[LauraWebb]

Can someone please help me. My poor baby is sick. Ive had him 12 months & he is suspected to be about 2-2.5 years old.

The last few days he wont swim & has progressively gotten worse. He sinks to the bottom & is no longer eating. He lays on his side. I cant see anything else wrong with him so im suspecting swim bladder.

All water is fine & temp is high 70's in a community tank with 6 other fish (200 litres). Currently in a small tank of hid own in the large tank (a breeding box for my guppies!) So he can reach the surface easy. About 5-6cms deep with water. Filter & heat from main tank.

So far he's been fasting for 24 hours & I attempted a frozen pea just now but he isnt interested.

Am I doing the right thing? Could it be something besides swim bladder? Ill see if I can attach a pic.

Pic here:

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...0376597189_709382188_11481456_540835118_n.jpg

 

[Silverfang]

Oh dear, that is never a good sign. I'm afraid I don't know what could be causing it, I'd suggest you PK Sakura8 or Oldfishlady. There is a chance, sadly, that he may be at the end of his days. 2-3 years is a typical life span for bettas.

 

[LauraWebb]

Thanks, I have pm'd them. Just thought id update & say I had to raise the sub tank & he is now in water only 2-3cms deep & even then he is struggling to get to the surface we for air!

 

[Sakura8]

Hi Laura. I'm sorry to hear about your fellow. Has he always been in the community tank? Are the other fish acting normally? If they are and he is the only one acting sick, then my suspicion is that his age is catching up with him. . Judging from the pictures, he doesn't look bloated or any other signs of constipation ec. He looks . . . Tired.

If, however, the other fish are also acting off then it could be something in the water. If you can, you might want to do a partial water change just to be on the safe side.

Let me know if you are able to change the water without stressing him and if you are, if it has any effect on him.

 

[LauraWebb]

He has always been in the comm tank & havent added any new fish since I got him except babies about 8 months ago, but they were babies of the guppies I had).

Suddenly since December I have had guppies dying of bloat & 2 mollies & a goldfish started going nuts like they were having a fit, whizzing around like a tornado & then died.

The only issue with my water was that the GH level was double what it should be (or half, I cant remember). I rectified it by NOT adding salts for a few water changes until the level went back to normal.

Then they stopped dying.

I have had a few fish disappear the last couple of weeks, a couple of guppies, no explanation, no bodies! 2 last night since writing this!

My tank isnt near anywhere I clean so I cant explain any chemicals getting in or anything

The temp is currently on 82f (slightly high) but I was told a sick betta with a warmer temp can help them.recover... Or is that too hot?

I will try a water change today. He doesn't usually stress out with water changes (infact he becomes chirpy when I do them). I hope its old age as I dont want him suffering... & at this stage to be honest, I think he is miserable not even being able to move. I know im gonna cry when he goes, I think I spent 4 hours sitting by him last night crying. I feel stupid (thats his name too, stupid) over a fish, but he's like my child! After he goes im contemplating getting rid lf my tank, not sure I can deal with losing another boy like him!

 

[LauraWebb]

I thought I would update that my little one passed away :'( Ive been sitting with him all morning & his movements got worse where he couldnt get up for.air, I tried helping but he just started shuddering & then he went & all his gills opened up :'(

 

[Myates]

I'm sorry you lost him..

Are the mollies and goldfish in the same tank as him?

And salts, are you meaning he was in AQ salt constantly?

I know it's late for him.. but maybe we can find the cause and help so we can avoid any more deaths.. I know it can be heartbreaking.

 

[LauraWebb]

Yes, the 2 mollies and 2 Goldfish (1 goldfish is still around) were in the same tank as him. The mollies were in the tank with him when I bought him and have been ever since, so they've been together for about 1 year and 3 months. All the fish I bought were all in the same tank at the petstore, I thought it was best to buy the fish from the same tank as they'd have gotten used to each other. The only 2 fish that I didn't buy with him, I had before, and they were 2 silver roundish looking fish (not silver dollars I don't think) who are the last two standing along with 1 guppy and 1 goldfish.

