capekate

Well after Darling died three weeks ago tomorrow Precious has been acting very depressed. I do believe she was depressed after spending time with Darling for over a year in the divided tank. Do betta's get depressed?
So right after Darling died of tumors which I assumed were not contagious I put Phoenix my original male into the divided tank with Precious (female).
I made the other ten gal into a breeding tank for my two cutteri cichlids.
So now Precious has been hanging out in either her wide leaf plant or at the bottom of the tank. She seems to be struggling to stay at the top of the tank at feeding time and slowly sinks back to the bottom. She does seem to be a little full in figure and I am wondering if its possible that she is just constipated or can she be serously sick? And if she is... ohhh nooo I have added Phoenix who is healthy and happy to her tank!
I do have a small 2 gal hex tank that I can move Precious to and treat with parasite clear by jungle lab? I have been treating her for about a week and a half with maracyn two and see no improvement. Any suggestions?

Lucy

I'm sorry Precious isn't feeling well. It is quite possible she's depressed.
Is she eating? Try giving her some extra attention, see if it helps.

I don't know how to tell the difference between a betta holding eggs and constipation other than the absence of waste.
Have you tried giving her bits of thawed frozen shelled peas? Daphnia also helps with constipation, if that's the case and it contains protein.
I could only get the frozen daphnia, when thawed it scatters in itty bitty pieces so try to get freeze dried.
If it's not constipation, they won't hurt her her.

Adding garlic guard, or a few drops of garlic juice, Fish Protector and Vita-Chem would be a good start.

Good luck Kate, I hope she feels better soon.

capekate

g'morning Lucy
Thank you for the advice, I appreciate all the help I can get. I know what you mean by the frozen Daphnia! What a mess it makes and is soooo tiny lol. But that is all I have right now, and will either try that for her or try the pea method and see if its constipation.
I feed them New Life Spectrum Thera + on a regular basis which is loaded with garlic.
I think that I will most likely move her to the smaller tank and do a tank cleaning on the 10g in the hopes that Phoenix hasn't/won't catch anything.

Martinismommy

Awwwwwwwwwwww. ....... I'm sorry your little girl isn't doing well.....There is nothing harder than to see our little ones feeling down....I hope she recovers real soon......Will she eats any peas?

capekate

Hi Karen, thank you
I tried them on peas before and they just ignored them. But I will try since she is most likely hungry and may not be so picky at this point.
thanks!

Allie

Sorry your betta girl isn't feeling 100%. Hope she perkens up soon.
They do get depressed, which is why some aren't active like they usually are.

capekate

thanks Allie
I know she acted fine when Darling was there and sick. As soon as Darling left the tank Precious started acting depressed right away and has not changed. Maybe she doesnt like the guy Phoenix there instead of Darling.
thanks I hope she does better soon too.

Alessa

I hope she gets better! Lucy gave great advice with the daphnia (i prefer that method to the peas). I as sure with your care Precious will be ok in no time.

pinkfloydpuffer

Good luck to your and your little girl! Hopefully with some TLC and extra attention she'll get back to normal

Phinny12

I 's sorry your little girl is not feeling well Capekate.. It does seem that the girls have more problems with constipation than the boys do. I hope she is feeling better soon.

pamd

Kate, try talking and talking to her, or singing. You might recall that Candi became very ill, worse than Precious sounds. I really thought I was going to lose her. I talked to her for hours for two nights and she recovered. I had been out of town for nearly a month, and I think she missed me.

I also added an air stone to her tank. I used Parasite Clear, but I really think the talking was what cured her. She suddenly perked up and became her Candi-self just a couple of minutes after the first dose, and I'm not sure but don't think it would have acted that quickly. More likely, it was the attention of giving her the dose and the additional talking.

Precious's symptoms do sound like possible parasites, but my guess is that your main instinct is right -- that she's depressed.

Good luck. I hope she'll be better soon.

capekate

thank you so much for all your support. I tried feeding her a small piece of pea, but she wouldnt eat it. She is still hanging out at the bottom of the tank, kind of twisted a bit and still having a hard time swimming to the top or rather, staying at the top. As long as she does continue to get to the surface for air and eats a pellet once in awhile I will continue with the meds and hope for the best...

shellbell4ever

I'm sorry your little girl isn't feeling well I do hope she comes around for you...they do like to worry us so don't they!I use the frozen Daphna as well, it's messy but they all love it.And tend to take it easier than the peas Good luck and please keep us posted.

