Need help!! Please someone guide me :(

[Archie123]

I came back from work today and saw my lying *at the bottom of her tank. She usually is very active and responds to me especially when I feed her.

I have been kind of busy for past 3 days with work and when I looked at her carefully today.. Her tail and fins looked kind of different and ragged. As if they are falling off. Also her tail is all clumped up.

I also carefully looked and noted a grey colored small patch under her mouth.

I read all over Internet for past 2 hours, and it has left me even more confused :( :(


I don't know what's wrong with her and I am confused if it is fungal infection or cotton mouth or bacterial infection or the tail rot thing???


I am planning to buy the Jungle fungus elminator later today, but is there anything I can do in the mean time???

Any advice will be highly appreciated!!


I just had this fish. I initially kept her in a small glass jar, but just last week got a 3.5 gallon tank with filter for her. I am not at all familiar with fishes :(


What did I do wrong?? :(

[Oldfishlady]

Sorry your Betta isn't well....can you post a pic and we need more information..

In the 3.5gal filtered tank-what is the temp, additives used, how much and how often are the water changes, appetite/food, any tank mates, how long have you had her, approx age, has she ever been sick and/or treated in the past 30 days....

Until then-I would get her in QT and start aquarium salt 3tsp/gal treatment-she needs to stay in the small QT in the treatment water for the duration of the treatment.

Premix the treatment water in a 1gal jug of dechlorinated water-Add aquarium salt 3tsp/gal-Using this water make 25% water changes every 15min for 1 hour today-this is to get her acclimated-you also want to maintain a low normal water temp-best to stay in the 76-77F range with a compromised fish.

Tomorrow start 50% daily using the premixed treatment water for 10 days

Nutrition-good quality varied diet in small frequent meals-remove any uneaten food ASAP when in QT

[ootfifawithbubba]

my fish the first time i got back from somewhere he was lying at the bottom of tank , he was sleeping yours will be fine , alsow take out the pointy hard tank decorations , they may be tearing her fins like my boy . he know has a split top fin because of that , and my boy had a grey collor around his face area to, but i have seen some fish like this before so dont worry , she will be ok,,,, report back about her stats

[Archie123]

Thanks for ur kind reply...


I just took some pics of her...can u see and suggest if she is ok?

Thanks a million for taking out time to reply to me!!

[Archie123]

as for other questions...i will try to answer them to the best that i can...

Sorry your Betta isn't well....can you post a pic and we need more information..

In the 3.5gal filtered tank-what is the temp - i dont have a thermometer...but i usually keep it around 75 ...not sure :( :(

additives used -- none

how often are the water changes -- when she was in the small glass pot...i changed water every 1-2 days...now in the 3.5 g tank...i have been using the filter for about 1 hour every morning (she does not like it as seems the filter makes the water current too fast for her)....and i changed the whole water completely including washing all decorations only once in last 2- 2.5 weeks ( i dont remember whne i got it exactly)

Appetite/food -- i just feed her HBH betta bites....4-5 pellets twice a day. She is eating less since today morning

any tank mates - none

how long have you had her -- about 1 month

approx age - cant tell. she was almost the same tiny size when i got her

has she ever been sick and/or treated in the past 30 days -- no

Until then-I would get her in QT and start aquarium salt 3tsp/gal treatment-she needs to stay in the small QT in the treatment water for the duration of the treatment. Premix the treatment water in a 1gal jug of dechlorinated water-Add aquarium salt 3tsp/gal-Using this water make 25% water changes every 15min for 1 hour today-this is to get her acclimated-you also want to maintain a low normal water temp-best to stay in the 76-77F range with a compromised fish.
Tomorrow start 50% daily using the premixed treatment water for 10 days. Nutrition-good quality varied diet in small frequent meals-remove any uneaten food ASAP when in QT -- Sorry to sound dumb...but what is QT?? I put her back in her small glass pot today....

thanks for all your help!!

[EvilVOG]

QT is quarantine, as you don't want to salt plants or snails or other tank mates. most of us keep a small tank for separating sick fish.

