Betta Getting Old? Symptoms?

I've noticed a change in my first betta over the past 2 weeks. I bought him from petsmart a little over a year ago, and from what I remember he was a lot bigger than my 3 month old from a breeder and even my other betta from petco, so I'm assuming he was about 6 months to a year already when I got him. Hes my only betta I've never had fin rot, disease, etc (knock on wood) but hes been nothing but healthy and easy as far as care since I got him. He will be my first fish to pass from old age which isn't a good thing but still nice to say because I've only had fish pass from disease or parasites. I'm just trying to nail down if hes sick or getting old, I've never had a fish this old since starting the hobby. Hes in a 5 gallon planted, with heater and filter. This tank has been running for over a year, ammonia and nitrites are always 0 and nitrates 5ppm because it's just him, a nerite, a ghost shrimp, and a small accidentally colony of MTS. I've noticed recently hes starting to have a hard time lunging for his food. Hes been missing a lot and seems like he has a harder time seeing it. Hes always been lazy, even for a betta. He always preferred to just lazily chill on his betta leaf or under his driftwood but anymore he NEVER swims about the tank. Just moves from one spot to the other. He really likes to sit on top of my heater and kind of curves himself around the cord to hold himself in place. His coloring isn't as bright but not dull. His fins are long but scrappy, partly from my higher pH. I've noticed hes lost a scale or two on his head, and I rarely see his gills flapping or mouth open and close like they do when they're breathing. No signs of disease....does this sound like old age to you guys who have experienced old bettas?

 

*No signs of disease*

What you just described could be a sign of a disease. My betta is almost pushing 6 years old. So to say your betta is old is a lack of understanding of the betta life cycle. If he legargic, fins are torn or not eating, it could be that he’s not doing well in your set up. Could you take a couple pictures? It’ll help determine what could be the issue.

 

Hes not lethargic his fins aren't torn and he eats fine. I've dealt with a broad spectrum of aquarium disease/parasites since getting in to the hobby, so I'd like to think I'm well versed on identifying symptoms of disease and infection. Just because your betta is 6 years old doesn't mean that that is a baseline age for bettas to live until. I'd say that's actually uncommon for a betta to be that old. Like I said, he was already older when I bought him. Theres no telling his life before entering my care, how old he actually is, how he was bred, his bloodline, which could all dictate a bettas life span. Like I said this tank is well established and hes lived in this tank for over a year. His water parameters are fine and constant as well as temperature. His tank is set up perfectly for a betta with moss, driftwood, stem plants, floaters, and a betta leaf an inch from the water surface for him to lazily sit on. Always have done 50% water changes weekly with a siphon prime and temp matched. Nothing new in his tank so I can't say its stress.

 

I guess I should have better worded my question in the OP. I'm asking someone who has had a betta in their care die of old age, and if the behavior I'm seeing from him is consistent with theirs before they passed of age.

 

Sounds like old age to me. Old bettas may have duller colouring, miss food, not eat as much, develop cataracts, be more lazy, fins are more "ragged" or wrinkled looking, not want to flare, not build bubble nests, or have a bigger hump back.

 

Just because your betta is 6 years old doesn't mean that that is a baseline age for bettas to live until. I'd say that's actually uncommon for a betta to be that old.

Not really. That is within the normal range. All of mine lasted from 3-7 years.

I agree with Repolie though, those are good indications.

 

I guess I should have better worded my question in the OP. I'm asking someone who has had a betta in their care die of old age, and if the behavior I'm seeing from him is consistent with theirs before they passed of age.

I’ve had many Bettas in my care for years. My most newest one is 2 years old and strong (and from persmart).... average life span for a betta is 5 years.... not 2. I know you’d love to think your betta is old and not sick. I’ve been in the fish business for 15 years and still have yet to see every sickness out there. I’ve had fish die looking sick but unidentifiable. My oldest betta besides my 5 year old one (I said almost 6) was 4 years old. He died of old age I would say. I didn’t even know till I went to feed the tank that morning. My now oldest betta doesn’t look any different then he did when I got him 5 yers ago. And that is old. So I am telling you, with someone who has experience, that your betta is not old. You said you got him at a pet store, these guys sell them as soon as they are ready for sale, usually around 6 months old of age.

 

Sounds like old age to me. Old bettas may have duller colouring, miss food, not eat as much, develop cataracts, be more lazy, fins are more "ragged" or wrinkled looking, not want to flare, not build bubble nests, or have a bigger hump back.

I did notice a hump in his back! I had a betta from a thaI breeder that came to me with a slightly crooked spine probably due to improper breeding. His spine looks similar to that. Hes also got a small "tumor" is the best word I can use to describe it, on the top of his head. Not discolored or anything that would suggest a skin lesion from a bacterial infection or fungus. Just seems like how elderly people get liver spots and warts lol! Interesting you say that about the spine. His fins are definitely really long, some pieces are much longer than the other almost stringy, which indicated to me that hes over a year old as well. Poor guy sits on top of his betta leaf to eat and I push the red root floaters out of the way for him. He lunges with good energy but seems like he can't see as well

 

In my experience it isn't sudden but a slow change. So the only thing that sounds off is that you mentioned over the last two weeks.
It helps my betta who is over 3 if I put the food in the same spot every day as his accuracy is less good than it used to be so then I have less drop to the bottom to be picked up later. I have also heard of people using a feeding ring if they get really bad at finding their food. Bettas are actually pretty intelligent and so just to make sure he isn't bored you could try rearranging a bit next time you do a water change. My betta has always enjoyed exploring new scapes. Also since he isn't swimming around a lot it takes very little "breathing" to sustain a betta. Heavy visible breathing while sitting would be more of a worry in my mind.
6 is very good for a betta. However, it truly does depend on the variety (dumbo vs. veil tail etc) and breeding of the bettas. Stay observant for any other changes but it seems you are providing the best care you can. If you post pictures sometimes people will see things you may not.

