Can you check your ammonia?? This is what happens with my guys when ammonia is too high.

 

I tested on the two week mark of the cycle and it was 0, however my cat wrecked the ammonia bottle, so I need to get a new set. I did a 50% change before adding the fish though, if it helps.


*Edit* Should I bring up the temperature to 86 to treat velvet? I'm worried that with the heat wave he'll over heat.... I can't tell shining a light on him, as he is purple, lol.

*editedit* He's struggling to swim, all of his fins are closed right up. It's like he's trying to propel himself with twin pieces of string...

 

Your ammonia could be high, without a test you'll never know I personally would do a water change and see if that helps him. Other than that, I would put him in a 1g with 1/2 tsp of AQ salt, tomorrow do a 100% water change and add 1 tsp of AQ salt.

Why would you need to treat for Velvet? Sometimes it takes more than 3 weeks to cycle a tank. Zero ammonia doesn't mean it's cycled. Zero ammonia, zero NitrItes and NitrAtes under 20 would mean it's cycled.

Sorry I'm not much help, my experience is limited. But no one else is posting here, so I just wanted you to know at least I care about your boy. I'm sorry I can't do much else

 

I did a 25% change a little while back, and just now since he is out of hiding, attacked him with a flashlight. It's too hard to tell because of his coloration and because I am unfamiliar with him, but I'm going to assume the goldish tinge under his fins and gills is velvet, but I am inexperienced at stuff like this, as I have only treated fin rot and swim bladder problems... My camera isn't good enough to get the colors. It looks like a gold powder on his underside, but his fins also look to be powdered purple and blue, which are his natural colors.

I wish new Betta didn't get sick like this...

 

2/3 of my guys were sick when I took them in It sucks. I hear velvet is horrible. Could you google pictures? You would know best since you can see him.

A 5g tank that might not be cycled yet would need 25% water change at least twice a week. If you change anything more than that, you're killing off good bacteria. Since the walls dry, the bacteria dies off. Anything that dries, kills. Every time you do a 75% change, you're doing another minicycle.

 

Sorry, typo, it was only a 25% change I did, as scheduled. XD If I were to do a 75%, I might as well go all the way, clean it completely and house Mocha in a bowl.

Oh, found a pic. Yup, Mocha looks like he had has early stages of velvet. Up goes the temperature, and in goes the salt. If anyone has anything else to add, please do so in case I missed something!

 

I just want to say good luck with it! I've battled ich in a 29g and a 10g... my Carnage didn't make it I really hope you got this early enough!

 

This little fish had spunk, that is why I got him. If he is worse tomorrow I'll move him to a smaller bowl that I can do more water changes in until I can test ammonia.

He seems to be a fighter, he'll make it. He has to open his fins..I haven't even taken pictures of him yet!

 

Aside from the velvet, Mocha may be a little stressed from the dramatic temperature changes. If you can, it's best to move his tank to somewhere out of direct sunlight. It sounds like he got quite warm and then when the sun went away, quite cold. That could easily shock a betta.

Has Mocha been rubbing up against anything or flashing like he's trying to dislodge parasites? Do his gills move heavily, like they are working extra hard?

For velvet, you will want to keep the temp high and the tank dark. Velvet is light-sensitive and the light will make it multiply faster. QT him immediately. Better yet, have two QT bowls ready, this will make it easier. When he's ready for his daily water change, simply transfer him to the new clean water with aquarium salt, then completely rinse out the old bowl to get rid of any parasites that fell off. By repeating this, you can just transfer him from bowl to bowl, eliminating the odds of any parasites remaining to reattach. Now, from what I'm reading in my fish disease books, getting rid of velvet can take a while so be prepared for a long battle.

You can also use commercial medications but offhand, I can only think of ParaGuard.

I hope this helps and I hope Mocha gets better quickly. Fortunately, it sounds like he is in only the early stages so I think you have a very good chance of beating it.

 

I'm worried that moving him lots may stress him out even more. He's moving a lot and is aware of what is going on, so I'm thinking he has a good chance of beating it with temperature regulations (he's out of the sun now) and darkness. He's really beautiful... a lucky find. It'd be a shame if he stays ill..

He isn't rubbing, just perching. His breathing is normal too. I feel a lot of his weakness is loss of energy from zipping around his new home, due to our work schedules someone in the house is up at all times, and they let me know he was very active during most times. His fins started unclamping a little at the water change. When I put some salt in the water he came out of hiding and had a look, so the stable water temperature did help, although the instability helped me find the velvet early enough.

 

Listen to Sakura, she's awesome

What does he look like?

 

*blush* Aww, shucks, thanks, Pitluvs.

Lordsameth, if you don't want to use two bowls, that's fine. But you'll still have to move him somehow to do the daily water changes. You MUST do those to get all the parasites out but how you do them is totally up to you.

No rubbing, then. Is he breathing heavily? And could you possibly take a pic of him?

 

I believe the camera isn't good enough to get pictures of colors and such.. maybe a video would work?

 

Oh, right. Forgot about that. Never mind. But I would still advise the daily water changes.

 

I'll get some pics in a few. He's in his pirate ship.

Yes I do plan on moving him to a bowl, but I can't do it until I've cat-proofed the bowl. It kind of has to wait until tomorrow because it's pretty late and I've got to get some sleep for work.

Hi breathing is normal, he seems healthy enough, just tired and fin clamped. I'm not even 100% sure he has velvet, the gold might be part of his color.

 

Then definitely just stick with AQ salt, no meds. It won't hurt him if he really doesn't have velvet. Keep us posted.

 

Here come the pics!

This first one.. imagine those gorgeous fins opened!

In these next two, look near the eye, see where it is golden? What do you think?

 

Are the gold spots by his eyes sparkly-like? And does he have any gold on top of his head or back? It doesn't look like it but maybe you can verify that.

 

It does glitter, yes, but so does his tail if you look at the blue streaks in the lit picture. It goes under his belly a short ways, but it isn't too extensive. When the light is shined on it though, it looks like gold powder. In the light those spots are slightly darker.

 

And you don't remember him having those glittery spots before? Because I'm beginning to think the gold is natural coloring. Velvet doesn't glitter. Two of my light-colored males both have goldish coloring on their heads that could easily be mistaken for velvet but isn't. I'm thinking the clamped fins are from the temp changes. You might be in luck, he might not have velvet after all, Lordsameth.

 

*feels soooo relieved*

I'm glad I got good pictures then. The temperature has been stable for the past hour, and his fins are beginning to open up again. I really hope he is all well for the morning, and is just tired from his adventures over the passed couple days.

 

Yes, I really hope that is it too. *phew* Velvet usually has heavy breathing and it often starts on the back and sides. A bit of quiet, some rest, and I'm thinking Mocha will be okay. Definitely update us in the morning on how he's doing.

 

Absolutely! *off to bed*

 

Well, a good morning to all (likely afternoon and evening in the rest of the world)

I got up today and poor Mocha is looking much worse. His fins are still clamped tight, and he seems unable to keep himself up. I've moved him to a fish bowl placed inside the heated tank, and I'll keep an eye on any improvement over the day.... I'm very worried now...

 

You said you only had him 4 days, yes?
I'm thinking maybe he is still adjusting to his new home. Whenever I get fish from petco, their ammonia levels are always through the roof and it takes them a few days to recover, especially if they had ammonia poisining.

he seems unable to keep himself up

like unable to swim to the surface? Or having bouyancy issues?

whenever I had a betta that was lethargic with clamped fins, something in the water chemisty was off. Ammonia was too high, or something. I use stress coat as a water conditioner and that seems to work well.