Heat is pretty important. you want your betta at around 78-80 ideally.

Water changes should be at least 50% a week with a good gravel siphoning in a tank that size.

I would not use the salt right now. unless OldFishLady says so after reading your last post.

[Tikibirds]

I also carefully looked and noted a grey colored small patch under her mouth.

Is it fuzzy looking?

additives used -- none

how often are the water changes -- when she was in the small glass pot...i changed water every 1-2 days...now in the 3.5 g tank...i have been using the filter for about 1 hour every morning (she does not like it as seems the filter makes the water current too fast for her)....and i changed the whole water completely including washing all decorations only once in last 2- 2.5 weeks ( i dont remember whne i got it exactly)

So you don;t use water conditioner? Are you using tap water or bottled water?

[Archie123]

Tap water :(

And no... I never used any water conditioner :((


Oh God... Did I do this to her??

Should I used bottled water?? Or even boil water and use it after cooling??

[Mo]

Your so called "female" Betta is a male. He has long ventrals, longer fins, a beard, and the body shape of a male, he also has no opivoster. Which females have and sometimes yund males. Just because he has shorter fins doesnt classify him as a female which is a common miconseption in the worl of betta keeping and classification

You would want to use a type of dechlorinator to eliminate many harmful substances that are added to tap water to make it safe for human consumption. I would recommend seachem prime, as this primarily diminishes and reduces ammonia, chlorine, chloramines, and heavy metals.

Leaving the water out to sit for 24 hours as many people say wont take all of the main harmful substances in the water out. While it will take chloramines and chlorine which are both very toxic out. It will not remove ammonia, heavy metals, etc. so water conditioner is a vital item to have in Fishkeeping.

In a tank of that size. A filt would be virtually useless as the lack of surface area, and the O2 content in the water is probably minimal which leaves the nitrifying bacteria in a difficult place to establish, grow and colonize. I would just leave the filter off. And go along with the regular water changes of one 100% and one 50% to keep ammonia minimal. You won't have to worry about nitrite and nitrate poisoning as nitrifying bacteria will most likely not grow strong in this type of habitat, nitrifying bacteria is what oxidizes harmful substances into less harmful ones.

In anything less than 5 gallons you should ideally do 1 50% and one 100% water changes weekly to minimize ammonia, and nitrites content. In a A tank of that size you shouldn't have to worry about nitrate/nitrite poisoning as nitrates/nitrites are both a result of bacteria oxidizing ammonia into those substances. Cycling doesn't occur as much in tanks less than 5 gallons. In a tnk upwards of 5 gallons. It has the ability to hold a stable cycle, and depending on the stocking. You should do 25-50% water changes. As 100% changes can slightly impact the cycle

Bettas are tropical fish originating from Thailand and are known to be very inactive in unheated tanks but handle it very well. They can be placed in lower temperatures for short periods of times. But it will have a negative impact on the fish. Ideally you would want to aim for higher temperatures around 78-80 for them to thrive


Fungal Disease Information

Symptoms
White, or fuzzy growths on the outside of fish
Fish has become less active
Won't eat
Diluted colors
Patches of white

Treatment
This disease is very common with stressed fish and is cured with Higher levels of added salt, easing the temperature within the tank to 80 will also help. But no higher than 82. If the disease progresses then invest in a high quality fungus treatment to help aid the treatment, if that doesn't work then I highly suggest that you either euthanize the fish or heavily Medicate, sterilize, and heat the temp even higher within the tank

Cause
There are many factors to what causes this specific disease but it's similar to many others.
-poor water quality, like high ammonia, and nitrites along with unecxeptable Amounts of nitrates
-stressful tankmates and constant nipping
-being battered around by flow
-not acclimated properly
-stressful housing
Are all main factors to the disease as they all lead to a lored immune system which leaves all fish helpless towards all diseases

Prevention
-keep water clean
-keep the stress to minimal amounts
-keep water heated
-choose acceptable tank mates
-provide enough cover
-give your Betta enough room to swim and spread its fins. Ideally 2.5 gallons