I think the end is near...

One of my bettas I'm keeping I think might be dieing...idk how old he is but he is very lathargic and is just floating around the top of his bowl. I know its a 1gal bowl (I don't have the money to upgrade...I have a 5gal but I got it from a friend who had it in a barn for 2 years...I'm trying to clean it up but I don't really have a filter for it....*sigh*) His bowl gets water changes ever two days, treated with prime. He has a small castle and some large rocks in the tank. Its not cramped he has plently of swimming room. But he is still acting different. Water permaters are fine and none of my other bettas or the rest of my fin kids are acting like this. He'll just sit around then dart through the bowl....then sit. Kind of spaztastic. He wasn't eatting the pellets I was feeding everyone else...which I think might be the problem...he is thin I didnt notice until a few minutes ago. I do not want to waste all of my forzen bloodworms so I soaked some freeze dried ones in garlic guard for 2 minutes then fed him....to which he attacked the food. He is still however just floating around the top of the water...just and then darting around. Anyone have and advice they would like to throw in...? I'll post a picture of him in a moment...idk why or what makes me think it but his fins..look odd...you'll see...:-\

 

What are the exact water parameters? Is there enough oxygen in the water? Is there an airstone? Can you do the water changes every day instead of every other? Is there a way to rig a sponge filter for him?

Sorry for all the questions. Pics will help, I know you are posting one soon.

 

Water parameters are 0, 0, 15. No there is no air stone, and he is breathing normally nothing heavy labored. He goes to the surface just fine and takes a breath. I did move to doing water changes on his tank to every day I just did one an hour ago...and those are the current water parameters.






That's him Scropio....hes a crowntail. There are no signs of external illness...and he is pooing fine. Like I said he is a little thin...which could be most of the problem. I'll try to find one of my back up pumps and hook him up with some airbubbles.

 

could it be the temperature? Ive had bettas act like a whole new fish once they get some heated water. How long have you had him?

 

About a month in total. The tank is at 76 degrees...and his old home was around the same. Scropio is Bics' fish. I'm keeping him due to some odd reason but I had the room. I turn on my room heater to warm up the air tempature. I don't have a heater for a 1gal.

I don't have anywhere else to put him. Plato is to aggressive and I fear him trying to jump the divider if I divided his tank. My only real option is my 10gal...but ElI (My Crayfish) lives there and that's just asking for something bad to happen...so this is my only option until I can afford something bigger for him.

 

cant say I have a clue what it is then :/, sorry I can't help, Id just go with the airstone idea

 

Its ok, I don't expect anyone to know what's wrong, but suggestions are nice. I have a friend bringing me an air stone. I have an air pump...just no air stone..

 

Betta fish actually do not like air stones....They breath surface air....They don't really enjoy a lot of surface movement so I don't think that is the problem here.....

Is he pineconing at all? I don't think he looks that bad in the photo's you just posted....

 

I was thinking he wouldnt like the airstone...I wasn't sure though. Until I put the pump in with one and he freaked out...not even going to bother with the airstone...
No I don't think he is pineconing, after eatting his belly is a little round though. As of now he is just resting on the bottom of the bowl beside his castle...well now he moved and is trying to get Taila's attention....Could he be depressed

 

He might be depressed...Betta fish are very moody......

 

sorry about the bad advice about the airstone... I was brainstorming.

 

Lol its ok Meenu no problem. Maybe he is depressed then...I'll throw something up between him and Taila and see what he does. I do wonder about his age though. He is about the size of Sherlock who I know is about a 1 1/2 years old...so it could be age. Though Sherlock is just peachy.

 

He does appear to be older.....I think he will be fine.....Just tell him how handsome he is and look at him.....Honestly this seems to perk them up......

 

I did...I've been talking to him...now he is hidding behind his castle...*sigh*

 

mine love the air stones...but that is probably too small of a space for one...he does look bloated to me in his second sideways pic....have you tried the pea and fasting? how often was he fed freeze dried foods? even soaked, some of the bettas can't handle them I hope he perks up!

 

Well he was orginally fed freeze dried blood worms and did fine on them. When he came into my care however I tryed to get him to eat pellets like the rest of my Bettas and then Frozen bloodworms on Fridays. But he wasn't eatting the pellets after 7 days....So I soaked a few in garlic guard and few him..he ate them right up. That was the first time I've feed him them in my care. So idk...he seemed fine with the forzen blood worms but my supply is thinning...I need to get somemore but won't be able to until this weekend.