I know the goldfish aren't meant to be in there but someone stupidly gave us goldfish for my sons 2nd birthday (who gives a 2 year old gold fish!) and I didn't want to buy them a tank, filter, etc of their own. I know the heat shortens their life.

Sorry when I say salt, I didn't mean AQ salt, I meant to say Crystals, the water conditioning crystals! My mind was all over the place when I wrote it.

I know this sounds bad, but I used the SAME filter pads in my tank for as long as I can remember and NEVER had a dead or sick fish, then some lady convinced me I need to change them every 3 months, and since then i've had nothing but troubles (but it was always bloat!) and whatever went wrong with the 2 mollies and goldfish. Which I thought might have been something could whirlie (???) but I have never added new fish in over 12 months so I wasn't sure.

I really do want another fighter, but I want to get rid of this tank as its so large and buy a smaller one so I can house a fighter on its own (maybe with a friend or 2). Their personalities just amaze me. They are like little people, friendly, loyal, playful

 

[Sakura8]

Laura, I'm so sorry you lost your guy. . I think his age may have played a part in things.

I think I can explain why you've had problems ever since you started changing your filter pads. Because you never changed them, you had a lot if beneficial bacteria built up. When you changed the pad, you lst all of that and your tank crashed. Your guy may have had some problems from this crash, especially with goldfish in there, as they produce a lot of ammonia.

I know mollies benefit from the addition of salt but it's not very healthy for any of the other fish in there. Prolonged exposure to salt can damage the kidneys of most fish, including bettas. I'd advise not adding in salt any more. The mollies can survive without the salt. Gradually start tapering off the salt with each water change until you are not adding any.

I hope the silver round fish are not monos or scats because those require brackish, almost completely marine conditions.

If you can think of any other details that might help, that would be good.

Again, I'm sorry about your loss.

 

[LauraWebb]

I have no idea what the silver ones are, they were inhertited with the tank!

This is the silver fish (this is not mine, this is a pic I found online!):
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/images21/FishIchWhiteSpotsBlackTetra1.jpg

By salts, I meant water conditioning crystals (salts) might be a terminology thing being from Australia.

I had a feeling about the pads, I never changed the noodles & suspected the old pads might have had all the good stuff.

Because of the goldfish, I was testing full water stats twice a week but ammonia has never gone over 0ppm so didnt suspect any issues with that. I know in the heat they eat more too & produce more waste also.

I cant think of anything else. I feed flakes for all inc my fighter (betta flakes) as he was fussy & would not eat anything else, not even blood worms. Would spit everything else out!

 

[Sakura8]

Ooh, so the salt crystals weren't aquarium salt but for water conditioning? Aquarium salt here in the States is for medical purposes.

Ah, the fish appears to be a tiger barb.

Yeah, I really think a lot of the problem came from changing the filter pads. Some people do change them regularly but others just rinse them out weekly and that's it. If you do change them, it helps to change only half at a time. That way you never llose all your good bacteria.

When you do get another betta, you may want to put him in his own heated, small tank, maybe around 25 liters or so. I hope you are able to get another one, they are so much fun.

 

[LauraWebb]

I've decided im definately going to get another one. I looked at some tanks this afternoon and found some half decent 40litre ones. I figure if I can sell my 220ltr tank and all the equipment, it might pay for the smaller tank. Im not interested in any other fish except the fighter fish, its just my partner likes the colours of other fish. I just want a single fighter!

I looked at some fighter fish too. Very sad it made me as so many looked like him (but were 1/4 his size)

Edit: They call them (or the brand I got call them) Aquarium Conditioning Salts. I should have just said water conditioning crystals!

 

[Sakura8]

Tell your partner that fighters come in every color of the rainbow.

If you need any help getting your tank set up, just ask.