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My Betta is Lethargic
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I know, but it might still harbor some beneficial bacteria and will help seed the new cartridge. If it hasn't been thrown away or left to dry, go ahead and put it in.
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Okay, thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it.
I just added her in after acclimating her for about 5 minutes (I made sure the temperatures were the same). She swam around for a bit, which I would think is a good sign. Now, she's at the bottom of the tank resting. Hopefully, she prospers in her new tank, thank you all so much for the advice and the help. I truly appreciate it, have a wonderful night.
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UPDATE: As soon as I added her in the 10-gallon tank, Bertram seemed much happier and she swam around for a bit. When I woke up this morning, however, she was at the bottom of the tank sleeping and she was very pale (almost translucent). I tapped the glass lightly just to make sure she was alive, and, luckily, she was; she started swimming around and got a little bit of color back to her. I gave her some food, which she ate. I noticed that the temperature was 72 degrees Fahrenheit so I added in the heater. When the temperature was 72 degrees, Bertram spent most of her time at the bottom of the tank. Now the temperature is about 80 degrees and she is at the top of the water in a corner. She is definitely still alive, but she's just floating there. Should I be worried?
Thank you again for your help!
Thank you again for your help!
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She is not coming down at all? Mmm she shouldn’t stay at the top for so long, the only go up to get oxygen. So there could be a problem with the oxygen in the tank. Can you post a pic? Also, did you check the water? And do you know the watts for your heater? Since your house is hot, it might be higher than 80 degrees. We need to make sure it’s not too hot for her, also the water temperature cannot be changing so fast and drastically, she can go into shock.
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Also never change your filter cartridge for a new one never ever just rinse them with old tank water while doing a water change every month or so never use tap water or you'll kill all bacteria you've worked to get!
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Alright, I will do that from now on, thank you for the advice!
Since I last wrote the message, she has swum down to the bottom a few times. However, she does spend the majority of her time in the same corner. Right now, she's at the bottom of her tank by her plant. She is definitely moving around more.
I don't know the watts of my heater, the numbers of the settings wore off over the years (it was a hand-me-down from my uncle); I have it at a low setting so that the temperature gradually would get higher.
How can I make the oxygen better for her? Will removing the lid of the tank help?
The first two (they're the same lol) are her resting at the bottom of her tank. The last one is her swimming around. She usually gets excited when she sees me, so I was glad when she started to swim towards me.
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I don't believe you made any mistakes. Sounds like you did everything right. My instant thought is something changed where you lost some of your cycles. You shouldn't be seeing any Nitrites and you should have Nitrates. Ammonia and Nitrites can destroy a fish in no time. The symptoms start out so slow and overnight the fish looks like death. Unfortunately, that's what this is. The best advice I can give do small water changes daily and add Quick Start and a stress reducer. Fresh Trace also if you have. It'll add nutrients to the water, kinda like vitamins.
Will do, thank you so much!
Okay, I will try that. How much water would you recommend to change? She is currently in a 10-gallon tank.
Also: would you recommend storebought Betta water? I saw it in Petco today and I was considering purchasing it, but I wanted to do some research first.
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It's cheaper to just use seachem prime dose it right and its a lot cheaper then buying bottled water
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It really depends on how much nitrites you have in the take at the time your changing the water. I'd say if you have .25ppm do 25% and .50ppm do 50%. Unfortunately we need it to achieve nitrites. The betta water you find in stores is good water for your betta. It's basically R/O water with all the elements added back to it. For now, it wouldn't be a bad idea due to its current condition.
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I will keep all this in mind. She currently rests at the top corner of her tank, occasionally swimming around the tank if I approach it. I gave her a few pellets throughout the day and she ate most of them. I also turned off the lights so she could properly rest. Thank you all so much for your help! You have no idea how much I appreciate the advice. I will update you again tomorrow.
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Aquariums do not need to be "that clean" They need to buil bacteria, the need to stabalize. Fish Hate change!, Filters and filter cartridges need to cycle!
You filter cartridge dosnt need changing unless it is falling to peices. You can rub,rinse it in used tank water or dechlorinated tap water. Dechlorinaters work instantly FYI, It should not need rinsing more then every other month. Your filter only needs a full cleaning maybey 2 times at the very most. The plants can be cleaned as needed, I would not clean more then one plant a week.
