Someone please help!

[ilikefishyys]

ok ill replace some water with warmer water, also i changed the plants to soft ones but i do have like a building thing that's like a bridge he can swim under but its made of like ceramic so he may be ripping it on that, also i was just looking at him again and his back is still arched and his stomach seems to be puffing...what could that be?

[ilikefishyys]

also, he keeps uncontrollably floating to the surface and isn't being active and i think he may have swim bladder disorder what do i do?!?!?!

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Originally Posted by ilikefishyys

ok ill replace some water with warmer water, also i changed the plants to soft ones but i do have like a building thing that's like a bridge he can swim under but its made of like ceramic so he may be ripping it on that, also i was just looking at him again and his back is still arched and his stomach seems to be puffing...what could that be?

Originally Posted by ilikefishyys

also, he keeps uncontrollably floating to the surface and isn't being active and i think he may have swim bladder disorder what do i do?!?!?!

Don't replace his water with warmer water. Doing this will cause a quick change in temperature, and you won't be able to maintain it (since the water would eventually cool off again.) If you need to make the temperature warmer, you can adjust the heater. (Or add a heater if you aren't using one.)

When was the last time he pooped? And what did the poop look like?

Do you have any Epsom salt available? It should be 100% magnesium sulfate. (No dyes, perfumes or additives.)

[AyalaCookiejar]

Epsom salt will help the buoyancy. At this point I suggest that you either put him in a bare bottom hospital tank or remove any gravel to monitor the poo. Buoyancy was the first sign I got when my Betta had internal parasites, but unless I actually saw him in the act of pooping I could not see the white poo until I put him in a bare bottomed tank. With internal parasites, the poo is often kind of transparent and you will have a hard time seeing it if it sinks into the gravel.

[ilikefishyys]

Originally Posted by AyalaCookiejar

Epsom salt will help the buoyancy. At this point I suggest that you either put him in a bare bottom hospital tank or remove any gravel to monitor the poo. Buoyancy was the first sign I got when my Betta had internal parasites, but unless I actually saw him in the act of pooping I could not see the white poo until I put him in a bare bottomed tank. With internal parasites, the poo is often kind of transparent and you will have a hard time seeing it if it sinks into the gravel.

i haven't seen him poop for a while and now i'm getting really nervous, should i use the salt that was mentioned? i'm not sure what the cause of the swim bladder disorder could be, i know it can be a number of different things so i'm not sure what to do for him, luckily i read it wasn't painful for them, should i look for poop? and see if its the transparent one for parasite possibilities?

[ilikefishyys]

Originally Posted by LittleBlueFishlets

Don't replace his water with warmer water. Doing this will cause a quick change in temperature, and you won't be able to maintain it (since the water would eventually cool off again.) If you need to make the temperature warmer, you can adjust the heater. (Or add a heater if you aren't using one.)

When was the last time he pooped? And what did the poop look like?

Do you have any Epsom salt available? It should be 100% magnesium sulfate. (No dyes, perfumes or additives.)

i havent seen him poop in a while....also i have a heater but its kept this same temperature the whole time i've had it....but it's too low so what should i do to increase the temp? also, where can i get the salt?

[veggiegirl]

Hey there,

sorry your boy is so ill, I hope he is feeling much better soon As for water changes I would vacuum siphon the gravel once a week as you do need to remove the fishes waste which accumulates in the gravel. Continue to vacuum siphon the gravel until you have removed 50% of the water, then top up with water conditioned clean water. Good luck

[AyalaCookiejar]

Have you started treating with anything? I would use epsom salt. It is very mild and will not be harsh on your fish like medications would. If you can get some, PREdissolve it (this step is important) in a small cup of tank water. Start with 1/2 tsp per gallon, and add the salt in slowly. Watch for poo as well.

Edit: you can find Epsom salt at pharmacies. It is used as a laxative in both the fish and in humans. It needs to say 100% magnesium sulfate.

[ilikefishyys]

thank you everyone sooooo incredibly much! i hope i can heal him! i will most likely post more questions later on as i start to treat him. Thanks again!