captain_bilbo

My betta keeps sitting in the corner of the tank and just does nothing, he isn't dead because he will still swim. Is he sleeping or what?

COBettaCouple

Does he come up for food and does he show his usual interest in food? Can you see anything visibly wrong or different about him? Maybe re-arranging his decor might spark some activity.

Phloxface

It's a sign of internal bacterial infection. He needs antibiotics right away. Start him on Maracyn-Two. Don't wait as this can kill them pretty fast if you delay treatment. A lethargic Betta that just sits around and does nothing, even if he still eats is a sick fish.

captain_bilbo

Well, the thing is I just put him in a new tank and he didn't start exhibiting this behavior until I did so. It's a 10g, and he's still cycling it (which I thought was a bad idea to begin with. So should I go buy him the medicine or what?

Phloxface

Definately get him the meds. Also, are you doing water changes and testing the water for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?* All my fish cycle their own tanks and were just fine but you DO need to do water changes daily to prevent ammonia and nitrite poisoning. You can't just put him in there and let it cycle unchecked.* The symptoms he is exhibiting could be ammonia poisoning or bacterial disease due to stress from water parameters. He needs meds and a water change. Keep us updated on his ammonia and nitrite levels. It will take longer to cycle with water changes but it will be safer for him.

COBettaCouple

Reading the posts, I'd agree that he needs on meds. If he's in a tank early in it's cycle and he's acting lethargic, then yea, it's not what I thought at first and you've gotten the best advice in getting him on Maracyn-2 and doing water changes. What are the current levels in his tank, btw?

captain_bilbo

I don't know because I don't own a testing kit and can't currentley afford one (because I'm broke as a convict). But accoriding to things I've read they probably are pretty high, but won't medicines kill the cycle? And also, how much does this stuff cost, cause I'm gonna have to borrow some money to get it.

COBettaCouple

The Maracyn-2 costs a bit.. TriSulfa is cheaper i think. You could also look at the gel-tek antibiotics, but are looking at at least $7 or so for a thing of meds. You could see if your LFS/LPS will do a test and see what the ammonia, nitrites and nitrates is according to them and go from there to determine how to treat him.

genie

Most LFS will test your water for you, but you should consider saving some money up to get a test kit. If you just put your fish in today then him not swimming around is normal. It took Cobalt 2 days to come out and play when I first put him in his tank. The water changes are a HUGE must. It took me about 6 weeks to cycle cobalts tank with him in it and I changed the water every day to everyother day. I liked the geltek meds-- I covered the food in the gel and the betta ate it fine. Also try feeding him a (slightly cooked) frozen pea. Peel the pea and cut it into small pieces. Good luck.

Phloxface

Tri-Sulfa only works for external infections like finrot, fungus etc. Maracyn-Two is cheaper and it works for both external and internal bacteria. Most fish bacteria is gram negative so if you can afford only one the Maracyn-Two is more likely to help. At some point you should get both Maracyn and Maracyn-Two and keep on hand as Bettas get sick a lot.

captain_bilbo

Hey, I added some more Cycle to my bettas 10g and he perked right up, happy as a lark! Thanks for the help anyways though, guys!

COBettaCouple

That's a really interesting reaction to cycle. Keep an eye on him for a repeat of this behavior, which would almost 100% confirm to me that his problem was related to water parameters.

cherryrose

captain_bilbo

I'll be sure to. He's very content and moving around now though, which I'm happy about.

cherryrose