 

In my experience it isn't sudden but a slow change. So the only thing that sounds off is that you mentioned over the last two weeks.
It helps my betta who is over 3 if I put the food in the same spot every day as his accuracy is less good than it used to be so then I have less drop to the bottom to be picked up later. I have also heard of people using a feeding ring if they get really bad at finding their food. Bettas are actually pretty intelligent and so just to make sure he isn't bored you could try rearranging a bit next time you do a water change. My betta has always enjoyed exploring new scapes. Also since he isn't swimming around a lot it takes very little "breathing" to sustain a betta. Heavy visible breathing while sitting would be more of a worry in my mind.
6 is very good for a betta. However, it truly does depend on the variety (dumbo vs. veil tail etc) and breeding of the bettas. Stay observant for any other changes but it seems you are providing the best care you can. If you post pictures sometimes people will see things you may not.

Thank you for the rescape suggestion. I've been wanting to for a while but since his tank has always ran with no problems I never wanted to stir the pot and open myself up for other issues like pests from new plants or a minI cycle. I can't really say that this change happened over 2 weeks, I'm just saying that's when I noticed it. I've been really preoccupied with my new 12 long dealing with all types of issues from it and the fish in there, so honestly I do my weekly water change and feed him once a day but don't spend much time closely observing him like I have to with my new fish. Like I said hes always been really easy health wise as well as the tank, so I just check weekly to make sure the filter and heater works, the temp is okay, and all the tank inhabitants are alive. I always do a quick check on my fish to keep an eye out for disease because in my experience it's best to catch things as soon as possible. But I haven't sat down and observed his behavior for an extended period of time

 

Thank you for the rescape suggestion. I've been wanting to for a while but since his tank has always ran with no problems I never wanted to stir the pot and open myself up for other issues like pests from new plants or a minI cycle. I can't really say that this change happened over 2 weeks, I'm just saying that's when I noticed it. I've been really preoccupied with my new 12 long dealing with all types of issues from it and the fish in there, so honestly I do my weekly water change and feed him once a day but don't spend much time closely observing him like I have to with my new fish. Like I said hes always been really easy health wise as well as the tank, so I just check weekly to make sure the filter and heater works, the temp is okay, and all the tank inhabitants are alive. I always do a quick check on my fish to keep an eye out for disease because in my experience it's best to catch things as soon as possible. But I haven't sat down and observed his behavior for an extended period of time

It didn't sound like an immediate change but I thought I would mention it. Sorry to hear about your troubles with the other tank.
Maybe it is just my betta but he does love attention and really perks up when we are around. Mine sits next to my kitchen sink and loves when we do the dishes. If you are short on time to observe him depending on where he is at maybe you could find an activity to do near his tank?

 

It didn't sound like an immediate change but I thought I would mention it. Sorry to hear about your troubles with the other tank.
Maybe it is just my betta but he does love attention and really perks up when we are around. Mine sits next to my kitchen sink and loves when we do the dishes. If you are short on time to observe him depending on where he is at maybe you could find an activity to do near his tank?

I agree that my bettas always come over to the glass to say hI when they notice me around the tank. I just got home from my second job and I can say that it seems that he has a hard time seeing me when I come up to the tank, whereas my newest and youngest betta can see me when I open my bedroom door from across the room. He could see my finger touch the glass and swam over to it, but he swims very slowly a little bit at a time, and his movement is kind of jerky too. He doesn't swim down, just stays right at the surface but I know it's not a buoyancy issue because he occasionally likes to lay under the driftwood and always has. I noticed under the light a slight opaqueness to his eyes, which looked like the beginning of cataracts. He also lunges at the surface occasionally because he thinks he sees a pellet when there's actually nothing there. Either way, you guys asked for pictures so I snapped a quick few. Note the weird indentation/shape of his head and spine. He hasn't always been shaped that way. And his fins look more ragged than they are because my pH has always caused fin curling after a few months and like I said pieces of his fins grew long and stringy which led me to believe he might be a few years old

 

For reference heres a picture from February of last year, which would be about 10 months ago.

 

Glad to see you have driftwood in the tank! I don't keep bettas without something that produces tannins anymore.

I see the small "tumor" you mentioned on his nose. Sorry, but I haven't seen anything like it before. I hope someone on here can differentiate if it is good or bad. From what I have read if it actually is a tumor they aren't as uncommon as you would think.

 

Glad to see you have driftwood in the tank! I don't keep bettas without something that produces tannins anymore.

I see the small "tumor" you mentioned on his nose. Sorry, but I haven't seen anything like it before. I hope someone on here can differentiate if it is good or bad. From what I have read if it actually is a tumor they aren't as uncommon as you would think.

It's more of an indentation in his skull, if you look closely at the old picture his head is level all the way around. Now he has two indentations on each side of his head. I think the spot you're looking at is just his little fishy "nostril" it just looks weird in the pictures.