Ammonia signs? Need help! :(

[Alcemistnv]

I kinda need help, almost immediately.
Squirt is not looking too well and its only been a few hours. I'm thinking ammonia because he keeps gulping. I'm not sure.

He's clamped and keeps falling over and stating still. He's still keeping an interest in me and the food. But he's been burrowing in the marbles as if hes looking omr something.

But he'll look at me and just stop moving his pectoral fins, so he just floats over.

Any help?


Laying in his skull

[OrangeAugust]

Do you have a thermometer? What's the water temp? I've heard of bettas clamping and trying to burrow into the gravel if they're too cold.

[Alcemistnv]

The tank is currently at 81 (the windows are closed because someone was smoking outside >< )

[OrangeAugust]

Oh, I don't know then. Sorry.
Did you post in the sickness and emergency board, or whatever it's called?

[teeneythebetta]

Did anything happen lately that may have stressed him out- even if it is just minor? Once my power was going on then off, on off, etc. and Teeney's tank light flickered. It stressed her out to the point where she was laying on the bottom of the tank, rapidly breathing and not coming to the surface when I opened the lid.. After a few hours she was back to her normal self.

Try turning the tank light off, this may help him relax.
Are you afraid the new tank water has ammonia in it?

[Aus]

Maybe get another thermometer and check the temp again.. I have TWO malfunctioning thermometers, both the same brand. I would have cooked my fish alive if I raised the temp to get them to read 78... they read 72 all the time, unless I run them under really hot water. That's what I get for buying cheap'n'nasty stuff, I guess.

He could have something else going on, like gill flukes. If the chemistry's fine, as well as the temperature, maybe do some reading about flukes and other gill issues, see if anything clicks exactly to his behaviour.

[Alcemistnv]

Squirt is back to normal as of this morning, and has been. I'm thinking he was stressed or overly tired or something...

Originally Posted by teeneythebetta

Did anything happen lately that may have stressed him out- even if it is just minor? Once my power was going on then off, on off, etc. and Teeney's tank light flickered. It stressed her out to the point where she was laying on the bottom of the tank, rapidly breathing and not coming to the surface when I opened the lid.. After a few hours she was back to her normal self.

Try turning the tank light off, this may help him relax.
Are you afraid the new tank water has ammonia in it?

I turned the light off and he did calm down, but the light wasn't on and off cotantly. I leave it on until night time (or if it's bright out I don't turn it on). If I do turn the light on and off, there's a few hour difference in between.
There were some people in the room admiring the fish, but they didn't d anything but look for a minute and leave.

Originally Posted by Aus

Maybe get another thermometer and check the temp again.. I have TWO malfunctioning thermometers, both the same brand. I would have cooked my fish alive if I raised the temp to get them to read 78... they read 72 all the time, unless I run them under really hot water. That's what I get for buying cheap'n'nasty stuff, I guess.

He could have something else going on, like gill flukes. If the chemistry's fine, as well as the temperature, maybe do some reading about flukes and other gill issues, see if anything clicks exactly to his behaviour.

The water feels fine to me, though. It still has a chill to it. And Pudge is behaving perfectly fine, no clamping, no darting, etc.

But oh dear, I hope he doesn't have gill fluke!
At the moment his gills seem fine, but i'm deinitely going to keep an eye out!