Lethargic, vertical hanging out Betta

[caliroze]

I've had Sparky for 6 weeks now and he has lost his spark. (He is red.) Last Sunday he refused to eat his dried bloodworms treat. All week he hasn't been eating and on Friday I fasted him along with his housemate (in separate tanks). I've done three complete water changes for Sparky last Sunday, Wednesday and now today, Saturday. He is in a one-gallon tank with RO water and water conditioner.

Right now he is hanging vertically with his nose to the top of the water. He is breathing and flapping his side fins. He doesn't swim much anymore and hangs out on the bottom a lot. He doesn't unfurl his fins anymore like he used to either.

Help!?

[nav2008]

water paramaters? did you check ammonia? and temp?

[caliroze]

I don't have any water parameters testing kit or know how to do that. The temp is 86 F.

[Meatpuppet]

i think doing 3 complete water changes a week for a little 1 gallon is a bit overkill. 50% twice a week is plenty.

you really should go to your LFS and purchase a master liquid test kit the messures ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph. you can then tell us your results. they are really easy to use.

and 86 degrees is WAY too high for your fish. bettas like 78 degrees so if you have a heater turn it to 78, if not you could turn a fan to blow on the tank to cool it down. and make sure its not in direct sunlight

[nav2008]

i know ammonia can make a fish gasp for air but if your doing 3 compleet changes the only way you have ammonia is if its in your water and you dont age/condition it. yeah 50% 2-3 times a week is ok. and i left my window open on accident and 3 of my bettas tanks in sunlight hit 85-86 degrees... they got lethargic. fan helped alot.

[caliroze]

Normally I do PWC once a week but since Sparky stopped eating last Sunday, I've been doing the 3-times a week. My other Betta fish, Shimmer, is in the same water, same location, same food, same everything, and he is normal, swimming around a lot, making bubblenest, and eating.

I use RO water with conditioner.

I moved Sparky and put a fan on him now.

[Flashygrrl]

You shouldn't be using RO water unless you are adding the trace elements and buffers before you put it in the tank. Is there something wrong with your main water supply?

[okiemavis]

I agree. If you're using RO water you should be using something to add minerals back to the water afterwards. Otherwise there's a) no vitamins or nutrients in the water for your fish and b) the water has no buffering capacity so the ph can change extremely rapidly

[caliroze]

OK, can I do a complete water change now, using regular tap water and the Prime water conditioner with slime coat I bought yesterday? Sparky is still the same and his temp is down to 82. Shimmer is in the same situation in a separate tank and is doing fine.

[Flashygrrl]

Odd that Shimmer is still doing ok. Yeah, do a 100% water change. Those should be done 2-3 times a week with a 1 gallon tank but it sounds like you know that already.