Healthy-Sick Cycle

[dr2b]

Are you noticing anything else? Like is he getting paler, is he swelling/bloated anywhere? If you are so sure it is the pH, why not check it? I didn't see where you answered earlier whether or not you tested the pH. I just don't seem to think it is pH...I'm still convinced it's swimbladder. pH shock symptoms I've seen on different websites the fish will lay on the bottom or substrate and not move around...they are lethargic and what not. Have you tried switching conditioners and seeing if there is a change in the way he acts? What kind of water are you using? Tap? Spring?

[BBgirl]

Rusty and BT are both in 2.65g filtered tanks. We have a high ph in our tap here so I mix about half treated tap and half r/o filtered to help even things out a little bit. I use less salt than suggested for their water but I do use some. I agree with dr2b though that it's probably not a ph issue your little buddy is dealing with. They can thrive in a range (yes 7.0 neutral is ideal but mine are stuck with about 7.4 and adjusted. I would think about testing the ph but unless it is super high wouldn't mess with it (not chemically any way).

I hope he feels better soon.

[Zoro]

I was only convinced it was pH because I couldn't figure anything else out - nothing else seemed to match. Swim bladder disease doesn't just go away (and then come back) with a water change, does it? I went to the fish store to buy a pH test kit and they said I couldn't adjust the pH in a bowl and told me to buy drinking water. The gal had me convinced I didn't need to test pH for a Betta. So, I mixed drinking water and treated tap water to see what would happen. Same thing...okay at first and now floating toward the top. I'm abandoning the pH theory. He isn't bloated, doesn't change color, and I don't notice anything other symptoms of any other diseases. It's so strange.

[neenjar]

Originally Posted by Zoro

Thanks for the replies! I'm pretty convinced it has something to do with pH. However, I'm still perplexed as to why he gets better for two days every time and then starts acting weird again. The person at the fish store (the expert was out today) said pH can't be adjusted in bowls. Is that true? She told me to buy drinking water because it is pH neutral. If anyone else has other suggestions to share, please do.

Bottled spring water is good, but acclimate your fish properly to that if you are going to make the change, It also gets pricey to do regular changes with.