I adopted a feather tail (Gallo) from Petco about two months ago. I noticed he was swimming sideways in his cup and decided to buy him because I thought he was sick and I figured I could save him. I tested his water and it had outrageously high ammonia and poor water quality.
I treated him for a swim bladder problem and gave him new water. He never got any better. I did some research and learned that he could have been injured at the store and he might have a permanent swim bladder problem. I also learned about feather tails having a high rate of genetic defects from inbreeding.
I'm writing to get some input from you all.
Is there anything I can do to make his life easier? He is in a 5 gallon tank with lots of plants, a floating log, a betta hammock, and a very low current filter. However, he stays in one corner of the tank and doesn't do much swimming.
He has a hard time turning around, and staying straight, he will often end up floating on his side if he isn't propped up against the tank, the log, or a plant.
He seems to have a small body in proportion to his fins and I'm wondering if he will develop stronger muscles that will allow him to swim better as he gets bigger. He can currently keep his body straight for a few seconds at a time, but it takes A LOT of effort.
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