10 Gallon Tank Betta suffering from old age, is there anything i can do sob

Hey guys, so this is about my elephant ear male betta rose, he has had loss of appetite, struggling to breathe and has discolouration, I'm crying because i know theres nothing that i can do to save him from dying of old age, i have had star who was my first betta who was also old and was displaying the signs that my elephant ear betta is right now, this is the 4th day that he hasn't been eating and his water is perfect, ph is good, ammonia 0 nitrite 0 and nitrate 5.0, what should i do, if he passes I'll be rescuing a baby male betta from hurley but i really don't want rose to go after just 6months from having him, his temperature is also good

 

Sorry about your sick betta, when i looked at the photo i noticed a grey/white fluff on the betta's head. This could be columnaris im no fish disease guru so id what for others to respond, even though water parameters are ok i would do a 25-50% wc to clear any nasties in the water



Best of luck
Peter

 

Sorry about your sick betta, when i looked at the photo i noticed a grey/white fluff on the betta's head. This could be columnaris im no fish disease guru so id what for others to respond, even though water parameters are ok i would do a 25-50% wc to clear any nasties in the water
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Best of luck
Peter

Its ok, ah that was flake food that fell on his head
This is a recent photo i just took, i think he shaked it off
Is there anyway i can comfort him i really don't want to let him go but the least i can do is make it comfortable for him
Sigh, idk how old they are but each time i get one from a pet store they are already sick or old, but very loveable, i know that there is really nothing else i can do but comfort him, once the very sad day comes we will hold a funeral/burial for him and once ready will go to hurleys aquarium and get a male baby betta (this will be my first baby betta) and give it a new home

 

What temperature are you keeping his tank at? Making sure he's at 78-80*F gets more important as they get older, at least in my experience.

Does he have anything he can rest on near the surface so he doesn't have to swim as far out work as hard to breathe? The plastic leaf betta hammocks work pretty well or you can diy a tunnel/betta log using craft mesh and a suction cup.

What temperature are you keeping his tank at? Making sure he's at 78-80*F gets more important as they get older, at least in my experience.

Does he have anything he can rest on near the surface so he doesn't have to swim as far out work as hard to breathe? The plastic leaf betta hammocks work pretty well or you can diy a tunnel/betta log using craft mesh and a suction cup.

Also, I don't know your fish life you do. Have his eyes always been that color? It could be just how they look on the photo but it almost looks like he's blind or had cataracts? If he can't see, that could make it hard to find food?

 

What temperature are you keeping his tank at? Making sure he's at 78-80*F gets more important as they get older, at least in my experience.

Does he have anything he can rest on near the surface so he doesn't have to swim as far out work as hard to breathe? The plastic leaf betta hammocks work pretty well or you can diy a tunnel/betta log using craft mesh and a suction cup.

He's at 25-26c atm, yes he does have live plants he can rest on but he prefers to rest on bottom, he has a very big sword and grass plants

What temperature are you keeping his tank at? Making sure he's at 78-80*F gets more important as they get older, at least in my experience.

Does he have anything he can rest on near the surface so he doesn't have to swim as far out work as hard to breathe? The plastic leaf betta hammocks work pretty well or you can diy a tunnel/betta log using craft mesh and a suction cup.

Also, I don't know your fish life you do. Have his eyes always been that color? It could be just how they look on the photo but it almost looks like he's blind or had cataracts? If he can't see, that could make it hard to find food?

When we got him it wasn't like that but then he got dragon eye or diamond eye but i was able to stop it from getting worse and no he's not blind he can see
Im right now trying to comfort him with my presence as he looks to be starting to go
Sigh, i keep tearing up as i don't want him to go even though he is showing that he is old

 

I'm so sorry! I hope you find comfort in knowing that you gave him a good life and he was lucky to go home with you <3

 

I'm so sorry! I hope you find comfort in knowing that you gave him a good life and he was lucky to go home with you <3

Its alright, its means a lot that i was able to give him a home and thank you for trying to help, it truely means a lot to me

 

If you are 100% sure he is dying and suffering... you could euthanize him with clove oil or vodka. Just an option to throw out there. Idk if I'd ever do it myself (haven'tbeen put in the position yet), but I know plenty do.

 

If you are 100% sure he is dying and suffering... you could euthanize him with clove oil or vodka. Just an option to throw out there. Idk if I'd ever do it myself (haven't been put in the position yet), but I know plenty do.

