[KillerTofu]

Housing
What size is your tank? 2.5
What temperature is your tank? 78 degrees
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? no
Is your tank heated? Not right now because it's summer here. Room temp is about 78 degrees.
What tank mates does your betta fish live with? None

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? Aqueon pellets (Regularly); Topfin freezedried bloodworms (Once a day or every other day); HBH Colorbright flakes (Very occasionally- Usually when I do a 100% water change while they're sitting in their cups because I don't like the mess that the flakes make.)
How often do you feed your betta fish? 4-5 pellets a day, sometimes a bloodworm at night.

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? 100% once a month; ~10% every other week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? Answered above
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Prime water conditioner/ API Stresscoat. When I do a 100% water change I add a few drops of Florish(Seachem) plant supplement.

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia: In between 0mg and .5mg
Nitrite: 0mg
Nitrate: In between 0mg and 20mg
pH: 6.8
Hardness: 150gh
Alkalinity: 40kh

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? Hasn't changed visibly that I can tell.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? He can't eat his food and lays on the bottom after many unsuccessful attempts.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? Today
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? No
Does your fish have any history of being ill? No
How old is your fish (approximately)? 3+years old

He sees his food and tries to eat it, but keeps missing and eventually gives up. Sometimes he can eat the pellet but he's only managed to eat like 2 pellets out of 10 I've tried feeding him. He also couldn't get the blood worm or any of the single flake I tried giving him. I ended up fishing wasted food out.
Afterwards he wedges himself in between the suction cups of the filter or on a leaf or else he just sinks to the bottom.
Here is a video If you want to see: http://s187.photobucket.com/albums/x209/AllisonSane/?action=view¤t=miguel.mp4

 

[mechilcutt]

That's actually what our Betta started doing around 6 months ago, except he has lost his fins... Still waiting on a response to mine unfortunately

 

[KillerTofu]

oh Sorry to hear that.

 

[thekinetic]

Hmm could be swim bladder disease because one of it's signs is loss of coordination, it swims awkwardly like sideways or not at all.

Does your fish's belly look swollen or does it's scales protrude?

 

[KillerTofu]

Not really, I think he's how he always looks.

 

[thekinetic]

Then I don't think it's dropsy but I am however almost sure is swim bladder disease. But I'll ask my dad to take a look at the video as he's had fish with the problem.

 

[uneeck42]

my fish is having the same problem. is it contagious? because mine WAS in a tank with another (with a barrier)

 

[thekinetic]

Ok I had my dad look at the video and he doesn't think it's swim bladder disease.

Though when I told him how you do water changes he said that could be it. He said you never do a 100% water change because it will mess up your fish. I happen to agree as fish above all else need consistency in their water and that much of a change may shock them.

But while I still wouldn't rule anything out I would watch it on the water changes, like 25% is the most you should ever change.

But what concerns me is your water's ph which seems really acidic (7.0 is neutral). How often do you change your filter? Because it could be polluting your tank.

Also he said if your water is too hard the heavy metals could hurt your fish.

 

[KillerTofu]

Okay, I can definitely quit doing 100% water changes. Although this is something new and I have been doing water changes like that since I've had him. It makes sense though.
I haven't changed the filter in ~6months someone told me it's bad to change it too often. But maybe 6months is too long?

Also what should I be doing to change the PH?

Thanks a lot

 

[Olympia]

Okay... Hold up a minute here everyone. I think we have some confusion going on.

1. Your filtered tank should have a 50% every week. There could be significant build up between your monthly changes that 10% will not take out. And for unfiltered tanks, just so you know, it's 100% and 50% once a week. 100% changes ARE needed in small, uncycled, filterless tanks. So don't tell people it's not neccessary. Changing water, you are removing ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and DOCs. Unless you are driving 3 hours away, you are not changing any parameters, the pH and hardness of your tap will be consistent.

2. That pH is PERFECT for a betta. DON'T change it. Betta originate from soft, acidic, waters, and this is more of a health benefit to him, since it's more what the fish is adapted to (even though betta can do fine in most pH ranges).
6.8 is NOT really acidic. The pH scale ranges from 1-14. In our fresh waters 3-11 is common worldwide... Not all fish need neutral pH, that's a poor assumption to be making. Pollution does NOT affect pH. pH is the concentration of hydrogen ions, most pollutants in your water are nitrogen based, not hydrogen based, a dirty tank's pH will not be altered...

3. Now, onto some new info. You are feeding bloodworms too often. I would feed him them maybe once a week, very lightly. This could be causing his problems.

4. Your fish is getting old.. It's time to take this into consideration. He's lived a long full life, and things could just naturally be taking a toll on him.

5. He does seem to have trouble swimming.. I would start him with epsom salts, it could relieve him a bit. Usually swimming issues are chronic, he may be stuck with it.

