30 Gallon Tank Betta's dying in a community tank.

feeshi
  • #1
Long story but please hear me out.
I have a 33g community tank, guppies, cory and (super shy) honey gourami.
During the summer, I put one of the bettas in this tank after he was pacing and fin biting. He was there for around 2months when suddenly, he stopped eating, gasped at the surface and died within a 24hr period. No other external symptoms.
I was devastated and blamed myself, thinking maybe he was stressed or ate too much in a community. The tank was treated for tetramyhena around a month before he got in, maybe some was left over.
I then had some cory fry born in october, and they are still thriving in the tank. I thought maybe it was just genetics and unrelated to something in the tank.
I was gifted another young betta in october, who was also an active fish. I kept her for a month in a 7g, she paced back and forth in a 2-3inch space. I wormed her and treated with copper but the behaviour continued.
As the fragile cory fry were untouched, I thought perhaps last time was a coincidence. So as a last resort I placed her in the community, she no longer paced and explored 24/7.
Until 3 days ago.
She became sluggish, staying in one spot. She looked thick, though nothing like the pictures you usually see of constipated bettas. I isolated her and she stopped eating around two days ago, and appears to have become more swollen. No pineconing yet but she could turn. She either sits at the bottom or floats semi horizontally with mouth at surface. All indications of swim bladder issues.

All other fish are fine, stocking: 4 honey gouramis, 6 aeneus cory and 5 fry around 1cm, 2 red bn fry (growing them out) and 10 guppies most of which are still fry. Its heavily planted, so high organics but I'm not sure if this would have an effect.
Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0 and Nitrates 10. 50% wc weekly. PH is 7.1.
I've been giving her epsom salt baths because she appears to be getting bigger, she has pooped only a little and only once.
I feel like I sentenced her to death after i lost my previous betta in this tank. I have other bettas kept singly in 7gs and they are fine. So it must be this tank.
I am thinking its 1) a secret parasite that the other fish carry, altho the bristlenose are new additions and are fine. (maybe only bettas affected?) or 2) the bettas are oveating in the tank and I am missing it or 3) stress is causing them to die?
Any advice/criticism/thoughts welcome. I dont want to make this mistake again.
 
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Ghelfaire
  • #2
It sounds like overeating/stress for the female, not sure about the male.
Guppies and gourami are not good fish to keep with bettas.
 
feeshi
  • Thread Starter
  • #3
It sounds like overeating/stress for the female, not sure about the male.
Guppies and gourami are not good fish to keep with bettas.
I see, why is that? the guppies are female so arent bright and active as my boys. The gouramis avoid the betta but I guess maybe their presence is stressful??
 
Ghelfaire
  • #4
A female betta may still see a female guppy as another female betta.
Gourami and bettas are related their presence may be stressful.
Overeating is a common problem with bettas in community tanks, more food plus they like to scavenge (or at least all of mine do).
 
CHJ
  • #5
Long story but please hear me out.
I have a 33g community tank, guppies, cory and (super shy) honey gourami.
During the summer, I put one of the bettas in this tank after he was pacing and fin biting. He was there for around 2months when suddenly, he stopped eating, gasped at the surface and died within a 24hr period. No other external symptoms.
I was devastated and blamed myself, thinking maybe he was stressed or ate too much in a community. The tank was treated for tetramyhena around a month before he got in, maybe some was left over.
I then had some cory fry born in october, and they are still thriving in the tank. I thought maybe it was just genetics and unrelated to something in the tank.
I was gifted another young betta in october, who was also an active fish. I kept her for a month in a 7g, she paced back and forth in a 2-3inch space. I wormed her and treated with copper but the behaviour continued.
As the fragile cory fry were untouched, I thought perhaps last time was a coincidence. So as a last resort I placed her in the community, she no longer paced and explored 24/7.
Until 3 days ago.
She became sluggish, staying in one spot. She looked thick, though nothing like the pictures you usually see of constipated bettas. I isolated her and she stopped eating around two days ago, and appears to have become more swollen. No pineconing yet but she could turn. She either sits at the bottom or floats semi horizontally with mouth at surface. All indications of swim bladder issues.

All other fish are fine, stocking: 4 honey gouramis, 6 aeneus cory and 5 fry around 1cm, 2 red bn fry (growing them out) and 10 guppies most of which are still fry. Its heavily planted, so high organics but I'm not sure if this would have an effect.
Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0 and Nitrates 10. 50% wc weekly. PH is 7.1.
I've been giving her epsom salt baths because she appears to be getting bigger, she has pooped only a little and only once.
I feel like I sentenced her to death after i lost my previous betta in this tank. I have other bettas kept singly in 7gs and they are fine. So it must be this tank.
I am thinking its 1) a secret parasite that the other fish carry, altho the bristlenose are new additions and are fine. (maybe only bettas affected?) or 2) the bettas are oveating in the tank and I am missing it or 3) stress is causing them to die?
Any advice/criticism/thoughts welcome. I dont want to make this mistake again.
I suspect Ghelfaire is hitting it out of the park.
Begging is why I can't be trusted with bettas.
I have killed so many beloved bettas because they beg for food and I give it to them. This has ruined so many breeding projects.
I now only trust myself with responsible eaters like puffers as I cannot resist a begging fish.
 
feeshi
  • Thread Starter
  • #6
A female betta may still see a female guppy as another female betta.
Gourami and bettas are related their presence may be stressful.
Overeating is a common problem with bettas in community tanks, more food plus they like to scavenge (or at least all of mine do).

I suspect Ghelfaire is hitting it out of the park.
Begging is why I can't be trusted with bettas.
I have killed so many beloved bettas because they beg for food and I give it to them. This has ruined so many breeding projects.
I now only trust myself with responsible eaters like puffers as I cannot resist a begging fish.
Responsible eaters sound good, I need to try some of those lol
I have separated her now and if she makes it shes going to have to get use to being single again.
I didnt know female guppies were not okay, and thought my honeys were such scaredy cats she would feel safe.
I think I'll quit attempting a betta in a community, Ive never had trouble with my single kept bettas.
 
Ghelfaire
  • #7
I keep my female bettas with tetras, never had a problem.
 
feeshi
  • Thread Starter
  • #8
I keep my female bettas with tetras, never had a problem.
What kind of tetras? Do they need to not be colourful?
 
Ghelfaire
  • #9
What kind of tetras? Do they need to not be colourful?
I've kept, pristella, cardinal and black neon tetras with bettas. I've also kept platys safely with my one betta but their breeding got out of control so I sold them.
I think it's more the fancy or long fins that cause problems.
 

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