I have a sick little betta, named Watson. I've only had him for about 3 months. He was very young when I got him, barely an inch long (not counting fins). 6 days ago I noticed he was spending more time than usual on the bottom of his small tank, then a few days later he stopped eating. His only physical symptoms are he is slightly pale, and his fins are clamped. He has no spots, pineconing or velvet. I went to a proper fish and aquarium store and got some Betta Revive, and i'm on day two of that. Today he seems to be having a hard time keeping him self upright-he is tilting to the right-almost laying sideways. I just checked him again and he is now floating on top of a plant, very close to the surface, and his gils look swollen, and his scales look funny - not pineconing exactly, but wierd. maybe it's just the betta revive in the water that is making them look funny - it does turn the water blue. Someone please help!
Housing
What size is your tank? 1 ˝ gallons
What temperature is your tank? unknown
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 (just started that today)
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None
Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Aqueon betta fish pellets
How often do you feed your betta fish? Twice a day, 3-6 tiny pellets
Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Weekly
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? Aqueon Betta Bowl Plus
Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? No
Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Slightly pale, clamped fins
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Very sluggish, not eating
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 6 days ago
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Yes, Betta Revive,
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No, he is very young.
How old is your fish (approximately)? Unknown, but I’m guessing 4 months, tops…he was tiny when I got him.
Very sorry about your fish! If you decide to get another one, many people on here would recommend you start out with a bigger tank. A 1 gallon is a little small, but ok if you keep it really clean. However, super frequent cleanings required can stress your fish out, so going with something between 5-10 gallons would be awesome for him! And definitely make sure to have it heated right off the bat!
A 1.5 tank without a filter should have been changed every other day otherwise the ammonia levels get too high and kill your fish. This could have been what happened. Ammonia poisoning. Not saying it is but that is sort of what it sounds like along with the water not being too warm either.
that makes sense to me - but why, then do the other 3 bettas in my office, who get changed less frequently than mine did, survive so well? no heaters in any of them, either... i guess it could be that my little guy was more sensitive than the rest? mine was a different type, to - the rest all half moon bettas - mine was a crown tail...
that makes sense to me - but why, then do the other 3 bettas in my office, who get changed less frequently than mine did, survive so well? no heaters in any of them, either... i guess it could be that my little guy was more sensitive than the rest? mine was a different type, to - the rest all half moon bettas - mine was a crown tail...
Fish are living creatures - just because some of them live longer in poor conditions does not mean all will. And of those that do live, I can guarantee they are not really healthy.
Check out the eBook Betta Fish Care Made Easy
Similar Threads
Watson...
Watson...
