Newest Betta is dying....I'm done with bettas

Apparently I just can't keep bettas. I can keep a lot of other fish, but not a betta. I see people have them live for years in bowls, and yet I can't keep them alive in a nice setup. This is my second dying betta in 2 months!

10g cycled aquarium

ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nirates 5
ph 8

79-80F

I use Fritz dechlorinator.

The fish was not swimming weird. It's not swollen in the stomach. However, it's on the ground breathing hard and losing his color.

I have been extremely careful feeding him. He also gets fasted once a week and given daphnia 1-2x a week for good digestion.

I'm completely heartbroken. I just don't understand.

Pictures are of him tonight, and when I got him a few weeks ago.

 

I don't have much advice for helping your fish, just that your experience is not unusual, and that there's probably something wrong with the fish, not your care. Domesticated bettas are thoroughly inbred and kept in pretty awful conditions for most of their lives prior to purchase. There could be a dozen different things going wrong with him, possibly all at once, regardless of excellent quality care on your part. It's why I don't do bettas anymore.

I'm tempted to suggest using a quarantine tank and half-dosing some meds as a preventative measure against the usual parasites, bacteria, and fungus if you decide to get another betta. idk though, some people are super against using meds outside of clear illness. It also won't necessarily cure everything that might be wrong with a new betta either.

 

I don't have much advice for helping your fish, just that your experience is not unusual, and that there's probably something wrong with the fish, not your care. Domesticated bettas are thoroughly inbred and kept in pretty awful conditions for most of their lives prior to purchase. There could be a dozen different things going wrong with him, possibly all at once, regardless of excellent quality care on your part. It's why I don't do bettas anymore.

I'm tempted to suggest using a quarantine tank and half-dosing some meds as a preventative measure against the usual parasites, bacteria, and fungus if you decide to get another betta. idk though, some people are super against using meds outside of clear illness. It also won't necessarily cure everything that might be wrong with a new betta either.

Your response means a lot. I think I'm just stunned. I didn't realize bettas were that inbred. That's heartbreaking. Thanks for responding.

 

So, so sorry!!! Such a beautiful boy, too!!

 

So, so sorry!!! Such a beautiful boy, too!!

Thank you. It truly is. Maybe he will make it, I just don't see how with how he is acting.

 

I usually have some idea about what's wrong, but not so with that poor guy. The only thing that I can even think of would be to add some aquarium salt, maybe. Or lower the water level so he can get to the top easier if he is having trouble breathing. But you can't fix genetics, if that's the case.

I'm stumped!

Sending you and your little guy good thoughts!!!!!

 

The only other thing I can think of would be water changes? What is your schedule? I do not see the whole tank, I imagine he has a lot of plant cover and resting places close to the surface?

 

Where did you buy the bettas from? This doesn't look like the common betta splendens... crowntails are usually from plakat betta strains which do better in acidic waters

 

pH of 8 is too high for a Betta

 

The only other thing I can think of would be water changes? What is your schedule? I do not see the whole tank, I imagine he has a lot of plant cover and resting places close to the surface?

Yes, there is plant cover, and he has a plant at the surface he likes to sleep in every night. I do water changes weekly.

Where did you buy the bettas from? This doesn't look like the common betta splendens... crowntails are usually from plakat betta strains which do better in acidic waters

I bought him from kgtropicals. My ph is actually 7.8, which I know isn't much different, nor is it acidic.

pH of 8 is too high for a Betta

That's interesting. I don't know why so many websites says it's OK then.

Yes, there is plant cover, and he has a plant at the surface he likes to sleep in every night. I do water changes weekly.

I bought him from kgtropicals. My ph is actually 7.8, which I know isn't much different, nor is it acidic.

That's interesting. I don't know why every website says it's OK then.

Unfortunately, he has passed away.

 

So sorry the little guy didn't make it!!! He was very beautiful!!

 

So sorry the little guy didn't make it!!! He was very beautiful!!

Thanks. I appreciate it.
I talked to the lady I bought him from. She obviously can't know for sure, none of us can, but she wondered if he wore himself out going from 1/2g to a 10g. He was an extremely active fish, and then yesterday it was like his little battery ran out.