Lucy

Any updates Alessa? Still sending best fishy prayers.

Alessa

I don't know what to do anymore Lucy.

I took him out in a bowl for a few days and I medicated with antibiotics and Jungle Labs Lifeguard. I also used vitachem and garlic guard, as well as stress coat for the water. He ate a few times, but for the most part, it was just as if he were trying to get the food but couldn't.

I returned him to the main tank... and it just gets worse. I don't know how he is still alive. I drop some of the floating pellets in the water but I can't get him to eat (Or at least he might get them when I am nowhere near.

I have no clue what to do now. I'm heartbroken. I think I am going to take him out in the bowl again...

Lucy

Poor little guy. Maybe he's feeling his age.
I know you're giving him the best care.

Alessa

He wants the food, but he is unable to actually bite it for some reason. I took him out and placed him in the bowl, it is the best for him at this point. Poor baby fishy

Lucy

Have you tried something tinier? Maybe frozen daphnia or BBS he can kind of suck them in rather than chew.

Alessa

Ok, I managed to get him to eat two pellets. Phew, he really struggles to get them, like he is hunting something alive.

Alessa

he is kind of oblivious and does not respond to anything other than pellets.

Lucy

pamd

Have you tried some thawed frozen baby brine shrimp? They wriggle around and act kind of like "live" shrimp and could possibly entice him. Any updates?

Alessa

Updates.

I kept him in the bowl, until I got him to eat... it was very difficult for him to get the food. Finally, little by little he began eating a bit more. He is now back in the main tank, eats (alone... i drop the pellets, he hides until I am gone and eats them). The good thing is that he is at least swimming a bit more now, he is eating and also not hiding all the time.

Thanks to all of you for your support. I believe that he is an old fishy now . But I hope that with his recovery, he will live happily the rest of his fishy life.

Lucy

Hi Alessa thanks for the update.
I'm glad to hear he's eating and swimming more than before.
Watching our pets get older is rough.

Red1313

<hugs>

chickadee

It is so sad. There comes a time when they get less active. I have seen that time come with so many of mine. There are times you swear they will not be there when you look in the tank the next time and then sometimes they do surprise you and are swimming like a young fish again. I wish that there were justice in this world and the beautiful fish that we all love could swim and love us for longer.

While life is not over for your fish, it does sound like he is telling you to realize that he is getting slower and I do know that as they get older the need for food actually decreases instead of increasing. So if he is getting any food at all probably he knows best at this point. I know of bettas who would not eat for days and then eat just a couple pieces of food and then go for days again. This is not the normal new betta hungry all the time, I know but they are mature and not so aggressive. They are not eating to grow and speed about all the time, but merely to stay alive. There is a wisdom in older bettas about what they actually need.

So if he is getting any food please do not worry about him eating every day. It is better at this stage to underfeed believe me. You may not have him for long but the quality of the time you have left with him should be the best you can have. And if you can love him without being horribly worried and realize that he may just be protecting himself from feeling bad then it is not so bad.

If this sounds harsh I am sorry, it is not meant to be. I am just giving you some of what I have learned as I have known and loved my own little guys over the years. That is what I do.

I will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Rose

COBettaCouple

I'm glad he's been on the mend and hope he lives a good and happy live for at least a few more years.