Help with suffering Betta?

[killavixen]

OK so i have a crowntail betta. He recently got ich and so he is in a hospital tank undergoing treatment. Im using Maracide. I am on the 4th day of treatment (treat on 1st,3rd, & 5th day), and while the spots are all but gone, his behavior has not improved. He lays at the bottom or on the heater , hasnt eaten in days, and looks like he has a hard time breathing. And when he does move its still spaz-like. He is normally very social and active and always comes up to the top when i talk to him. Also, it may just be me , but his fins seem shorter. But then again he isnt swimming around so i cant see them well. PLease help i not sure what to do.

[LittleBlueFishlets]

Hi, could you please fill out the form below so that people have more information?

Housing
What size is your tank?
What temperature is your tank?
Does your tank have a filter?
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration?
Is your tank heated?
What tank mates does your betta fish live with?

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish?
How often do you feed your betta fish?

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change?
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change?
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change?

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed?
How has your betta fish's behavior changed?
When did you start noticing the symptoms?
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how?
Does your fish have any history of being ill?
How old is your fish (approximately)?

[killavixen]

Housing
What size is your tank? hospital tank is 1.5 gal
What temperature is your tank? 78-80
Does your tank have a filter? yes power carbon
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
Is your tank heated? yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? none atm

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? flakes and bloodworms
How often do you feed your betta fish? when he eats normally one or two times a day depending on if he eats much the first feeding

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? every week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? was doing full changes
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Betta water conditioner

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? not since treatment started, but before the ammonia was really high

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? fins seem shorter, has ich
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? sluggish, hides, darts aroung spazzy, hasnt eaten in days
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 5 days ago
Have you started treating your fish? yes, maracide (1st, 3rd, 5th day) im on the 4th day
Does your fish have any history of being ill? just got him 2 1/2 weeks ago
How old is your fish (approximately)? I dont know
__________________

[callistra]

He may be stressed from the Maracide. It's quite a toxic combo.

I prefer treating more naturally.. Raise tank temp to 86-88F, slowly. I would do no more than 1 degree per hour and 5 per day, and stop if you see stress. You leave the tank temp there at least 2 weeks and one week past the last sign of ich. You can also add aquarium salt at 1 tsp per gallon predissolved. You only need to readd more salt along with a water change, and then only add back as much salt as water you change.

I would increase water changes to twice weekly 50% and 100%

How are you doing these large changes?

Also, as a side note, flakes aren't good nutritional value, and especially with something this small they muck up the water quickly causing excess ammonia. You should look for a good quality pellets whose first two or three ingredients are whole fish, not fish meal or wheat. He should be fed two small meals a day (how many depends on the pellet you pick up) and one fast day a week. Blood worms should only bed fed one once a week as a treat in replace of pellet meal.

[killavixen]

Originally Posted by callistra

He may be stressed from the Maracide. It's quite a toxic combo.

I prefer treating more naturally.. Raise tank temp to 86-88F, slowly. I would do no more than 1 degree per hour and 5 per day, and stop if you see stress. You leave the tank temp there at least 2 weeks and one week past the last sign of ich. You can also add aquarium salt at 1 tsp per gallon predissolved. You only need to readd more salt along with a water change, and then only add back as much salt as water you change.

I would increase water changes to twice weekly 50% and 100%

How are you doing these large changes?

Also, as a side note, flakes aren't good nutritional value, and especially with something this small they muck up the water quickly causing excess ammonia. You should look for a good quality pellets whose first two or three ingredients are whole fish, not fish meal or wheat. He should be fed two small meals a day (how many depends on the pellet you pick up) and one fast day a week. Blood worms should only bed fed one once a week as a treat in replace of pellet meal.

I was taking my betta out and emptying the water. Refilling and then adding instant betta water conditioner. He wont eat anything but flakes. He absolutely refused to eat pellets. Also he is having trouble swimming, he looks as though he has a hard time getting to the top and then his rear end sinks back down.

[LittleBlueFishlets]

So after you refill the tank and add the conditioner.... How do you put him back into the tank? Do you put him right back in, or do you acclimate him? They need time to adjust to the new tank water, so that their systems aren't shocked.

Here is one way to do a water change and acclimate (reintroduce) your fish back into the tank:

1. Note the temperature of the water.
2. Using a plastic cup, scoop him, along with some of his water, into the cup.
3. Clean out the tank. Refill with water at the SAME temp. Be sure to add the correct amount of water conditioner.
4. Float his cup in the tank for about 15 min.
5. Add a SMALL amount of NEW water to the cup. (Several tablespoons, or about 1.5 ounces.)
6. Let his cup float for about 10 min.
7. Remove a SMALL amount of water from the cup. Discard it.
8. Repeat steps 5-7, until about an hour has passed.
9. Gently release him into the tank.

[killavixen]

So this is what i decided to do. My community tank has ich now, so all fish have it. So i removed my snail and re introduced my betta. Immediately he seemed much more lively. Now he is eating, swimming, and being social again. He however still has ich. So i went to the store and bought rid-ich plus and some stress coat. Aside from the ich everyone seems happy and healthy now.

[MattsBettas]

Ich honestly needs no dangerous chemicals. Simply raise the temperature to 86 degrees and add aquarium salt at 1tsp/g.