[kngiraffe]

poor little shooter is all clamped up and not looking too well, i'm not sure what it is or what's wrong. I'm just hoping he makes it through the night.
this reaaally sucks. thsi shouldn’t be happening…i just got him last friday!!! ))): </3


I just got him last Friday. Put him in a 5 gallon on Sunday. Had to move it Monday due to it being so cold here. My heaters wouldn't get over 72 degrees so I got a new adjustable one yesterday and that's when I came home and found him all clamped. Idk if he's stressed with his new home or if he's tired or cold. He doesn't use his plants or hammock or the clay flower pot I got him.

Any suggestions as to what I should do?! ):

my tank hasn't been cycled. It's been used before by another betta but that was months ago and it was never cycled for him either because it was used before him two different times. But I plan on getting a moss ball or a plant today to maybe help cheer shooter up.

The water is somewhere around 78/79ish to 80 now.

When I turned off my lights last night and was using my iPods flash as a light but with my cases cover over it so it made a red light he was swimming all over the place. But still clamped.

I haven't fed him since I saw the clamped fins. When I have fed him I've been giving him little pieces of flakes like two or three just bc I just got him and I'm not sure how much they fed him. But when I've fed him he's ate like my old betta did.

It's just freaking me out and idk what else to do. I just got him less than a week ago and idk what's wrong besides the temperature which I've been trying to fix since Monday. But with it being 9 or so degrees outside hasn't helped at alll


I'm getting aquarium salt tonight to hopefully help the stress. Any more ideas

 

[shellieca]

First thing I'd do is test the water with a liquid water test kit to see the levels of the ammonia, nitrites, nitrates & Ph. What I would do next depends on the results. BUT if you do not have a liquid test kit I would do a 50% water change with temp matched, conditioned water. If you are running the filter it is imperative that you test the water daily or automatically do frequent water changes to keep him healthy. Does he have tank mates? If so what are they? If he's willing to eat then feed him, when feeding flakes break up 2-3 med-large flakes. I suggest switching to pellets as they are easier & substitute a meal or two each week with frozen blood worms, brine shrimp or daphnia. You need a hang in water thermometer (some call it a floating thermometer) so you can ensure the temp is staying steady.

 

[callistra]

Sounds like you warmed him up too fast and shocked him.

How often and how much do you do water changes on this 5g?

 

[kngiraffe]

Sounds like you warmed him up too fast and shocked him.

How often and how much do you do water changes on this 5g?

well, considering i just got him on friday i have only changed it water once...meaning when i put him in that was the only water change that i did. he unfortunately passed away tonight around 8. I came home at 7 from class and he was fighting and hanging in there.

so he is getting taken back to the store and i'm getting my money back because i dont think it was my fault.

the water temp was around 74 at first and it took from 10pm up until 2am for it to be ANYWHERE close to 77 degrees. so idk how i warmed him up to fast but either way he's dead now.

 

[callistra]

It's likely because he was shocked by the fast increase in water change. I'm sorry

Setting a heater on and walking away can cause this, but next time just make sure to set it just above when it first comes on and only raise it one degree an hour after it comes up to the previous temp, and no more than 5 degrees per day.