Don't know what I did right, but it worked!

[Summerwind]

One of my bettas started looking real bad. Laying on the bottom of the tank or laying on top of a leaf near the surface, totally stopped eating for 3 days and then laid on the bottom leaning on his side. He had no physical signs of anything wrong with him. He has the same water and tanks as my other two which are fine. So this is what I did. Went to the pet shop and bought Betta Fix, changed out half of the water and replaced it with bottled water. The next day he looked much better and that night he started eating again and today he's eating great. I had the pet shop check the water and they said everything was fine "except" the softness was very high. Well I have a water softener so now I'm wondering if I should be doing something different as they said there is nothing that can change that other than using bottled water. The other two bettas are doing fine in the water so I'm not sure it's even a problem with the soft water. Does anyone have any input on using water that goes through a softener?

[Myates]

Best to use just tap water, bottled water and such lacks the proper minerals - pH isn't a worry with bettas, they will adjust to whatever is given to them.

Careful using Bettafix - make sure to water it down greatly - not being careful, overdosing, not doing the proper treatment can lead to them suffocating (an ingredient in there easily coats the labyrinth organ and can suffocate them).

If he became better right after the water change, then I would have to assume it was the water change that helped him... something could of been in the water that was causing his health problems.

What size tank is he in, how often do you do water changes, conditioner, temp of tank?

Since he is doing better I would remove him from the medication, best not to risk his organs now that he is acting more normal.

Why I always recommend people to do research before listening to pet store employees - as they may know general knowledge/care, but not everything works for every fish. Discus need specific pH, not bettas. Bottled water is not healthy for a fish. There are many other, healthier alternatives to medication than Bettafix, etc.

I would see if you can find a reason he went downhill - and then make sure to correct any problem. Glad he is doing better.

[waterdog]

Bettas come from soft water, usually much softer than the water we now keep them in. If the other two are doing fine in the same water, that would make one think it is not a water problem. There can be so many contributing factors to this the list is almost unending.
?was he the newest member of the family
?how long did you have him before he got sick
?how often do you do water changes
?what were the ammonia and ph readings when he got sick
?how old is he
The list goes on.

There is a difference in bottled waters. Some are filtered, some are spring. Filtered water is usually better, but again, if it's the water, why aren't the other two affected?

IMO it sounds like the medication probably was what fixed the problem. Fish get sick and die for a variety of reasons we will never know. I would say keep a close eye on him and when he looks back to normal, try your standard water again.

[Summerwind]

Will try and answer all questions:
Thanks everyone. He is doing GREAT! Ate like a champ today. He is in a 2 1/2 gal with heater and filter. I did turn the filter off for awhile. I do 1/2 water changes every week and don't allow food to go to the bottom, if it does I get it out. Water temp is close to 80 and I use stress coat for the conditioner.I had him about 3 weeks before he got sick. Don't know what the ph etc. were but they were checked and all was normal. I really don't think the water was the problem and the Betta Fix seemed to do the trick. So I'll keep doing what I'm doing and keep an eye on him.

[Perseusmom]

Glad he is doing better. How many water changes do you do in a week ? Please remember ammonia can build up quickly and its toxic to your fish.

Read this as it is the best for knowing how many water changes per week you need for your size tank.

[Summerwind]

I do 50% water change once a week for this size tank.

[emilyghetto]

:)

[Fishy Mom]

Do you use a gravel vac? I'm wondering how you get the poop out of the bottom or am I confused on the water changing schedule? Do you do a 100% change once a week too?

[Summerwind]

No I have not done a 100% water change other than when the one fish was sick. There are conflicting theories on whether that is good or not so I just do the 50%. To get the debris from the bottom I use a turkey baster, works like a charm!

[Fishy Mom]

Oh ok. That clears it up. I was sitting here trying to figure it out, but I forgot about a turkey baster. I don't think my brain is working today, lol.