I'm At A Loss. Any Help Would Be Appreciated...

Here goes nothing! After researching over and over again I can't put my finger on it. I have had my male Twin Tail Half-Moon Betta, Kratos, for about a month now. He is in alone in a 5.5 Gallon tank, heated to 78 degrees. I changed his filter from a carbon filter (filter the tank came with, and he was having trouble swimming) to an Azoo Palm Filter. He had a mild case of fin rot when I bought him but I didn't want to medicate right away, so I turned the filter off (bc he couldn't swim properly) and did 100% water changes on him everyday adding a teaspoon of dissolved aquarium salt to hopefully (without success) help him heal without antibiotics (plus I was waiting on the new filter to come in). Once the filter was changed, he was all over the tank, fin rot not even bothering him, happy to be able to swim everywhere. After filter change and water changes, he seemed to be getting worse, waters PH was a little high so I put in some seachem neutral regulator and it did the trick. Then I started him on Maracyn-Two. We are on Day 4 and his fins have improved drastically. I fear something else is going on though. When I first got him he would eat the pellets I bought just fine, then I would randomly give freeze dried bloodworms as a treat. Now he won't eat the pellets at all. I've fasted him for 2 days and still wouldn't eat them. But will eat the bloodworms... which brings me to my question: He is going down to the gravel to look for food,even though I try to feed him pellets ? Idk if it's an internal parasite now or a picky eater? No physical signs of ich or other parasites I can see other than the fin rot. Belly kind of looks distended, possible dropsy?? but idk if it's my imagination looking for a reason why he isn't eating or??? oh and what is the white string stuff on decor? white algae or from the Maracyn?? waiting for day 6 to do his water change like the maracyn recommends... Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

Try soaking the pellets in garlic for 5 minutes before feeding them. This will make the pellets softer and smell better.

Also, stop using neutral regulator. I wouldn’t mess with pH.

 

thanks for the reply! so you don't think its dropsy or internal parasite? even if it is, Maracyn should treat it correct??

 

I’m not super good with meds but there are people here that should respond soon that can help with the meds.

The pics don’t make it look like dropsy to me.

Have you seen him poop yet? Is it white and stringy? Or is it kinda like normal fish poop?

 

I have not seen him poop yet so I'm not entirely sure. during water changes I had not seen much waste in gravel cleanings. maybe hes constipated??

 

If he’s constipated, feed a deshelled pea or some daphnia to you’re betta to clean his system.

 

will keep a close eye on him. thanks again for the advice!!

 

I don't think it looks like a dropsy either.. Looks more like constipation. Try fasting him for a few days, feed deshelled pea or daphnia like 75 discus tank suggested above. I suggest fasting him for one day a week to prevent constipation... Personally, I soak all of my food in garlic guard before I feed him. I feed my betta daphinas every week at least once..

About the white stringy stuff, by the way.. do you happen to use any white aquarium cleaning sponge? Some of that tends to get stick to ornaments in my tank....

 

Thank you ChoiHx1, yes I do have a white aquarium sponge. that makes since now that you say something! lol and about the fasting, I was fasting once a week already.. should I maybe give him 2 fasting days?

 

Thank you ChoiHx1, yes I do have a white aquarium sponge. that makes since now that you say something! lol and about the fasting, I was fasting once a week already.. should I maybe give him 2 fasting days?

Hmm.. can you tell me how much food you give him and how you give the food?

Food tends to get much more bigger when soaked... so it would not get bigger in his belly and block the system. I also suggest to try giving him things like mysis shrimp too, I did hear from someone that roughness shell of the shrimp will help cleaning the system out.

 

I was feeding him 2-3 Omega One Betta Buffet pellets a day. and I would just drop them at the top of the water with my hands(rinsed not soaped) may have to try the live food one day out of the week...

 

I think you are doing great! I think the only reason he would be constipated[if he is, that is] is due to the dry food..? If he is rummaging through the gravel, do you think he might be eating something extra? It's kind of hard to tell in the pictures.. see if he poops, and if he does, it's all good. I never see my betta poop but I see some around..

I did see my betta stop eating what he liked for a while.. without much reason. So it may be sudden change of taste..? I'm not sure how to prevent that.. if you soak it in garlicguard and he still doesn't eat it, maybe trying some other brands or types of food may help. I spoiled my betta so that he eats many different kinds of food..

 

sounds good. I will have to try that!! and thanks for the praise, my husband thinks I'm turning into a crazy fish lady, and I'm ok with that!! (hope to start a 250 saltwater tank slowly within the next couple years) anyway, I can't imagine him eating anything other than the pellets that fell in the gravel he wouldnt eat before. maybe the pellets and bloodworms were just too much...idk, I'm going to try a variety now of live and dry foods and see how it works out. may even try out frozen food bc the nearest fish store from my house that is worth anything is 45 min away...

 

I think you are doing great! I think the only reason he would be constipated[if he is, that is] is due to the dry food..? If he is rummaging through the gravel, do you think he might be eating something extra? It's kind of hard to tell in the pictures.. see if he poops, and if he does, it's all good. I never see my betta poop but I see some around..

I did see my betta stop eating what he liked for a while.. without much reason. So it may be sudden change of taste..? I'm not sure how to prevent that.. if you soak it in garlicguard and he still doesn't eat it, maybe trying some other brands or types of food may help. I spoiled my betta so that he eats many different kinds of food..

Yes. My stubborn feisty spoiled rotten Betta once went five days without eating. Took him to my vet. Vet fed him and he ate fine. Brought him home and he was fine till the day he passed. I’ve always believed bettas are related to cats. Independent stubborn going to worry you to death kind of personalities. Hope OPs Betta gets better soon!

sounds good. I will have to try that!! and thanks for the praise, my husband thinks I'm turning into a crazy fish lady, and I'm ok with that!! (hope to start a 250 saltwater tank slowly within the next couple years) anyway, I can't imagine him eating anything other than the pellets that fell in the gravel he wouldnt eat before. maybe the pellets and bloodworms were just too much...idk, I'm going to try a variety now of live and dry foods and see how it works out. may even try out frozen food bc the nearest fish store from my house that is worth anything is 45 min away...

Hey. Best wishes for your Betta! I’m hoping he starts acting right for you soon.

 

that sounds about right!! haha!! thank you so much for the info!!!

Hey. Best wishes for your Betta! I’m hoping he starts acting right for you soon.

thank you!!!!