It Isn't Like It Used To Be!

Back when I was 11 or so, I was tasked with a school-year-long science "experiment". Experiment in quotes because it wasn't about experimenting as much as it was starting something long term and observing and note taking about what was happening.

I chose to take up an aquarium. Had probably 10-15 fish at all times, a few varieties including a pregnant swordfish.

I took care of them maybe better than a normal 11 year old would, but compared to what I read today I have to wonder why it was so easy back then, but for me right now (32 years later), I'm having so much trouble keeping a single betta fish healthy.

Back then I think I tested the water pH and that was it. "treatment" of tap water involved boiling it and letting it cool. Weekly water changes were not a thing....I did have a filter and heater for everyone, but partial water changes occurred kinda whenever. Yet, the fish lived long healthy lives. The swordfish even gave birth to Lord knows how many fry. My betta lasted a really long time. All I did was give them some crumbled up flake food.

Now? I have better conditions (cycled, perfect water chemistry, fresh water treated with Prime, regular partial water changes, etc). Yet our single fish (a male betta) exhibits SBD regularly. Fasted him for a day and a half, fed him one tiny pellet and it started all over again. He has no trouble eating but outside of that is just kinda staying in the background. He can keep himself upright most of the time but once he starts to swim and then stops, he'll go sideways. I feel so bad its not even funny, I used to do this just fine when I was 11 but now I can't even keep a single fish happy?

The only real difference I can think of is that now I'm getting fish from Petco, back then we had an actual LFS.

Trying my hardest to keep Oliver happy and alive but so far I'm not happy and he doesn't look very happy either. When we first got him he was like a dog...walk up to the tank and he practically jumped out coming to see you. That was only a week or two ago, but now he just hides in the back. "just a fish" people tell me (and I argue right back at them because he's OUR fish) but I kinda miss when he was happy to see me!

 

I agree back when I was that age I had a single Oscar in a 55 we would do WC’s and move him to a bucket we would scrub the tank clean the filters add acurel f when the water got cloudy and he was givin to me by a family friend when he was 3-4 years old and I had him another 7 years... I think a lot of the reason fish seem weaker or less hardy are from the breeding craze that happens with all species. Just my uneducated guess. Sorry about your betta hope he gets better. I’m in the same boat with my betta I’ve had for 2 years now although he hangs around the plants and bottom often when I do turn the lights on he farts to the top for a couple pellets n after lunging for his foods he slowly sinks back to his resting areas. Still a big healthy looking guy but not the same as when I first got him which is saddening

 

Definitely pooer genetics I'd say. It's so important to buy fish from a reputable source. I can safely say that after keeping fish for almost 15 years straight. We've ruined neon tetras for example. It's difficult to find a genetically sound electric blue ram.

Sorry about your betta. Wish I had some advice. Idk what would cause chronic SBD?

 

He has a lump on his body near his tail, it seems to be towards one side (left side)...I just assumed it was symptom of an SBD issue because its in the same spot and its internal (not growing outside). I suppose it could be an infection in it, but he still eats when given food (even pieces of a pea), which tends to NOT be true if there is an internal infection...at least according to what Ive read. It could also be a tumor, but again reading a lot leads to not eating being a symptom and even when he looks sad, if you dip your finger in the water he "comes" and waits for food.

 

If you could load some pics some of the medical experts may have better opinions on it good luck

 

Yes I’ve been through the same facts. Yes I’m with the overbreeding. So many fish that were indestructible when I was a kid are fragile now. The betta being the worst! Not sure if yours is suffering SBD or just the weight of its fins are keeping it from staying upright.
Hobby was bigger than. Not as active now. I keep my tanks as basic as I can. I don’t even use prime. 50% weekly water changes. May be the water?

 

If you could load some pics some of the medical experts may have better opinions on it good luck

Started a thread here: Help - Lump On Side Of Betta, Not Swimming Well hard to get just the right side shot (especially with him not out and about in the tank) but I'm still trying

 

What sucks is that due to poor genetics, betta fish are very regularly found to have medical issues. In very sorry for the fish.

 

I see a lot of blame going toward the genetics weakening the fish. The problems with weak Neons, Rams, and many other fish are not genetic. In raising large numbers of these fish, most Asian farms use strong antibiotics so that they can crowd the fish together while raising them. The overuse of antibiotics does two things: first, it prevents the natural defenses of the fish from developing, so that they are highly susceptible to even minor infections. Second, it destroys the internal bacteria that aid in digestion, so that the fish don't get proper nutrition, even from good foods. For some fish this is more important than for others. While raising them they are fed very high protein foods to encourage fast growth, which they rarely get once they reach our aquariums.

The other problem resulting from the overuse of antibiotics is the resulting existence of resistant diseases. We are seeing more and more of these in commercial channels. They can wipe out entire stocks.

There are situations where genetics are to blame. Bettas are heavily hybridized these days, and the genetic mixup that results can cause breeding problems. After decades of line breeding, some guppy breeders started having difficulty with productivity; the fancier strains were barely reproducing. The small size of most commercially bred Swordtails are due to a lack of understanding of the genetics/social dynamics of the species. Early males, which are genetically smaller than late males, do much of the breeding when the fish are being raised in a pond. In the wild there are always big males around, and the females prefer to breed with them, but the big males get taken out of the ponds and sold, leaving only the runty males in the mistaken belief that they would grow larger. This results in more and more fish that are genetically smaller, until we have the half sized fish of today. I have seen female Swords in the 6-7 inch size range, and males with 6 inch bodies and 4 inch sword extensions. Current commercial stock is hard to get up to 4 inches.

HOWEVER. There are more species available in the hobby than at any other time since I started keeping fish. This is due to smaller, specialty online sellers, who often sell fish that aren't "worth the trouble" through the old commercial channels. So we have to take the bad with the good, use sensible and cautious practices, and think about what we're doing. The hobby is still great, you just have to use common sense to enjoy it!