Ok, i really don't want to euthanize as it would really hurt me in the process and i know that he wouldn't want to either
Im trying to talk to him while he tries to pass though even tho it hurts im doing my best to comfort him
He's not eating, struggling to breathe yet he doesn't seem like he wants to go, it just pains me so much that he is letting himself suffer by struggling to breathe and loss of appetite, star i tried my best to save but sadly 10 days after he died, idk when rose will end his suffering but im not looking forward to it but i know that a betta whos not eating and struggling to breathe is not a happy betta, idk if he is refusing to pass because of me or is trying to fight to stay alive because he doesn't want to die

If you are 100% sure he is dying and suffering... you could euthanize him with clove oil or vodka. Just an option to throw out there. Idk if I'd ever do it myself (haven'tbeen put in the position yet), but I know plenty do.

Idk if its just old age but he is gasping for air 24/7 for 3days now this is the 4th day i think, he also has loss of appetite, he wants to eat but simply can't get himself too sigh, idk what to do
We are putting him in an emergency tank with medication, idk what medication it is
Idk his real age though, what age do you think he is?

 

So sorry that Rose is having all of these problems!!! I certainly know what that is like. Many bettas are so overly bred, that genetically they are weak and are prone to illnesses that a healthy betta with a good immune system would be able to survive with no problem.

Where did you get him? And you only have had him for 6 months? If you got him from a big chain pet store, he could have been about a year old or so when you got him, so that would only make him a year and a half, possibly. The average life span for bettas, especially those from big chain pet stores, is currently about 2 and a half to 3 years.

Maybe it would hlep us to give you better advice if you would fill out the emergency template. Just copy and past the questions into a post, and answer each one. I have pasted that questions below.

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank?
How long has the tank been running?
Does it have a filter?
Does it have a heater?
What is the water temperature?
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.)

Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
How much of the water do you change?
What do you use to treat your water?
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water?

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
What do you use to test the water?
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish?
How much do you feed your fish?
What brand of food do you feed your fish?
Do you feed frozen?
Do you feed freeze-dried foods?

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish?
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?
Have you started any treatment for the illness?
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase?
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?

Explain your emergency situation in detail.
(Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)

Include pictures

 

So sorry that Rose is having all of these problems!!! I certainly know what that is like. Many bettas are so overly bred, that genetically they are weak and are prone to illnesses that a healthy betta with a good immune system would be able to survive with no problem.

Where did you get him? And you only have had him for 6 months? If you got him from a big chain pet store, he could have been about a year old or so when you got him, so that would only make him a year and a half, possibly. The average life span for bettas, especially those from big chain pet stores, is currently about 2 and a half to 3 years.

Maybe it would hlep us to give you better advice if you would fill out the emergency template. Just copy and past the questions into a post, and answer each one. I have pasted that questions below.

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank?
How long has the tank been running?
Does it have a filter?
Does it have a heater?
What is the water temperature?
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.)

Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
How much of the water do you change?
What do you use to treat your water?
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water?

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish?
What do you use to test the water?
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate:
pH:

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish?
How much do you feed your fish?
What brand of food do you feed your fish?
Do you feed frozen?
Do you feed freeze-dried foods?

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish?
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms?
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?
Have you started any treatment for the illness?
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase?
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all?

Explain your emergency situation in detail.
(Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)

Include pictures

He passed away a little after 9:00pm sigh, we got him from a petstore
This is the baby male betta i decided to save, it looks like a veil tail to me

 

Oh, so sorry that he didn't make it!!!! SIP, Rose!!!

Your new fin baby is very beautiful!!! Yes, looks like he is a veil tale with a chunk missing from his caudal fin. Super clean water can help that a lot!

 

Oh, so sorry that he didn't make it!!!! SIP, Rose!!!

Your new fin baby is very beautiful!!! Yes, looks like he is a veil tale with a chunk missing from his caudal fin. Super clean water can help that a lot!

yeah i love his colours, i miss rose but i do hope that he sip, he was suffering and most likely ended his own life, idk what happened but when he went to go take a breathe halfway he would do quick circles and then sink to bottom again which breaks my heart but yeah, im happy that i got to take this veil tail baby home with me, water is perfect so it should hopefully grow back soon?

 

Small water changes every other day for a couple of weeks will help the fins grow back. The regrowth will look translucent at first, and then should color up slowly.

The water changes will keep everything pristine, and pristine water will stave off a multitude of illnesses!

 

Small water changes every other day for a couple of weeks will help the fins grow back. The regrowth will look translucent at first, and then should color up slowly.

The water changes will keep everything pristine, and pristine water will stave off a multitude of illnesses!

Ah ok, thank you!

 

If you are 100% sure he is dying and suffering... you could euthanize him with clove oil or vodka. Just an option to throw out there. Idk if I'd ever do it myself (haven'tbeen put in the position yet), but I know plenty do.

YOU CAN EUTHANIZE A BETTA WITH VODKA?! that is the best thing ive heard all day. (The subject is very sad, but I just cant get over this. Does this make me a bad person?)