If your tank is too small to use a gravel vaccum, remove ALL of the gravel!
Get a digital thermometer. the temurature in the tank should read 78, 79, 80, 81, or 82, and it should not change from day to night or with the seasons aquarium heaters shut themselves off when the desired tempurature is reached. it won't boil your fish. If you think you can set up a 10 gallon, get a proper adjustable heater for it, the betta can wait for the heater.
the best option to clean up the tank is hot water. You can use non iodized salt, plain vinigar, and a LOT more hot whater to rinse. You can use a one part bleach to 10 parts water solution. It is safe if you rinse it a lot, if you do not soak for longer then 15 minutes, and if you let it dry for 48 24 hours, and add dechlorinator.to the new water. It is rarelly necassary to use it though.
FYI, I am also guilty of try to keep a betta in the wrong conditions when I was young. I'm glad you are trying!
You filter cartridge dosnt need changing unless it is falling to peices. You can rub,rinse it in used tank water or dechlorinated tap water. Dechlorinaters work instantly FYI, It should not need rinsing more then every other month. Your filter only needs a full cleaning maybey 2 times at the very most. The plants can be cleaned as needed, I would not clean more then one plant a week.
If your tank is too small to use a gravel vaccum, remove ALL of the gravel!
Get a digital thermometer. the temurature in the tank should read 78, 79, 80, 81, or 82, and it should not change from day to night or with the seasons aquarium heaters shut themselves off when the desired tempurature is reached. it won't boil your fish. If you think you can set up a 10 gallon, get a proper adjustable heater for it, the betta can wait for the heater.
the best option to clean up the tank is hot water. You can use non iodized salt, plain vinigar, and a LOT more hot whater to rinse. You can use a one part bleach to 10 parts water solution. It is safe if you rinse it a lot, if you do not soak for longer then 15 minutes, and if you let it dry for 48 24 hours, and add dechlorinator.to the new water. It is rarelly necassary to use it though.
FYI, I am also guilty of try to keep a betta in the wrong conditions when I was young. I'm glad you are trying!
Thank you so much for the information, I appreciate it!
UPDATE: I left the tank light off to let her rest. Last night, I found something sticking out from her bottom area, it was very odd. I wasn't able to get a photo of it, but I'm hoping it was left over food. I tried to get her to move to see if she could shake it off herself and after a couple of tries it worked.
Here is a photo of her "resting spot" on top of the tank:
I noticed that she feels "safe" in that spot. She would float away from it and then hurry back to the same corner. Also, I think the thing that was sticking out of her bottom area might have been poop? Let me know what you guys think. Thank you again for your help!
UPDATE: Bertram seems to be doing well!! Turning the tank light off must have really helped! I turned it on to examine her and feed her. She didn't eat with the light on, so I turned it off and she was so alive! I noticed that she is still a little pale, so I will continue to update until I see that she is fully recovered. Thanks!!
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Is the thing still there? If it doesn’t go away, it may be a prolapse (I can’t tell from the picture). My betta had one when I first got him. If it doesn’t resolve itself you may need to treat it (I treated with an epsom salt dip).
Also, if it was a white stringy poop, that could be a sign of an infection. Keep an eye on her and see how she progresses.
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Stop cleaning everythng! Never replace your cartridge unless its falling apart. To get the slime and gunk off you first siphon your tank 25% once a week, and wash the filter/cartridge in the dirty tank water. Just use your hand and clean it off in the water. if you use tap water as in running it under the faucet you are killing beneficial bacteria and never cycling your aquarium.
My set up: 10 gallon, 15 gallon corner sponge filter, remember Bettas do not like a heavy flow. adjustable heater (80), terra cotta pots for hiding & plants. This photo was in January. My plants have really taken off since.
My set up: 10 gallon, 15 gallon corner sponge filter, remember Bettas do not like a heavy flow. adjustable heater (80), terra cotta pots for hiding & plants. This photo was in January. My plants have really taken off since.
