female betta hasnt been eating for about 3 weeks..? :o

[masshiimarro]

hey guys,
3 weeks ago i got a new betta at walmart, and i did all the normal stuff that we do when we have new fish.. acclimate, do not feed until next day, ect. BUT, this fish, since ive gotten her, hasnt eaten at all. and i mean.. AT ALL. none. ive tried everything: pellets, bloodworms frozen and freeze-dried, even some shrimp :o shes just not interested at all. and i think maybe becuase of that, she isnt very active either. she just sits there.. and comes up for a gulp of air. recently within this week ive noticed her get slightly more interested in her surroundings, but just slightly. i think maybe ive seen her try to scratch sometime.. but im not sure. somehow ive seen her poop...? but it doesnt seem like very healthy poop to me since its whitish.. so it makes me think parasites possibly? quite frankly im surprised shes still alive. she hasnt thinned down at all and looks the same as when i got her. i am absolutely confused at her. this cant go on forever.. i really want to save her. input?

Housing
What size is your tank? 2 gal
What temperature is your tank? 75
Does your tank have a filter? no
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
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? tried pretty much everything...
How often do you feed your betta fish? everyday

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? 3 times a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50-100%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? dechlorinator

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters? no

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? gotten darker in color, but i think thats natural color change
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? always hasnt been very active..
When did you start noticing the symptoms? immediately after getting her..
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? no
Does your fish have any history of being ill? besides not eating... no
How old is your fish (approximately)?under a year?

[Tikibirds]

White poop is usually a sign of internal parasites, but i think she would also be skinny if that were the case.

Internal Parasites
•Symptoms: Betta is losing weight but eating normally and acting lethargic.
He/she might dart or rub against decor.
•Treatment: These can be hard to fight and can get confused with the fatal disease Tuberculosis. Perform daily 100% water changes (if possible, for larger aquariums change 3/4). Make sure you carefully clean the gravel to remove eggs/larva. Aq.Salt does not seem to be affective against internal parasites. I find combining ES with an anti-parasite med is best. Treat with 1-2tsp/gal Epsom Salt combined with either Jungle’s Anti-Parasite Pellets, Jungle’s Parasite Clear Fizz tabs or API General Cure. PP is also effective against internal parasites.

[masshiimarro]

yeah..... but how do i treat internal parasites? im pretty sure theres some sort of internal parasite..
still not eating.. its really wierd. its like shes in a state of meditation since she isnt losing weight either. her metabolism seems really slow..

[Oldfishlady]

With the white poop and no witness of eating but still has good body condition....she may be dropping eggs and eating them on a regular bases...this could explain the white poop, not eating without noted weight loss.....just a thought.....Nearly all fish have internal parasites that they control themselves by passing them on a regular basis along with their immune response....

Have you tried any live food...like mosquito larva or rolling the food in fresh crushed garlic juice to see if that will help stimulate her feeding response....

Cut back on the water changes to twice weekly-1-50% and 1-100%, add some tannins...either IAL or dried Oak leaf and get the water a dark amber color, raise the temp to 80F slowly and offer some live food and/or garlic laced food and see it that helps to get her eating....

Can you post a pic....