 

I would suspect he is just sad... once he knows how well you will take care of him, I bet he will be great. Good luck

 

Idk...hes just not moving resting at the waters surface...This is depressing me..

 

I know the bowl is unavoidable at this time, but my experience is when the betta doesn't have a lot of room, they just simply sit and sulk. It could just be that he is bored or understimulated. It doesn't appear to be an illness.

-Tony

 

Well I just added the castle a few days ago and I added a plant yesterday...no...he's dieing...idk why I just know it..sitting here watching him...its only a matter of time...*sigh* Thanks everyone...all I can do now is hope he might pull through....and if not that he dies peacefully...:'(

 

hI furallicah, I just lost a betta who started out sulking a bit. he did have bad fin damage from a shark tank at walmart where he came from....so maybe the injury was too much. but he started just not acting interested in even me. then came the bloat, then more bloat, then he turned pale, and pineconed a bit. that was it. came on fast. hopefully this isn't the case with yours. but just let him know you care and you're there. and keep the water nice.

 

Thanks..I am keeping him in the best conditions possible. He is still hanging on...but I think I'm still losing him...he spazes when he swims now..like he's going through an electric shock of some sort...I suspect heart failure...it can cause the same thing to happen in humans...I wish I could help more...but its out of my hands now.

 

Sending best fishy wishes for you and your beautiful boy.

 

Sorry to hear that! Best wishes to you both.

 

Thanks you two...

 

Hang in there man, its tough to just watch and not have control over the health of a pet. Just don't beat yourself up. You've done all you can. Good luck

 

Sorry to hear it Wish I could offer some sage advice

 

Its ok...I just wish he sleeps well tonight.

 

Furallicah, I'm sorry but I do know you're doing your best.

How is he today?

 

Same Tiger.....he is still lathargic, and is only really moving to go get a breath of air. And he is still having the same spazm....I have no idea what this is. His once bright and wonderful coloring is fadeing out..he went from blue to pale red over night...and his fins went from looking full and moveable to stiff looking and brittle.....

 

Aw that's so sad...
I have no ideas I'm afraid, just like to keep up with his story.

 

Poor thing. I hate to suggest this, but if it looks like there's no way he's going to make it, and he's suffering, maybe euthanasia... If he looks like he's not suffering, then really, all you can do is make him as comfortable as possible. :console:

 

Its ok, I was going to post an update anyways you gave me another reason to do it. I'm just going to have to say its something internal. Not one other of my bettas is suffering or showing any problems....even Taila who is in a bowl too....I did a water change....*A small one* because he has always freaked out during them getting stress lines and everything...so I removed half the water with a cup and replaced it very slowly. Treated it with Prime. I fed him a few little bloodwroms soaked again in garlic guard....so Idk unless a miracle happens I'll lose him. Thanks everyone for your support and sympathy. :-\

*Edit, Idk Meenu....he seems to just be struggling as the end gets close..but maybe your right....*

 

could you explain what stress lines are?

 

could you explain what stress lines are?

The fish will get lines going up its body that are a different coloration than normal, I think. Sometimes they are reddish.

edit: oops, apparently, lines that are horizontal.

 

Horzontial lines are a sign of stress. Which is what happenes to him when I do a water change. But vertical lines are usually mating signs on females most of the time but can be on males. But Scropio expresses...very...visual horzontial lines along side his body during a water change.

 

Horzontial lines are a sign of stress. Which is what happenes to him when I do a water change. But vertical lines are usually mating signs on females most of the time but can be on males. But Scropio expresses...very...visual horzontial lines along side his body during a water change.

sorry ??? are the lines on his actual body, or on his fins/tail? I just wondered so I could look for it in my boy, if he ever has them. x

 

Questions are always welcomed. The lines are on his physical body, and the fins will sometimes too change colors. But the lines are on the body.

*Edit, I think I fount the cause of my problem!!! I bought myself a new API Master Test Kit...I was using just the single bottles but didn't realize they were a week out of date.... Anyways....Here were the readings. Ammonia 0 Nitrite .25! And Nitrate 5. So there was my problem all along I belive....I cleaned out his tank and treated it with an emergency level of Prime...and stirred up the water good before adding it back into the tank. With in minutes he perked up...his coloring began to return...and he just looked happy! YAY! THANK THE LORD!!!!;D Ohhh I am so happy I think hes going to pull through!!!!!!!*

 

that's wonderful! yay

 

Great news, glad he's going to be ok.