Best of luck.

 

[thekinetic]

Okay... Hold up a minute here everyone. I think we have some confusion going on.

1. Your filtered tank should have a 50% every week. There could be significant build up between your monthly changes that 10% will not take out. And for unfiltered tanks, just so you know, it's 100% and 50% once a week. 100% changes ARE needed in small, uncycled, filterless tanks. So don't tell people it's not neccessary. Changing water, you are removing ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and DOCs. Unless you are driving 3 hours away, you are not changing any parameters, the pH and hardness of your tap will be consistent.

2. That pH is PERFECT for a betta. DON'T change it. Betta originate from soft, acidic, waters, and this is more of a health benefit to him, since it's more what the fish is adapted to (even though betta can do fine in most pH ranges).
6.8 is NOT really acidic. The pH scale ranges from 1-14. In our fresh waters 3-11 is common worldwide... Not all fish need neutral pH, that's a poor assumption to be making. Pollution does NOT affect pH. pH is the concentration of hydrogen ions, most pollutants in your water are nitrogen based, not hydrogen based, a dirty tank's pH will not be altered...

3. Now, onto some new info. You are feeding bloodworms too often. I would feed him them maybe once a week, very lightly. This could be causing his problems.

4. Your fish is getting old.. It's time to take this into consideration. He's lived a long full life, and things could just naturally be taking a toll on him.

5. He does seem to have trouble swimming.. I would start him with epsom salts, it could relieve him a bit. Usually swimming issues are chronic, he may be stuck with it.

Best of luck.

Ok I mistook alkalinity for ph (and yes it is fine), don't even know why they're both there.

1. Ok yes they are, in UNFILTERED TANKS (aka fish bowls). His is, so it would only cause undue stress on the fish which will do more harm than good.

2. Nitrites and nitrates are critical measurements ONLY in salt water tanks. Ammonia build up is what pollutes fresh water tanks. But if your tank is maintained this will not be a factor.

3. It is a poor assumption to think that pollution does not affect your tanks ph levels, a polluted tank will deffinately be acidic. Now you said it yourself that bettas come from soft water and their water is very hard which is not good for the fish as it contains heavy metals. To lower this I would suggest using spring water (not filtered) instead.

4. Stability in a fish tank is the number one priority, this includes the water and the food and the lighting.

 

[Olympia]

I don't mean to be rude, but do you know anything about the freshwater nitrogen cycle?
Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate ALL have an effect on oxygen transport in blood, the mess up the hemoglobin and making it toxic. NITROGEN is bad for the fish.
Ammonia: NH3 / NH4+
Nitrite: NO2-
Nitrate: NO3-
All of these contain nitrogen. Toxic.

Heavy metals, these can be called copper, iron, mercury, selenium, gold.. etc. Anything in the middle of the periodic table in general, TRANSITIONAL metals, can be considered heavy metals.
Hardness is affected by CALCIUM and MAGNESIUM, these are ALKALINE EARTH METALS, hence where the term alkalinity comes from.
You really need to review your knowledge of general chemistry.

Also, careful there, natural spring watered is usually FILLED with minerals, not helping the problem at all, unless you want a rift lakes tank going on.

@OP your water is only 8dH, this is nice soft water for you fish.

More reading:
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-articles/bacteria-freshwater-aquarium-74891/
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-articles/water-hardness-ph-freshwater-aquarium-73276/


Sorry for derailing the thread.

 

[Delta]

I have the something similar with my fish... but he looks to be only around a year old. He'll sit around (either on the top of the water or on the bottom of the tank) for a long time. I put food right up in front of him, but he doesn't seem to see it. And if I move the tank slightly he'll swim around really quickly, just darting around. Then just go back to sitting on the bottom.

He's a doubletail ( initially I thought he was a delta, his two tails overlapped so much) and his body is a bit short... could something genetic cause this?

And as for my water levels and such... I have no clue. I've never been good with that stuff...any suggestions? ( I thought my case was similar enough to this one to post in the thread)

 

[KillerTofu]

He seems to be doing better, he can eat that is. He still seems to be swimming funny, but I'll chill on the bloodworms and start doing 50% a week and see what happens. Also if I start on epsom salts do I have to remove his plants? or are epsom salts harmless to live plants? Thanks a lot for the responses

 

[Olympia]

Epsom salts are really good for land plants, they make them flower. So I'm guessing they shouldn't bother aquatic plants!
Glad to hear your little pal is feeling better!
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[BlueBettaFlo]

that's what happen to Molly and Mirine before they got dropsy... :-(
but i hope it's not the same with your betta... :-?

to prevent it, do a 100% water change, add some aquarium salt, Maracyn-Two combined for bacterial infecitons,and give him just a liiittle bit of food to prevent the water from being turbid (2-5 bit/day).

i hope your betta get well soon