Sick Betta, Please help

[hhender49]

I got my betta fish, Rocky about 8 months ago from a pet store.

He was fine until about a month ago, and I noticed he was a little clampy. He is having a hard time swimming and was sinking to the bottom of his tank a lot. I am in college and he stays home while I am gone. So I cleaned his tank (100% change) and told my dad to try feeding him a little less.

Well I came home yesterday and he is looking about the same except his fins look ragged (fin rot maybe?) So we have a fungus treatment that we got and I have been putting the correct dose in his water.

Today I moved him into a bigger tank (3 to 5 gallons)and made sure to use the water from his old tank and add a little bit more conditioned water. This tank has a low setting filter that I hope works. However, since I have moved him he has been sitting at the bottom breathing really hard. He moves a little but he is still breathing really hard.

What can I do? Is it fin rot or fin clamp? Please help I will do anything!!!

[ChoclateBetta]

Sounds like swim bladder.

[hhender49]

Can swim bladder cause them to breathe hard and not swim right?

Do you know what to do if it is swim bladder? I have heard to either fast him or use frozen peas that are not salted.

Thank you for your help. I appreciate the advice

[LebronTheBetta]

Can you fill this out, please?
Just do a 100% change for now, and add nothing in the water except the conditioner. If he had fin rot, why give him a fungal medication? Is he bloated at all?

[hhender49]

Thank you everyone for your help. I am new to caring for betta fish and I am really scared and feel like I did something to make him this sick. I will do anything I can to save him. I will try to get a picture and put it up.

He doesn't seem really bloated but he is bigger than my other fish in his stomach. He has always been like that. Maybe I feed him too much all the time or he is just built like that?

The fungus guard said it helped with fin rot, which I kind of thought was the problem. When I cleaned the tank I found a small piece of fin. The filter is off now should I turn it on? What about the lights?

Housing
What size is your tank? 5 gallons
What temperature is your tank? 80 degrees
Does your tank have a filter? yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
Is your tank heated? Yes around 80 degrees
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? none

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? BettaMin flakes (he won't eat pellets)
How often do you feed your betta fish? A couple small flakes 2-3 times a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? A 50% change every two weeks. I just did one today
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50%, except I changed it 100% last month when he was sick and the water was gross.
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? A water conditioner

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?
I have not tested the water. I use conditioner in the water and adjust him to it when I do changes. There is a moss plant and a filter in the tank.
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Fins look ragged
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? He doesn't swim as much, has a hard time swimming when he does, breathing very hard, goes to the bottom of his tank a lot or sits straight up in his log to breathe.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? About a month ago, didn't get really bad until this week.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? Using fungus guard
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No
How old is your fish (approximately)? I got him 8 months ago from a pet store

[hhender49]

I have a friend who used aquarium salt in the tank to help a fish with an infection and it really helped. Do you think I should try this or will it stress him out more?

Should I get an air stone to help with his breathing?

Thank you everyone.

[LebronTheBetta]

You'll need to do a lot more water changes than this, a 50% WEEKLY change is need with plants or not. Is your tank cycled? You're not supposed to do 100% changes if there's a filter, all the BB will die. For now, I suggest moving him in a QT tank. Can you post a picture of him? Does his fins have any black online at all?

[LebronTheBetta]

Originally Posted by hhender49

I have a friend who used aquarium salt in the tank to help a fish with an infection and it really helped. Do you think I should try this or will it stress him out more?

Should I get an air stone to help with his breathing?

Thank you everyone.

You can try this if he has fin rot, but he might be tail biting. And no you don't, they have an organ that helps them breath from the surface. Sorry if I'm blunt, I just wanna get my points across. :)

[hhender49]

Okay that makes sense. The tank didn't have a filter when I did the 100% change. I upgraded his tank today and this new one has a filter. I just put the old water from his tank in there and added some new water.

Should I keep doing the water changes weekly now and leave the filter off?

I will take a picture right now. They don't look black they are just very ragged.

I appreciate your help. I am new to this so please tell me everything I am doing wrong so I never make this mistake again.

[ChoclateBetta]

Originally Posted by LebronTheBetta

You'll need to do a lot more water changes than this, a 50% WEEKLY change is need with plants or not. Is your tank cycled? You're not supposed to do 100% changes if there's a filter, all the BB will die. For now, I suggest moving him in a QT tank. Can you post a picture of him? Does his fins have any black online at all?

I disagree 50 percent weekly is for a ten gallon two 50s should do.