I just purchased a male double tail Betta from petco yesterday. He seemed healthy enough then, he wasn't the most active of the bunch but I wanted him so I took him home anyways. His fins were a bit frayed to begin with, but it didn't look like fin rot. He was a bit lethargic at first, and he tended to stay along the sides of his bowl. It is a 1 gallon bowl. The water is tap water with conditioner. Today he was still lethargic, but he seemed to be getting more used to his surroundings. He ate yesterday but would not touch his food today. Since I moved him from his petco container into the bowl (pouring th contents into the bowl water to try to avoid some shock) I decided to give him an entirely new, fresh bowl today. He has gotten progressively worse today, and in the past few hours he has begun to float at the top on his side, almost as if he was trying to have his gills above water. When I came back to my room he was lying on the bottom of the bowl against the rocks, his gills and mouth are working pretty hard. Please help!!! Tell me if I did something wrong! He looks paler, and like there is some black between his scales. His fins and tail are somewhat clamped, but there were like that when I bought him.
No heater or filter? Type of conditioner? Type of food?
No heater or filter. I have his tank under a lamp most of the day but that's it. The conditioner is Kent Marine Betta Bowl Essential, it says it makes tap water safe. Food type is Wardley's Betta Food and they're pellets. he's only eaten one pellet though.
I just chased him around with a net to try to see if he was responsive and help him to the surface so he could breath... he didn't move at all or try to swim. The only thing on him moving right now are his fins - like CRAZY.
The fins are moving so quickly and forcefully that his entire body is being heaved each time. What immediate things can I do to help him??
What is the temperature of that water? An ideal minimum is 78 degrees and no higher than 86 with 80-82 being ideal and 86 only being used when treating an illness. How often do you change the water? Any decorations in the tank?
What is the temperature of that water? An ideal minimum is 78 degrees and no higher than 86 with 80-82 being ideal and 86 only being used when treating an illness. How often do you change the water? Any decorations in the tank?
I don't have a thermometer for the bowl. I've kept it under a lamp for the past 5 hours, and it doesn't feel too cold or hot. Like I said I got him yesterday, but I took him from his petco container and dumped all of that water into the new bowl and but him in there, along with the conditioner. Then today I gave him an entirely new bowl of a bit warmer water because it felt cool to the touch. there are only glass pebbles on the bottom and growing real plant seeds that are still completely seeds.
He is really working hard to breathe but can't move at all. Could his swim bladder be swollen? I haven't even fed him more than one pellet!
If you just dumped him into the tank without temperature and water acclimation and you just got him yesterday, and your water is conditioned, and he's only eaten one pellet, the only thing I can really think of is pH shock. :S But I could be wrong. I'm just stumped. If he don't look bloated I can't say intestinal parasites. Can we get pictures?
He looks completely healthy in my eyes, just on his side and breathing heavy... The only things I can say:
Changing from old water to new water too fast. Not properly acclimated to new pH and temperature, and then when you did a water change you made the water hotter than what it was before you added him in. If his condition worsened, the only thing I can think of is the water or a pre-existing gill condition if he's breathing heavily.
Here's what I personally recommend:
1. Get your water tested. If you take a sample down to the pet store they usually do it for free. pH, GH/KH, metals in the water, etc.
2. At this point, I would recommend a more shallow tank. You can get like a 2-4gallon clear rubbermaid storage bin at Wal-Mart for like $4. One of the long, flat ones. Get a Hydor Mini Heater (about $6 at PetSmart if you find one marked down, $12-$13 anywhere else.
3. Prime Water Conditioner made by Seachem. 2 drops per gallon. Excellent stuff, takes care of all your toxins.
4. To help with gill function and electrolytes, I would pick up a small thing of Aquarium Salt from PetSmart or your LFS as well and dose it accordingly. A thermometer would help too, they run like $3 bucks at PetSmart for a glass one.
Anyone else correct me if I'm wrong. :S I just can't figure out what would be wrong besides shock from water, or something in the water...
He looks completely healthy in my eyes, just on his side and breathing heavy... The only things I can say:
Changing from old water to new water too fast. Not properly acclimated to new pH and temperature, and then when you did a water change you made the water hotter than what it was before you added him in. If his condition worsened, the only thing I can think of is the water or a pre-existing gill condition if he's breathing heavily.
Here's what I personally recommend:
1. Get your water tested. If you take a sample down to the pet store they usually do it for free. pH, GH/KH, metals in the water, etc.
2. At this point, I would recommend a more shallow tank. You can get like a 2-4gallon clear rubbermaid storage bin at Wal-Mart for like $4. One of the long, flat ones. Get a Hydor Mini Heater (about $6 at PetSmart if you find one marked down, $12-$13 anywhere else.
3. Prime Water Conditioner made by Seachem. 2 drops per gallon. Excellent stuff, takes care of all your toxins.
4. To help with gill function and electrolytes, I would pick up a small thing of Aquarium Salt from PetSmart or your LFS as well and dose it accordingly. A thermometer would help too, they run like $3 bucks at PetSmart for a glass one.
Anyone else correct me if I'm wrong. :S I just can't figure out what would be wrong besides shock from water, or something in the water...
He's not moving though. Do you think he'll die? :( I should've gotten more things but to be honest I've never owned a fish, so I got a 1 gallon tank and no meds/thermometer/heater. I just did what the lady at petco told me. I'll empty some of his water out tonight and hope for the best, keeping him under the lamp. I'll try to make a trip out to petco tomorrow. Thanks and wish Phoenix luck.
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