Lost control of pectoral fins?

[Marona]

Housing
What size is your tank? 5gal divided (2.5gal)
What temperature is your tank? 70*F (Just got a new heater, he's been fine at this temp before, though)
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? Yes
Is your tank heated? Yes
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Flakes, freeze dried bloodworms, and the occasional frozen brine shrimp
How often do you feed your betta fish? Once a day, occasional twice for a frozen brine shrimp treat

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? 50% every few days
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Dechlorinator. Just added plant food a few minutes ago.

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

Ammonia: ~1
Nitrite: Need a full Test Kit
Nitrate: " "
pH: " "
Hardness: " "
Alkalinity: " "

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Pectoral fins won't move much from his body
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? Won't use pectorals,
When did you start noticing the symptoms? A few minutes ago. Happened in the last hour.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? No.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No. Other fish recently jumped the barrier (fixed the issue already) and tore up his back fins, seemed to jump back rather well from the incident. Not too badly of ripped fins, either. Pectorals seemed fine at the time.
How old is your fish (approximately)? No idea.



I just moved around some decorations to get a better heater into my tank and my favorite fish seems to have lost his control of his pectoral fins. He has to do an exaggerated wiggle of his body to get around his tank. Now he's just sitting at the bottom. He makes an effort to come see me when I open the lid, but it's very hard for him because he has to use his back fins. D: I'm so worried. I love this fish to death and he's adorable. I already had a brush with death on the guy when I found my other fish had jumped the barrier while I was at work. I'm wondering if maybe my plant food I got is effecting him? I also stirred up the gravel a little bit ago so perhaps it could be the ammonia I stirred up?

Worried bettamama. :(

[Marona]

Just did a 50% water change for safety's sake. Retaking ammonia test now...

And it's looking about a 0.

[Marona]

Ok so it also seems that he CAN use them. Just doesn't seem to want to. Mopes in the bottom. I don't have anywhere to move him to QT and see if it's stress issue from the divided tank. But tommorow I will be getting something to deal with this.

I guess I could put him in a bowl of some form. But that makes me nervous with a cat around and such.

[Marona]

Since it isn't giving me edit options on my posts I have to keep posting, sorry. D:



...does that look like popeye? I had thought about this a few days ago but wasn't sure seeing as I'm kind of panicky about my bettas.

Best picture I could get from the side:

[dramaqueen]

I can't really tell if it's popeye. Sorry I can't help you. I hope he's doing better.

[baylee767]

To tell if it's pop eye can we get a pic from the top?

Also, when I had Velvet I dropped him and he wouldn't use his pectorals for a bit after. Someone told me it's a wierd thing some Bettas do due to stress...

[demonr6]

are his fins clamped and he almost appears like they are rigid or frozen in place?

[Marona]

Uhh. He is still alive but got worse from those pictures. His back fins clamped up and seemed to deteriorate quickly. Which I think was a combination of the bacterial bloom I had in my tank and the stress from my other fish attacking him.

Treating him with some meds that treat most internal issues. Including pop-eye and fin-rot. His eyes already went down in size so he did have popeye for an extended period of time as I wasn't sure if he did. But his fins are still clamped/stuck together. His pectorals seem to have unclamped a little now, and are easier for him to use.

But he's having trouble eating. He eats then spits most if not all of it back out. He's trying but it's just like he can't get it all down.

[Thunderloon]

stop adding plant food until the issue resolves
walmart carries "jungle dip strips" easy to use and give all but ammonia answer, the dip-strip ammonia test is reliable but tricky and expensive

[Marona]

No worries I wasn't about to add anymore.

He seems more active now, eating better. So hopefully the crisis is over.