OLD betta is dying/how to make the process less painful & less stressful/please help

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Stephla

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Hey guys,

so my 2 year ish old betta is not doing well. I made a post the other day. I have done everything I can think of. I am noticing more now that his eyes seem to be cloudy, and he may not be able to see well.

I got him in a 1.3 gallon tank. Treated him for ich and other fungus right away when I received him from a friend who's step kids were harnessing him. I had my new tank cycling and tested and ready to go once I was done the treatment. However, once he got into his new tank, he stopped eating. Didn't see the many bits of food I attempted to scatter in hopes some would drift into his mouth when he gulped for air.

He has been staying on the heater at the top of the tank for 2 days now. I have tried to touch him to see if he is alive. He would slowly move down the tank.. And sit, and I could see him gulping for air at the bottom while his gills are opening and closing rapidly. He isn't happy. It is hard to watch.

I worry perhaps there is too much space in the new tank, I am wondering if I should put him back in his 1.3 gallon with less water so he doesn't have to swim to the top too much. As well I would put his leaf hammock in there.

I truly believe he is just not going to get better. He had a stressful life before coming to me. I have tried to give him space and treat him well. He just isn't responding.

Does anyone have any suggestions on hown I could ease his suffering during this time?

Anything would help at this point.
 

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Definitely lower your water level. It will make things easier for him. Don't turn on the light in your tank to keep it dark.
 

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  • Thread Starter
  • #4
What are your water parameters? It could poor water quality
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I have had my water tested constantly. My first thread on this forum yesterday someone asked me all of that and I had my water tested and posted the results and its all good. So it just isn't the water.

It is a bigger tank. For his whole life he was in a small tank with only water conditoner. And the water was being changed 3-4 times a week. A 100% change each time. No good bacteria. My tank is has it all. My only issue was my PH was 7.8. So I got some PH decrease and tested it today and its back to normal.

He just doesn't want to eat. Doesn't want to move.
 
7.8 would be fine. Edit: I wouldn’t mess with the ph in your tank at this point. Or at all.

sounds like he’s had a rough go of it. Might just let him live out his days in either tank, water lowered of course.

Can always try tweezers and waving flakes or blood worms in his face. (I had to do that a couple of times with fish)

But if he’s not even interested in food? It’s a hard come back from that with Bettas.
 
There's something weird going on somewhere because that's a young fish and he should be full of life. Either in the water or in the fish itself something is off.
 

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HI Stephla
I am sorry that you and you betta are you encountering these issues.
Can you tell us what your nitrates and nitrites look like, and what the pH is currently? Sometimes pH fluctuations are worse than a high or low pH , so I stay away from the pH altering chemicals. What is the water temperature? Did you change his diet recently? How was his appetite before this ( did he tend to overeat)? Also, as Bettafish1 mentioned, dimming lights and lowering the water level (or providing a higher resting place) can help in terms of comfort and makes it easier for them to reach the surface for air. Good luck!
 
Garlic guard also works ( you can soak any favorite foods in it) but I would avoid feeding if you think he is constipated
 
I had to feed a female koi betta ( in 1 of those betta cups from the store that you get them in ) for 3 months because she was off her appetite!

Garlic really does wonders

I would scoop her out of the 10 gallon tank and then place food on top, let her sit for 5 minutes in cup and then return her to her tank for the day.

you can try that. My little girl Ophelia has done a 180 and is swimming & eating fine now.

As for water quality, I'm of the opinion sometimes tests really don't matter. if something is off and the fish isn't happy, I just start over. Also if it was me, I'd buy bottle spring water so the difference between my water & the previous home wouldn't matter and then slowly acclimatize over a few months to my water.

But I'm the crazy lady who last year was buying 15 gallons of bottle water at a time because I couldn't figure why my water was bad ( increased chrloine the county had added)

Good luck!
 
  • Thread Starter
  • #11
There's something weird going on somewhere because that's a young fish and he should be full of life. Either in the water or in the fish itself something is off.
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Ya, I've been told from maby ppl that 2 is old. Then other ppl say 5 or 6 is old. I honestly don't know, But he does LOOK old. He has foggy eyes. Almost like he has cataracts. The life he had before I got him was stressful. The water was never tested. No filter. No bacteria. Full water change 3-4 days a week with 10ml water conditioner in a 1.3g. Sharp house to play in. No thermomiter to ever know the temp. No heater. Was left by the window. Had 3 to 4 kids putting their hands in trying to touch him and grab him all the time.

When I saved him he looked rough and beaten up. He looked old. So I made calls, did research. Spent $300 on getting stuff for him. Treated him with betta fix. Then ich. Used aquaroum salts. Bought Indian almond leaves. Mossball. Filter floss to slow the flow in New tank. Another type of sponge to reduce toxic chems like ammonia. I had my tank set up with 3 step python products. I had it running for 3 weeks. I got it tested ever other day while he was getting bettafix treatment in the 1.3g tank he came in. The day I wanted to put him in I got it tested. Was given the go ahead...