Phinny12

Kate..how is Precious?

capekate

Hi Phinny
Thanks for asking about Precious. She is still doing the same. Not moving around much,but going to the surface for air when she needs it. Still able to grab a few pellets as they come by her. But I see no improvement yet.

Lucy

I'm sorry Kate. It's so hard to see them ill and feel so helpless.
We're sending good thoughts your way.

capekate

Thank you Lucy. I really dont want to think about putting her down after what I had to do with Darling. Im just not ready for that. Even tho, it may in the end be the best thing for her.

Martinismommy

I'm sorry she isn't getting better...I know what you are going through right now....My boy Will is fading and doing the same thing....He hasn't ate in days and is lifeless but I can't muster up the nerve to do what needs to be done.....

May God Bless our little babies....

capekate

thank you Karen and I wish Will all the best as well.

pamd

Ohhhhhh nooooo! Precious and now Will too? That's too much. Tears. I'm thinking about both you wonderful betta moms. Stay strong and do what's best for your babies.

capekate

Thank you Pam.... Doing all we can... prayers is all that are left...

pamd

Kate, all that's left are prayers that Precious and Will go peacefully, I guess. Maybe Precious has a bit of a chance, but if she shows no sign of improvement, remember, she is a huge gift to you, and you are a gift to her. I'm so sorry you're having to go through this so soon after the passing of Darling.

I'm so sad for you and Karen.

Karen, I know you will thank Will for the joy he has given you with his will to live in spite of the odds and all the life he has passed along to others with his healthy filter media. Before he passes, please thank him from Norbert and me, too.

MissMTS

Hi Kate,
I am so sad to hear that Precious still is not doing well. Poor little thing You are such a good betta mommy and it is so unfair that you should have to deal with Precious being sick right after Darling passed away. I am thinking of you and sending good thoughts and prayers your way

dinatwin

I'm sooo sorry to hear that precious is not doing well. many hugs to you and i hope she recovers very quickly. My little ginger is not doing well either. He looks like he's starting to pinecone so I'm sure it's only a matter of time for him. Again I'm sorry.

pinkfloydpuffer

Poor precious Prayers and best of luck to her.

dinatwin, you say ginger's pineconing? I've had to deal with that twice myself, and it's really hard. Both of them only lasted about 3 days at most. The second one I euthanized. I'm sorry about ginger.

dinatwin

Thank you pinkflyodpuffer

pinkfloydpuffer

You're welcome. Best of luck to you and ginger

capekate

Well, my Precious died a little while ago. I had her in the QT tank with only a little water since she was having such a hard time reaching the surface for air. At one point I held her in the palm of my hand so that she can breathe. But I knew that I was only prolonging her misery by doing that. She just laid in my hand looking up at me. I had a few things to do and came back and found her dead. So sad to know that she drowned this way....
But now she is out of her misery poor little girl of mine. She will be missed for sure, my first female that I brought home almost two years ago I really enjoyed her swimming around her tank and that is how I will remember her.
When I put her into the QT I cleaned out her tank and re introduced Phoenix back in, now he is back in a 10g that is not divided anymore and is very happy to have the space again....

pinkfloydpuffer

Oh, I'm so sorry kate!
You did everything you could for her, and she was lucky to have such a caring mom as you.

capekate

thank you PFP
I buried her in the same grave as her buddy Darling. Now they can be together...
With the three betta boys left that is the end of my Betta keeping. We get so close to these fish and it is too sad to loose them. My girls were my favorites and so loving. The boys.. well they can care less.. "have anything to eat there missy"? LOL.. thats about all they seem to be thinking.But I love them too...
I have no idea what got Precious in the end. She seemed so depressed after Darling died. And Darling was sick with huge tumors, it was obvious what was wrong with her. But with Precious, its a mystery to me. So I thoroughly cleaned out that tank since Phoenix was in there with Precious after Darling died. He seems fine, and I have added Jungle Lab Parasite Clear just in case. I will have to watch him carefully now.