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What are you feeding her? You could maybe look into improving her diet, or using some colour-enhancing food. I feed my betta Fluval BugBites and find them really good (high in protein, which is what bettas need). I’ve no experience with colour-enhancing food but I’m sure you could find some info on here pretty easily!
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I'm Coming in in the middle here, but is the tank 78-82 degrees 24/7?
Get frozen bloodworms and daphnia if you can find daphnia. feed 3-4 peices 2-3 times a week
It is also the time of year were you can leave a clean chemical free bucket with some water outside, and before you know it, you will have mosquito larvae swimming around. you can feed the live bugs to the beta, you can freeze the rest, just be sure to dump it before they turn into mosquito.
Get frozen bloodworms and daphnia if you can find daphnia. feed 3-4 peices 2-3 times a week
It is also the time of year were you can leave a clean chemical free bucket with some water outside, and before you know it, you will have mosquito larvae swimming around. you can feed the live bugs to the beta, you can freeze the rest, just be sure to dump it before they turn into mosquito.
HI all, I was able to keep Bertram alive for a little over a month since I last updated you. She was very happy at first but I noticed she started to resort back to her old self. Unfortunately, she passed away this weekend. I just wanted to come on here and thank you for your help because without you guys Bertram would have suffered a lot more than she did. If any of you can direct me to some articles about Betta fish care so I can be more informed, that would be greatly appreciated. Have a nice day!
Tank
What is the water volume of the tank? 3 gal.
How long has the tank been running? 6 months
Does it have a filter? Yes, a homemade sponge filter with activated carbon and zeolite crystals.
Does it have a heater? Yes
What is the water temperature? 80.8
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.) 1 female betta and 3 mini marimo moss balls.
Maintenance
How often do you change the water? Every week.
How much of the water do you change? 25-50% depending on how the debris.
What do you use to treat your water? Prime. Stress coat. Stability or Quick Start. Ken's Zoa.
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? Both.
*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Yes.
What do you use to test the water? API freshwater master kit.
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: less than 5.0 greater than 0
pH: 8.0
Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? Every day with one fasting day.
How much do you feed your fish? A few shakes of Fluval bug bites, or 5 pellets, or a pinch of dried daphnia or frozen daphnia or brine shrimp, and every week a few bloodworms.
What brand of food do you feed your fish? Fluval bug bites, Hikari pellets, frozen and dried daphnia and bloodworms, San Francisco Bay frozen brine shrimp.
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods? Both
Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish? About three months.
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? Noticed mild symptoms yesterday.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms? Lathargic, hiding, heavy breathing, clamped fins.
Have you started any treatment for the illness? I've added a pice of IAL the size of 2 fingers.
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? No
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? Dull coloring, clamped fins, not active except for needing air.
Explain your emergency situation in detail.
As stated above, my girl Naydra who used to be a little spitfire, isn't feeling so hot. She's hardly active, hiding where I can't find her except to come up for air. She used to hang out at the glass and then patrol the rest of her tank. Her gills are working hard too. I last fed her six hours ago with her usual few shakes of bug bites. Yesterday she had started to just rest more than usual, and I guess it's escalated to this. Saturday is when I feed the frozen foods like bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp... While feeding on daphnia, she did a sort of shake with her head, like she ate something tart, and when I looked in on her and saw this she did the same kind of tweak but not as much. She also may have gotten overfed with bloodworms on Saturday too. I don't want to move her ornaments because they make her feel safe. I have attached a photo and and a link to a video that I was able to grab. I will be forever thankful to any help anyone can give. The meds that I have at my disposal is as follows:
Epsom salt
Aquarium salt
Betta fix
Kanaplex
Prazipro
Api general cure
Indian Almond Leaves whole pieces and extract (fritz's Dark Water)
Microb-lift Herbtana
Maracyn Oxy
What is the water volume of the tank? 3 gal.
How long has the tank been running? 6 months
Does it have a filter? Yes, a homemade sponge filter with activated carbon and zeolite crystals.
Does it have a heater? Yes
What is the water temperature? 80.8
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.) 1 female betta and 3 mini marimo moss balls.
Maintenance
How often do you change the water? Every week.
How much of the water do you change? 25-50% depending on how the debris.
