Nearly Dead

I've asked a question on here about this before, but I never really got any help. We have had 'Bubbles' the Betta fish for a year now. When we got him, we were still very new to fish. His tank was not ready when we got him (we trusted the advice of the "certified aquatic" whatever person at the pet store. Big mistake!) Anyway, he is in a 10 gallon, filtered, heated aquarium. For the last six (? Or so) months he has just been floating on his side at the top of the tank. He doesn't move unless you try and touch him with a net or stir the water with your finger near him. Then he will either swim (still floating on his side) a tiny bit away, or try and swim down (he is unable). Recently the water is starting to smell gross (kinda like a bad ocean if that makes sense) and get (white) cloudy. His fins are looking frayed. I don't know what to do. I just did like an 80% water change. Please help. It kills me to see him like this. The only advice I have been given is to "humanely euthanize" him with clove oil. Obviously I want to try to get him better...But I'm really lost. that's him floating in the bowl as we did a water change. Please help!

 

I'm really sorry to hear all the problems your poor betta's been having. What kind of betta is he?

What's your water change schedule like? How much and how often do you change? Do you always remove him from the tank during water changes? What are the parameters of both the tank water and tap? What do you feed him?

 

I have the same questions as Aqua, is it cycled? Do you add dechlorinator? It sounds like he has swim bladder right now, I'd fast for three days then feed a deshelled pea on the third day, repeat until he is better.

 

HI guys, thanks for the response.
1) His tank is cycled now (it wasn't when we first got him, but we have had him a year and it has since cycled. )
2) I believe he's a double tailed Betta
3) We do water changes about once ever two weeks, and it's about a 60% water change.
4) He's not always removed when we do water changes. When he is not removed we pour the water in very slowly/gently so that it doesn't bother him.
5) Not sure about the parameters off the top of my head.
6) He is currently eating only small floating foods like flakes that we put right next to his face. He won't/can't eat anything that sinks or is big. (He doesn't like Betta pellets either)
7) we use tetra aquasafe dechlorinator and water conditioner.

Platylover how should the pea be prepared? (Raw, boiled, etc.?)

 

We really need to know the parameters, can you test them please? And not just the tank, test the tap as well.

Did you use AquaSafe while the tank was cycling or did you add another? AquaSafe does not claim to neutralize ammonia and nitrites which is what's really important during the cycling process. It's fine for regular water changes because it neutralizes chlorine and chloramines that might be used to treat tap water but fish wastes are damagine if not neutralized.

Also, double tail bettas are more prone to swim bladder deformities.

 

Are you making sure to soak the flakes before giving them to the fish? Since they can suck up air from trying to eat it, and can cause float bladder issues (bloating)

If his fins are looking ragged torn, he's either nipping his fins from stress or it's a sign of fin rot
Cloudy and bad smelling water is usually a sign of a bacterial bloom

I'm not sure how to treat fin rot off the top of my head, but can you please test your water again and give us the readings?

 

You simply need to deshell the pea, agree with the others on the parameters and water.
I'd bump it up to once a week on waterchanges(for long term).
To fix fin rot you'll need daily waterchanges, but I'd wait until you test the parameters. Do remember what they'd where at all?

 

This is my tank
Nitrate 0
Nitrite and ammonia 0
Hardness about 50
Alkalinity about 100
My ph is about 7.8
(I've tried pH correctors, but they always did more bad than good.)
I'll test the tap water without any conditioners

Tap:
Nitrate, Nitrite and ammonia is 0
Hardness is 75
Alkalinity about 110 to 120
PH 8.2

 

Yeah, unfortunately your tank isn't cycled... The cloudy water is more than likely as stated above a bacterial bloom. You'll be cycled when you have zero ammonia or nitrites, but some nitrates.

 

Any tips on how to get it cycled?
Also could the tank parameters be a little different then normal since I just did the 80% water change?

 

Is this your only tank? Since it is a 10 gallon, is it safe to assume that you have a filter of some sort?

Have you ever changed the filters? If no, DO NOT run out and throw the old one away to replace with a new one as you will likely be tossing out the beneficial bacteria as well.

I use Seachems Stablilty and Prime - both can be purchased off Amazon. Just make sure you don't use the Stability until about 15 minutes after you use the Prime - rule of thumb I have always followed.

