[lilyth88]

Housing
What size is your tank? 3 gallons
What temperature is your tank? 80 or so.
Does your tank have a filter? Yes
Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? The flow from the filter creates bubbles.
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? Top Fin Color-Enhancing Betta bits, and we started Tetra Freeze-Dried Bloodworms today and will be doing that occassionally.
How often do you feed your betta fish? 2 pellets twice a day

Maintenance
How often do you perform a water change? Twice a week
What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? 50%
What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? Topfin Betta Water Conditioner

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

Ammonia: 0 - 0.25
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:
Hardness:
Alkalinity:

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? None.
How has your betta fish's behavior changed? She seems more lethargic than normal. She has been hanging out near her heater and hasn't been flirting with Gandalf through the glass of their tanks like she usually does. She refuses to eat. We did manage to get one freeze-dried bloodworm in her a few minutes ago. She seems to have perked up a little since this.
When did you start noticing the symptoms? 2-3 days ago.
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? No. I figured it would be best to come here first.
Does your fish have any history of being ill? Not at all.
How old is your fish (approximately)? 5 months from when I got her. Not sure how old she was before that.




It's very possible I'm just being paranoid, but I take no chances when it comes to my fish. Those clear spots on her tail have always been there. She does not look any different than she normally does.

 

[Tikibirds]

Just a though, but is the flow from the filter too strong for her?

I dont know if a 3 gallon tank can cycle, I have heard that it has to be 5 or more gallons, otherwise I would suggest doing a 100% water change and clean out the gravel if she has any. See if that perks her up any...

 

[lilyth88]

Just a though, but is the flow from the filter too strong for her?

I dont know if a 3 gallon tank can cycle, I have heard that it has to be 5 or more gallons, otherwise I would suggest doing a 100% water change and clean out the gravel if she has any. See if that perks her up any...

She's been in this tank for a few weeks now and the filter doesn't seem to bother her at all. She usually swims right in front of it. I did a water change and cleaned the gravel and she seems a little bit more lively. I can try and see if I can baffle the filter and see if that changes anything.

 

[lilyth88]

Also, I know the filter looks really strong in that picture, so I'll explain. Sookie blew a bubble nest a few days ago (see my other thread) and it's currently located right under the filter. So it's blowing the bubbles around. I know it makes it look extremely strong, lol.

Edit: I shouldn't say currently since I destroyed it during the water change.

 

[lilyth88]

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=97659 Here's my thread about her bubble nest.

 

[ao]

wait what?!?! your FEMALE fish blew a bubble nest ?! oo i didnt know that was possible...I once thought my bettas were making bubble nets, but it was just bubbles forming from the aeration in the tank.

 

[lvandert]

hmmm...I'm not to sure on that. When my fish refuse to eat I fast them for a day, and then their at the sides of the tank going crazy for what ever I give them, but their generally not lethargic. maybe try giving them a dose of aq salt and see if that doesn't cheer her up at all.

 

[lilyth88]

Sookie is still refusing to eat. She takes pellets into her mouth for a few seconds and then just spits them out. I'll try the aquarium salt.

 

[lvandert]

alright. Maybe she's being picky? Do you have any other foods to try?

 

[lilyth88]

alright. Maybe she's being picky? Do you have any other foods to try?

We tried some bloodworms and she does the same thing. I'm kind of panicking because she's only eaten 1 bloodworm since Friday.

 

[lvandert]

I wouldn't worry quite yet, they can go a week without food. Is she still lethargic or acting different?

 

[lilyth88]

I wouldn't worry quite yet, they can go a week without food. Is she still lethargic or acting different?

She is definitely not lively like she usually is, but I wouldn't call her lethargic anymore either. She seems to be in the middle. I had my boyfriend go over there and stick his face up to the glass (usually she would come darting over to say, "HI, DADDY!", but this time she just slowly drifted to him, then went back to her corner (by the heater) then she went back to him. Now she's going back and forth.

 

[lvandert]

hmm. I don't know what to say. Could it be that she's old? If the aq salt doesn't work I dont know what else will help.

 

[lilyth88]

hmm. I don't know what to say. Could it be that she's old? If the aq salt doesn't work I dont know what else will help.

She wasn't very big when we got her, and that was last September. I couldn't say how old she is for sure. I just wish she'd eat something.

 

[lvandert]

I'm kinda baffled. I hope she gets better!

 

[lilyth88]

I'm kinda baffled. I hope she gets better!

I'm hoping she'll just eat if she gets hungry enough.

 

[aurasoulful]

Do you have any garlic juice? I hear garlic can entice a betta to eat.

 

[lilyth88]

Do you have any garlic juice? I hear garlic can entice a betta to eat.

She seems really lively today (like her normal self.) She didn't eat this morning, but I'll try in a little while and see what happens.

 

[aurasoulful]

Good luck, I hope she she will eat soon

 

[lilyth88]

Good luck, I hope she she will eat soon

Still not eating. We have tried two different brands of pellets, bloodworms, salting her tank, cupping her and THEN feeding her. Nothing works. I'm frantic at the moment.