What do you use to treat your water? Prime. Stress coat. Stability or Quick Start. Ken's Zoa.
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? Both.
*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Yes.
What do you use to test the water? API freshwater master kit.
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: less than 5.0 greater than 0
pH: 8.0
Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? Every day with one fasting day.
How much do you feed your fish? A few shakes of Fluval bug bites, or 5 pellets, or a pinch of dried daphnia or frozen daphnia or brine shrimp, and every week a few bloodworms.
What brand of food do you feed your fish? Fluval bug bites, Hikari pellets, frozen and dried daphnia and bloodworms, San Francisco Bay frozen brine shrimp.
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods? Both
Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish? About three months.
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? Noticed mild symptoms yesterday.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms? Lathargic, hiding, heavy breathing, clamped fins.
Have you started any treatment for the illness? I've added a pice of IAL the size of 2 fingers.
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? No
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? Dull coloring, clamped fins, not active except for needing air.
Explain your emergency situation in detail.
As stated above, my girl Naydra who used to be a little spitfire, isn't feeling so hot. She's hardly active, hiding where I can't find her except to come up for air. She used to hang out at the glass and then patrol the rest of her tank. Her gills are working hard too. I last fed her six hours ago with her usual few shakes of bug bites. Yesterday she had started to just rest more than usual, and I guess it's escalated to this. Saturday is when I feed the frozen foods like bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp... While feeding on daphnia, she did a sort of shake with her head, like she ate something tart, and when I looked in on her and saw this she did the same kind of tweak but not as much. She also may have gotten overfed with bloodworms on Saturday too. I don't want to move her ornaments because they make her feel safe. I have attached a photo and and a link to a video that I was able to grab. I will be forever thankful to any help anyone can give. The meds that I have at my disposal is as follows:
Epsom salt
Aquarium salt
Betta fix
Kanaplex
Prazipro
Api general cure
Indian Almond Leaves whole pieces and extract (fritz's Dark Water)
Microb-lift Herbtana
Maracyn Oxy
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The difference in pH 7 and pH 8 is ten fold.
OK, so after one night, she still hasn't improved and has potentially gotten worse. I'm wondering if it's due to the frozen daphnia maybe going bad because the freezer door was left open and it thawed and refroze, causing bacteria to maybe grow? One of my girls a few months back started to behave the same way after being fed daphnia that started to thaw by the time i had it shipped to me.
Slight update, she's swimming around a little more, though she showed no signs of wanting to eat the little granules of dried daphnia I dropped in. I checked for signs of ick or velvet but couldn't find any. I've added another small piece of IAL.
Ammonia is still 0
Nitrates have come to a 5
Nitrites are 0
pH is still 8.0
Ammonia is still 0
Nitrates have come to a 5
Nitrites are 0
pH is still 8.0
Another update. I've medicated with .51 grams of API General Cure because I suspected parasites. Not gonna lie I'm trying not to panic. Her gasping has became the same as last night and she's taken to hiding in the darkest part of her tank by the heater. Its like she doesn't want to touch anything and kinda twitches if her fins touch any of her silk plants. I was able to feed her a few bug bites and three soaked pellets earlier just so she can have energy. Can anyone who has used api general cure for parasites tell me if their fish got worse before they got better because mine is making me worry...
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Hello,
Try to lower your pH, more it's neutral the better it is.
Add tannins( A lot of IAL leaves not just a little bit ) it's a lot of benefits for him and the water(Ph, alkalinity)
Add tourmaline balls ( It will give him some good minerals )
Aquarium salt is for a max of 2 weeks.
Stop meds. You've used too much.
Replace your activated carbon and your filter media if it's not already done. <
Vacuum and clean your tank once a week.
Have a good day and stay positive
Try to lower your pH, more it's neutral the better it is.
Add tannins( A lot of IAL leaves not just a little bit ) it's a lot of benefits for him and the water(Ph, alkalinity)
Add tourmaline balls ( It will give him some good minerals )
Aquarium salt is for a max of 2 weeks.
Stop meds. You've used too much.
Replace your activated carbon and your filter media if it's not already done. <
Vacuum and clean your tank once a week.
Have a good day and stay positive
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