The Prime will isolate any ammonia or chlorine that is in the water until the filter bacterial can process it.

Also are you using strips to test or the liquid test kit?

Does anyone have any experience with Mosso Balls (or what ever they are called) and Bettas? My friend uses one and swears by them...

 

Also I personally wouldn't rush out to buy all sort of meds to fix fin rot and other possible things as in his state right now the meds alone could potentially hurt him.
I treated fin rot by doing 90% daily water changes. Keep the water as clean as possible. After three days my double tail half moon had started to recover from the beginning of rot. Maybe you should move your betta into a hospital tank/bowl whatever you pick to use while you sort out your tank.

 

His tank is filtered, and It's been the same one since I got him.
I usually use the API test kit (liquid).

Oh, and this isn't my only tank. I have a 20 gallon tank with a fantail goldfish (Squiggles). He's doing fine. ☺

 

Don't use any pH correctors, they make the pH fluctuate a lot which is stressful on your fish
Most fish can adapt, don't worry about it

Is this your only tank? Since it is a 10 gallon, is it safe to assume that you have a filter of some sort?

Have you ever changed the filters? If no, DO NOT run out and throw the old one away to replace with a new one as you will likely be tossing out the beneficial bacteria as well.

I use Seachems Stablilty and Prime - both can be purchased off Amazon. Just make sure you don't use the Stability until about 15 minutes after you use the Prime - rule of thumb I have always followed.

The Prime will isolate any ammonia or chlorine that is in the water until the filter bacterial can process it.

Also are you using strips to test or the liquid test kit?

Does anyone have any experience with Mosso Balls (or what ever they are called) and Bettas? My friend uses one and swears by them...

I don't have a betta but I have a marimo moss ball in my tank, personally they don't really do anything apart from take out maybe a small portion of nitrates etc like any other plant

 

Okay guys, thanks for all the advice. I'm going to start doing a 90% water change every day for a while, maybe I'll add some meds in, if he starts to look a little better. I don't want to overwhelm him. I'm also going to buy peas. I'm assuming frozen peas will be okay? I don't think we have fresh peas this time of year.
I'll keep you all updated on how it goes.
If he gets better, what sort of food do you guys recommend? My goldfish gets repashy soilent green gel food.

 

Okay guys, thanks for all the advice. I'm going to start doing a 90% water change every day for a while, maybe I'll add some meds in, if he starts to look a little better. I don't want to overwhelm him. I'm also going to buy peas. I'm assuming frozen peas will be okay? I don't think we have fresh peas this time of year.
I'll keep you all updated on how it goes.
If he gets better, what sort of food do you guys recommend? My goldfish gets repashy soilent green gel food.

If he hasn't been eating and turns out to be hungry, when he's feeling better, I'd feed him whatever he wanted so it would at least put something in his stomach.

 

When I retested my water today before doing another 90% water change, it said I had about 5 Nitrates. I did the change, and my water looks and smells better. Sadly, not much improvement with Bubbles. I can't get him to eat the pea either, and they sink so fast. He barely responds now when you touch him. I don't have a lot of hope that he will pull through..

 

When I retested my water today before doing another 90% water change, it said I had about 5 Nitrates. I did the change, and my water looks and smells better. Sadly, not much improvement with Bubbles. I can't get him to eat the pea either, and they sink so fast. He barely responds now when you touch him. I don't have a lot of hope that he will pull through..

I'm sorry
Could you maybe try putting the pea near him?

 

What are you testing with, if strips you readings can't be trusted?
When was the last time you cleaned the filter media?
If you go with medication which will most likely be necessary, soak oxytetracycline into his food. Take a 1/2 gallon dose of meds in a small dish over his flakes, add small amount of water to dampen food but disolve the meds. It will make a slurry, to be fed slowly to him.
Don't worry about the fin rot just keep water clean and clean the filter media once a month, dispose of only when it is falling apart. If you order reticulated foam filter pad from ebay for under around 5 bucks cut it to fit snuggly in your filter and clean it every 3 months and it should last 10 to 20 years.

 

I use API liquid tests. I clean the media about every 3 weeks ( in tank water that has been removed).
I'll have to order those meds online. Our local store doesn't carry that. He won't eat at all though, so I don't think I'll be able to get meds into him orally.