.. that's when he started being lethargic and not eating or moving from the heater. The full tank its 80.6°f. He has places to hide and swim. The flow is minimal. He was ok the night I acclimated him and put him in, But I woke up and since he has not been well.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong.. :'(

Garlic guard also works ( you can soak any favorite foods in it) but I would avoid feeding if you think he is constipated
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Thank you inhave not heard of this before!

I had to feed a female koi betta ( in 1 of those betta cups from the store that you get them in ) for 3 months because she was off her appetite!

Garlic really does wonders

I would scoop her out of the 10 gallon tank and then place food on top, let her sit for 5 minutes in cup and then return her to her tank for the day.

you can try that. My little girl Ophelia has done a 180 and is swimming & eating fine now.

As for water quality, I'm of the opinion sometimes tests really don't matter. if something is off and the fish isn't happy, I just start over. Also if it was me, I'd buy bottle spring water so the difference between my water & the previous home wouldn't matter and then slowly acclimatize over a few months to my water.

But I'm the crazy lady who last year was buying 15 gallons of bottle water at a time because I couldn't figure why my water was bad ( increased chrloine the county had added)

Good luck!
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That's amazing you went to all that trouble to make your betta happy!! I'm trying to do the same. If I'm constantly told the water is good, then Idk what to do. I can't really see me doing that where I live, I have little storage room. However I have not heard of the garlic thing before. I mean, I had him for 3 weeks and he ate fine when I had him. Just doesn't like the new tank... idk. I'm soaking all this info in though! So thanks!
 

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I have had my water tested constantly. My first thread on this forum yesterday someone asked me all of that and I had my water tested and posted the results and its all good. So it just isn't the water.

It is a bigger tank. For his whole life he was in a small tank with only water conditoner. And the water was being changed 3-4 times a week. A 100% change each time. No good bacteria. My tank is has it all. My only issue was my PH was 7.8. So I got some PH decrease and tested it today and its back to normal.

He just doesn't want to eat. Doesn't want to move.
Click to expand...
Changing the water 100% especially every 3-4 is probably contributing, your fish is trying to acclimate to the water ph along with other parameters and you keep taking him out, changing the water 100% then throwing him back in, you don’t even do a 100% for sick fish usually 50-60%! So just make sure from now on your only changing 20-30% of the water at a time, use a siphon to clean gravel! You should only have to clean gravel and take water out about once a week, the siphon is like a vacuum it’ll suck up water and poop and additional food etc. out of your gravel (search up how to use on its easy!) and if you didn’t cycle your tank beforehand that means there’s nothing to breakdown ammonia that can easily kill your betta so try getting some smart start plus or just bacteria you can put in there and make sure the bacteria is able to colonize in your filter/ on your plants never wash these with tap water because it’ll kill the bacteria, if you have an extra tank put him in there while it cycles through for a couple days then put him back in if you think he can handle it. Get a filter if you don’t have one! A sponge filter works great and you can find ones where it won’t get your betta stuck to it! I’m sure you have a heater, and if you don’t then get one! The water needs to be at 78-80 degrees, if you don’t have one that’s why he is lethargic, once you transfer a new fish into a tank they won’t eat due to stress, in addition you were changing his water often and too much of it so that added on, so if you do end up doing what was mentioned above don’t expect him to eat right away and soak his food in water for a couple minutes before giving to him to prevent constipation!
 
Changing the water 100% especially every 3-4 is probably contributing, your fish is trying to acclimate to the water ph along with other parameters and you keep taking him out, changing the water 100% then throwing him back in, you don’t even do a 100% for sick fish usually 50-60%! So just make sure from now on your only changing 20-30% of the water at a time, use a siphon to clean gravel! You should only have to clean gravel and take water out about once a week, the siphon is like a vacuum it’ll suck up water and poop and additional food etc. out of your gravel (search up how to use on its easy!) and if you didn’t cycle your tank beforehand that means there’s nothing to breakdown ammonia that can easily kill your betta so try getting some smart start plus or just bacteria you can put in there and make sure the bacteria is able to colonize in your filter/ on your plants never wash these with tap water because it’ll kill the bacteria, if you have an extra tank put him in there while it cycles through for a couple days then put him back in if you think he can handle it. Get a filter if you don’t have one! A sponge filter works great and you can find ones where it won’t get your betta stuck to it! I’m sure you have a heater, and if you don’t then get one! The water needs to be at 78-80 degrees, if you don’t have one that’s why he is lethargic, once you transfer a new fish into a tank they won’t eat due to stress, in addition you were changing his water often and too much of it so that added on, so if you do end up doing what was mentioned above don’t expect him to eat right away and soak his food in water for a couple minutes before giving to him to prevent constipation!
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They were describing his OLD conditions. I'm pretty sure they have him in a cycled 5gal at 80°f.
 
