Rapid Breathing

[MaggieLynn]

So like an hour ago I set up my new boy in a one gallon tank with just a heater because he has a chunk of fin missing with visible growth so he is in a bare 1 gallon with a heater with 1tsp AQ salt and stress coat. He seems fine other than heavy breathing which he was doing in the store. not sure if its just how he is or if something is wrong. He has been sitting under the heater, it is a flat zoo med heater but I think thats just because thats all that is there. The tank was in the basement and alil dusty but I rinsed it with boiling hot water like 4 or 5 times and used a scrubby with AQ salt to clean it too. Maybe im just paranoid. Should that be cause for worry. Like I said just got him 2 hours ago and set the tank up an hour ago. The tank is at 78 and he is active and eating and his activity hasnt changed same as in the store.

[sainthogan]

If he was breathing heavy in the store, it's possible there was more going on that just a missing fin, like maybe ammonia poisoning. Keep an eye on him and see if he improves.

[MaggieLynn]

His gills did look really bright when he was flaring before but he is perfectly fine other than that. I plan on keeping him in the 1 gallon for a couple days just to see if anything else pops up besides the ripped fin. So he will be getting daily water changes anyway. Dont know why that didnt occur to me. Thanks

[MaggieLynn]

Haha if it is ammonia poisoning Im all set because my plan for treating his tail was 1 tsp/ gal AQ salt with daily 100% changes and thats what the treatment is for inflamed gills. Thanks again for that tip off. I dont know why that slipped my mind. Ill keep an eye out for any thing else though

[Tikibirds]

Ammonia poisioning is a good guess- i have gotten bettas from petco and the ammonia from their cups that was over an 8.0

There is no actual cure for it that I am aware of but depending on the extent of the damage they can lead a fairly normal life. If he is active and eating, those are very good signs.

I would keep him in a dark, quite area for now and just keep an eye on him and watch for any other symptoms - he may have some other issue that has not made itself known yet.

Clean water and AQ salt is probably the best course of action. I have also been told Amquel plus helps somehow.

Symptoms:

• Fish gasp for breath at the water surface
• Purple or red gills
• Fish is lethargic
• Loss of appetite
• Fish lays at the bottom of the tank
• Red streaking on the fins or body

He may also just be really stressed out. Do you have a plant or something to put in there for him? Maybe one of those hideously bright colored caves walmart sells?

[MaggieLynn]

lol I have a ton of the walmart caves! I think I have like 5? 3 are in use. Ill try to find one that will fit him. the whole house is quiet my dad is sleeping and he is under a dim light but the cover is on the tank masking some of the light. He doesnt really have any of the symptoms you listed accept for the red gills which you only see when he flares and rapid gill movement but he isnt struggling for air atleast.

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread....20#post1299620

Also there is a link to see what he looks like, I have to show him off. >.>

[Tikibirds]

Wow - he has alot of fin.
Nothing stuck out in his pics - no clamped fins or anything other then tail bitting.. You just got him, right? Give him some time to settle down and continue to keep an eye out for anything unusual which may be kinda hard since he is black. He may of had a slightly high ammonia level in his cup and/or stressed from his petshop experience. If you find one of those extra caves, I would put it in there. It should help him calm down a little because he then would have a place to hide. I hate those caves but I also have like 5 or 6. They are cheap

I think he will be fine in a day or so.
PS - doubletails are $12.99 at petco here. But Kings are the most $$ at $19.99

[MaggieLynn]

holy cow! the most hear are the elephant ears which they just got in. I know half moons are 14.99 and plakats are up there too. Wow still cant believe 12.99 for a double tail, I guess we are just cheap here in wisconsin lol! He has been hiding under the heater dont remember if i mentioned that so I think a cave will do him good.