Tried tetracycline. . what next?

[SarahGoodbar]

Hi! I've had my betta for over year. Several months ago, one of his eyes clouded over and I have determined that he cannot see out of it. I heated the aquarium (82) and treated it with Melafix. The eye never recovered, but he was still swimming around and able to eat and nothing got worse. But for the past week he's been floating in a corner and spits out any type of food I offer. I gave tetracycline with no improvement. Water is tested and fine. The Ph is rather high (8-8.2), but always has been so I don't see why it would become a problem now. He's alone in a 12 gallon tank w/filter. Any suggestions about what to do next? His fins and scales seem fine. His spine may be curved slightly, but it's really hard to tell since he won't come out of the back corner of the tank. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Sarah

[Oldfishlady]

Welcome to the forum and sorry your Betta is not well......

We need some more information.....
In the 12g filtered tank-how much and how often are the water changes, live plants, additives used, type of food, age of food, source water used for the tank, you have had him for a year-where did you get him or do you know how old he was when you got him, can you post a pic.....

[SarahGoodbar]

• User
• Aquariums

Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 6,293



Welcome to the forum and sorry your Betta is not well......

We need some more information.....
In the 12g filtered tank-how much and how often are the water changes,

I went down to water changes every two weeks about 6 months (or more) ago but I did this gradually making sure ammonia and nitrite always tested 0.

live plants,

I have one live plant remaining, all the rest died. I don't know the exact type, it's ferny. There is a fair amount of algae on rocks in the tank and it tends to cover the plants.

additives used,

I have only added aquarium salt (and sparingly) a few of times when there was a problem with the fish. The last one was when he stopped eating, before going to the tetracycline.

type of food, age of food,

I normally feed top fin betta bits, which I bought from Pet Smart at the same time I got the fish (over a year ago.) I sometimes supplement with frozen bloodworms (also from about a year ago). I thought about the age of the food and just today offered some frozen brine shrimp I have since these have an expiration date (the others don't that I can find) that has not passed

source water used for the tank,

I have a well, so no chlorine. I treat the water with aqua safe when I add it. We also have a neutralizer on our well, so that adds some calcite (calcium carbonite) to the water.

you have had him for a year-where did you get him or do you know how old he was when you got him

I don't know how old he was when I got him from Pet Smart, but he was quite healthy and active at the time.

I don't have any pictures to post and couldn't get a decent one at this point because he is basically hiding behind the filter.

I hope this information helps and thanks for replying!

[Oldfishlady]

Even in a 12g filtered tank with one Betta you have DOC's that can build up and especially with the plant failure/dead can add even more...

If your nitrate is 30ppm or lower-I would make 50% water change with vacuum today and 50% water only tomorrow and see if this will perk him up....

If the nitrate is over 30ppm-post the nitrate level and I will give you instruction on how to safely lower the nitrate so not to stress or kill the Betta....

Good that you have well water...me too....however, what is the neutralizer..is this some type of water softener unit on the house and if so....does it use salt....

[SarahGoodbar]

Thanks again for the reply,

Originally Posted by Oldfishlady

Even in a 12g filtered tank with one Betta you have DOC's that can build up and especially with the plant failure/dead can add even more...

Sorry, but what are DOC's?

If your nitrate is 30ppm or lower-I would make 50% water change with vacuum today and 50% water only tomorrow and see if this will perk him up....

My nitrate has always been at zero or very close to it. Not sure why.

If the nitrate is over 30ppm-post the nitrate level and I will give you instruction on how to safely lower the nitrate so not to stress or kill the Betta....

Good that you have well water...me too....however, what is the neutralizer..is this some type of water softener unit on the house and if so....does it use salt....

It is not a softener. It makes the mater less acidic by adding calcium. No salt.

I will definitely do the water changes. 50% two days in a row isn't too much for the good bacteria?

Thanks again!!

[Oldfishlady]

Its fine as long as you don't over clean.....vacuum with one of the 50%-only in places that you can reach without moving anything....

The good bacteria for the nitrogen cycle are sticky and adhere to all the surface areas in the tank-like the walls, decorations, plants-both fake and real, in the top layer of the substrate and in the filter media-very little are in the water column itself....you can safely change all the water-but limit clean things in the tank, vacuum weekly and filter media rinsing to a couple of times a month and you should be good....

[SarahGoodbar]

Thank you so much!