Lethargic floating Betta

[emh]

I have a male betta. We have had him for about a year and 1/2. He is completely lethargic and just floats at the top of his tank. He is completely still at times. He is unable to stay under the water. His scales are not sticking out and his color looks good. The pet store told me he has dropsy and I have been treating him with Maracyn-2 for 4 days. He has not responded at all. I am thinking it is not dropsy but a swim bladder problem. He has almost no interest in eating peas and has only eaten 3 tiny bites of pea in the last 4 days. I haven't seen him poop, but don't watch him all the time. He is also gulping at the surface at times. He is in a 5.5 gallon tank with a heater and filter. The filter is currently empty because of the maracyn-2, but is is still circulating water.

Any other ideas af what is wrong or what I should do for him?

[Cody]

It may be a swim blatter problem as you said if he can't swim down.

You said you had a heater and filter. How warm is the tank? Is the current from the filter strong?

If it was dropsy, he would have raised scales.

Can you please tell us your water params (nitrate, nitrite, pH, ammonia, etc) so we can see if there is anything bad in the water? How often do you do WC's?

[emh]

Hi Cody. Thank you for responding.

Clyde's tank is at 75 Degees. The filter is a whisper in tank 3i. It seems to be moving the water pretty good, but I am a novice in fish care. We change 25-50% of his water about every 2 weeks. I don't know his other paramiters. Should I take the water to get tested, or get a kit? When I test it, what am I looking for?

[Falina]

go for a master test kit, liquid not strips. They're not too expensive and last for absolutely ages. Master test kits will test for amonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph. you are looking for 0 amonia and nitrite and less than 40 for nitrates in a healthy tank. The ph will be very dependant on your water supply. No specific value of ph is bad for fish as the water that we drink is almost always safe ph-wise. it is a stable ph that is much more important.

Aslo, I'd recommend you start doing water changes once a wek rather than once a fortnight. The amount you are changing is fine, but a bit more frequently would be better. :)

[emh]

Nitrate NO3 is 10-15 No2 is 0
Water is soft
Alkalinity is low
Ph is 7.2

He is acting better, more attentinve and appears hungry. Still doesn't want peas. The food I have for him is Hikari Betta Bio-Gold (baby pellet). I fed him only one this morning and he was quick to eat it. He is however still floating back to the surface.

Any more ideas? What about epson salt?

[Cody]

I find that strange that you have no nitrates. Any tank with inhabitants should have some sort of nitrate level.

What are your ammonia and Nitrite as well?

[emh]

Thank you for your help. Clyde is swimming normally and hungry.

[SST]

Good to hear!