gravel to keep the tank clean.