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Made a Mistake-Slow, Sick Betta

627 views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  kfish 
#1 ·
Okay so I am a little worried about my betta, I'm wondering what's wrong with him. I'd appreciate any help I could get. First I'll give you all the tank info.

Size: 5 gallon
Filter: Yes
ph: 7.0
Water Changes: 40% Weekly (though more lately)
Heater: Yes
Temperature: 77 degrees Fahrenheit
Tankmates: None at the moment-more details later

So I was at Petco Saturday getting dog treats and I went to look at the fish. I had been thinking about getting an algae eater for my betta's tank but I didn't really know much about them so I asked the guy working there (mistake) if there was any kind that would stay small enough to live in a 5 gallon with a betta. He directed me to the albino bristlenose plecos. So I was looking at them and next thing I knew he had gotten a bag and was getting one of them (I wasn't planning on buying a fish, I only wanted to know about them-but I thought, "what the heck, I might as well get one today"). Okay so when he was getting the fish out, he was extremely rough with it. He would squish it up against the side of the tank and be shaking the bag up a lot when tying it.

When I got the fish home and in the tank with my betta, I noticed a big scar along his side from the net and it didn't look good. I had a feeling he wouldn't make it. My betta was really good though, he didn't nip at it or anything, he was just really curious and always watching him, that's the first tank mate he has had. Well Sunday morning, the fish died, less than 24 hours from when I got it. I had a feeling it would happen seeing how the net hurt him so badly. I was upset but not surprised. I can't stand terrible pet store workers that don't care about any of the animals.

Now my betta is sick. He is really slow now and he is usually so happy and active. I'm almost positive that it has something to do with the algae eater. I should also mention that my betta has had a mild case of fin rot for the past week or so and I've been trying to cure it by doing more frequent water changes and giving him melafix and aquarium salt. I'm so worried about him. Does anyone know what the problem could be???

Thanks a bunch to all who post.
 
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#2 ·
I guess I should add that I feed him 3-4 Omega one betta buffet pellets 6 days a week and that I haven't tested the water for anything other than pH. He doesn't have an airstone in the tank and he has no real plants in there, just a bunch of silk ones.
 
#3 · (Edited)
I would purchase a drops test kit for ammonia nitrite and.nitrate. your size.tank is.hard.enough to maintain cycle. The dying fish may have pushed it over

Also do not use melafix. It can be lethal to bettas. 1 tsp per gallon aquarium salt per gallon isn't bad though. Its always a flood idea to quarrantine new fish before introducing smay have brought along a disease too. Your bettas only.symptom is being letthargic? You should.be monitoring nitrates regardless
 
#4 ·
Thanks, I hear so many different contradicting facts about bettas with melafix, I just don't know. And yes, I know I do need to test everything other than than just the pH. I used to have a test kit but not anymore. I just used a strip for the pH.
 
#5 ·
He's not doing too well now. He's laying sideways at the bottom of the tank. I'm afraid he won't make it. I wish I knew what was wrong with him. :(
 
#6 · (Edited)
You need to do a large water change (like 60% everyday the next few days, if not 1 100% change right now (if you do 100%, make sure you reacclimate your fish SLOWLY... get water the same temperature by floating for 15 minutes, after that, take some water out of the container he's floating in, add some tank water to the container, wait 5 minutes, take some water out, add some tank water, wait 5 minutes, release)... Make sure the water is dechlorinated.

I'm fairly certain the problem is water quality. You can only keep 1 betta in a 5 gallon, no tank mates (except shrimp and snails)... I'm sorry the pet store misdirected you. :( And, if your tank is establishing a cycle, you have to do more than one 40% change per week in a 5 gallon. I had to do at least 2, usually 3 50% changes a week when my 5 gallon was cycling to keep ammonia down, vacuuming substrate 1x per week.

... Since he's laying on the bottom, you may want to lower the water level so he can get to the surface more easily.

What I'd do: Net him, put him in a (well-rinsed and rubbed in hot water, then cold water) container/cup of tank water. Do 100% change on tank... Don't clean the filter, just clean the gravel and the tank. Re-fill the tank with clean, dechlorinated tap water of about 80 degrees (USE THERMOMETER). Float betta's container in the tank to get temperature equal, and acclimate him like I said above. If after a few hours, he's still laying on the bottom, float him in the tank in the aforementioned container in CLEAN water... duct tape it to the side (don't get any duct tape in the water). Feel free to float him in 1 tsp/gallon pure (no fragrances) epsom salt. Mix it up in a 1 gallon drinking water jug until it's all dissolved. Again, don't forget dechlorinator. While he's floating in the tank, you HAVE TO CHANGE that water once a day. I use two containers when I do this... have 2 duct taped in the tank, one with clean water, one that the fish is in... Everyday, move the fish to the other container, clean the container he was in, add water, duct tape back to the wall of the tank.
 
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