Sluggish or hard time swimming?

[ScuitoAmi150]

Previously I posted that my male and female betta (dual tank) have both been sluggish but especially my male. You all suggested that I get a heater which I'm planning to do.

I'm watching my male this morning and when he does swim to the top of the tank (feeding time) he is like dragging his hind end. And then once he eats he goes back down to the bottom and starts sleeping again.
Why is he dragging his hind?

Also there is like this stuff around him (not gold looking like velvet), kinda looks like he is shedding. Do bettas shed?

[ScuitoAmi150]

by the way you can see the picture of him in my avatar he is dragging his hind end.

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

One of my new guys had this, he was like paralyzed behind. Sadly he wasn't doing good at all, he had a really hard time going up for oxygen like your guy and wouldn't eat anything. I noticed on his back tail he had a red dot that eventually was going straight into his 'butt' so to speak and his fin was slowly losing color also. The last day that I had him the red sore had fuzzy stuff around it and he could barely swim. I brought him back to the family pet store that I got him from and they're going to treat him, but I don't think he'll survive. :( I hope your guy gets better!

[ScuitoAmi150]

=[ Okay. My boy comes up for air and still has an appetite. He loves food.
I'm trying to debate whether or not to treat him with Aquari-Sol. Its for ICK, Closed Fins, Body Fungus, Velvet and Sluggishness.

That is what I used to treat the Velvet

[ScuitoAmi150]

so I put the black out divider in the tank. Should I separate them completely? Because although it is divided it has a grill under neath. I want to take that out but then the divider just swings and Ami has gotten into Scuito's side before

[ScuitoAmi150]

Update:
today Scuito is a little more lively. I kept the black out up so he can't see Ami and i added one of the bigger tank gravel rocks (the plastic see through kind that come in pretty colors) to encourage him to not lay around as much.
He went spastic at feeding time. Is swimming around a little bit more.
I added BettaFix last night (i know its for damaged fins and skin but if that cotton looking stuff is hurting his skin...)
I'd still like to know how to treat him.

[BettaxFishxCrazy]

I'm so glad that he's doing better! I personally would separate him because you aren't sure exactly what he has and if it's contagious than your other one has a high chance that he'll get it too. I wouldn't overdo it with meds yet until you know exactly what you're treating for.

[ScuitoAmi150]

Okay! Will do. I just got 4 snails the other day (wish I hadn't) so I'll put them on the other side of his tank and take out my female.

[9 Bettas]

Watching this thread with interest as a couple of my boys are dragging their butts, 2 just started in the last couple of days, one - Levi has been doing it for a little longer.

We thought they may have been cold due having the aircon on for a killer summer here but have changed the vents so they don't blow near, have bumped up their heaters a little and it doesn't seem to have made much difference. Without looking at their thermometers (which I can' at the mo coz I'm at work) I can't say exactly what they are set to but its the top of the green 'acceptable' range for tropicals so I'm guessing around the 25/26deg C mark.

Tank sizes are all different so can't help you on that, all PH are neutral, all nitrites, nitrates, amonia are all fine. Have a fairly comprehensive test set! Water is changed once a week normally, but this week we've done it twice just to make sure their levels all stay OK and to add a little aquarium salt into the mix.

Any other ideas? I hate to see them struggle and think they could be in pain and I'm not helping!

[ScuitoAmi150]

Originally Posted by 9 Bettas

Watching this thread with interest as a couple of my boys are dragging their butts, 2 just started in the last couple of days, one - Levi has been doing it for a little longer.

We thought they may have been cold due having the aircon on for a killer summer here but have changed the vents so they don't blow near, have bumped up their heaters a little and it doesn't seem to have made much difference. Without looking at their thermometers (which I can' at the mo coz I'm at work) I can't say exactly what they are set to but its the top of the green 'acceptable' range for tropicals so I'm guessing around the 25/26deg C mark.

Tank sizes are all different so can't help you on that, all PH are neutral, all nitrites, nitrates, amonia are all fine. Have a fairly comprehensive test set! Water is changed once a week normally, but this week we've done it twice just to make sure their levels all stay OK and to add a little aquarium salt into the mix.

Any other ideas? I hate to see them struggle and think they could be in pain and I'm not helping!

I hope we both find the answer soon!