  • Thread Starter
  • #16
Changing the water 100% especially every 3-4 is probably contributing, your fish is trying to acclimate to the water ph along with other parameters and you keep taking him out, changing the water 100% then throwing him back in, you don’t even do a 100% for sick fish usually 50-60%! So just make sure from now on your only changing 20-30% of the water at a time, use a siphon to clean gravel! You should only have to clean gravel and take water out about once a week, the siphon is like a vacuum it’ll suck up water and poop and additional food etc. out of your gravel (search up how to use on its easy!) and if you didn’t cycle your tank beforehand that means there’s nothing to breakdown ammonia that can easily kill your betta so try getting some smart start plus or just bacteria you can put in there and make sure the bacteria is able to colonize in your filter/ on your plants never wash these with tap water because it’ll kill the bacteria, if you have an extra tank put him in there while it cycles through for a couple days then put him back in if you think he can handle it. Get a filter if you don’t have one! A sponge filter works great and you can find ones where it won’t get your betta stuck to it! I’m sure you have a heater, and if you don’t then get one! The water needs to be at 78-80 degrees, if you don’t have one that’s why he is lethargic, once you transfer a new fish into a tank they won’t eat due to stress, in addition you were changing his water often and too much of it so that added on, so if you do end up doing what was mentioned above don’t expect him to eat right away and soak his food in water for a couple minutes before giving to him to prevent constipation!
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Thank you for your reply! However I did not say that I was changing his water 3-4 times a week at 100%. I said the person I got him from was doing that. I recused him from my friend, who said her children were terrorizing him and he needed a better home. I did lots of research and when I got him I took all the measures you mentioned. I have not been doing water changes like that. I do have a filter. I do have a heater. The water is fine far as testing goes.

I have since my post had some personal issues to attend to, which is why I'm getting back to my thread now. As Well, I have since then taken him out of the 5.5g tank and back into the tank he came to me in. 1.3g. He still won't eat. He is still lethargic. However he is less So, bc he can fully sniff out the bottom of the tank, and the water level is lower soit's easier for him to get to the top to get air. It seems he prefers the small tank at this point, But his behavior hasn't changed much. He hasn't eaten in 3 days. I have tried the garlic style pellets someone suggested to me. I got the product from my local aquarium store. They knew exactly what it meant when I asked. He still won't eat.

I have done everything people have suggested to me on this forum . From my first post to this one. I have called several pet stores and aquarium stores. At this point I feel exhausted of ideas. I wonder if perhaps his time before coming to me excelled his life span. I have read that can happen. Unless again I am missing something.

Thank you for your help!

Have you tried thawed frozen blood worms, daphnia, brine shrimp. or presoaked freex dreid worms or shrimp? Or garlic infused new life spectra thera Plus A, or betta pellets from new life spectra that also have garlic added to be extra tempting?

I wouldn give up until you do.
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Hey! I have since tried blood worms. 3 differnt kinds of pellets. And garlic pelltes. He ate basic pellets fine before. Then one day wanted nothing to do with food. I tried him in a cup with food to see if it was the tank being too big.. nope. I tried him in his original 1.3g with lowered water level. He moved around more, less lethargic, but still won't eat. Tried woth tweezers. He won't eat. Tried everything I've been told to try so far. Still hopeful tho! Willing to try anything!
 
  • Thread Starter
  • #18
Try any frozen food ? Frozen brine shrimp? My betta went crazy when he first tried it and likes it more than the pellets !
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I can try, at this point I don't think any sort of food will do it. I haven't done frozen tho so I will try that! Thank you. Will get back later with results.

What kinds do you suggest? Are there more frozen foods ?
 
I can try, at this point I don't think any sort of food will do it. I haven't done frozen tho so I will try that! Thank you. Will get back later with results.

What kinds do you suggest? Are there more frozen foods ?
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I got mine from petco but petsmart has some too . The brand I got is "San Francisco Bay Frozen Brine Shrimp" . They have many to choose from . Make sure its carnivore based like bugs and meat since bettas are carnivorous! Hopefully this helps the little guy !. All you do is just pinch off a tiny piece with clean tweezers or small scissors and drop it in, no pre soaking or it will fall apart!
20200308_052902.jpgScreenshot_20200308-063436_Chrome.jpg
 
What are the water parameters?? Who is testing them for you? It’d probably be really helpful to figuring out what’s happening if you could list some numbers
 
  • Thread Starter
  • #21
I got mine from petco but petsmart has some too . The brand I got is "San Francisco Bay Frozen Brine Shrimp" . They have many to choose from . Make sure its carnivore based like bugs and meat since bettas are carnivorous! Hopefully this helps the little guy !. All you do is just pinch off a tiny piece with clean tweezers or small scissors and drop it in, no pre soaking or it will fall apart!
View attachment 674651View attachment 674654
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Awesome! Thank you

What are the water parameters?? Who is testing them for you? It’d probably be really helpful to figuring out what’s happening if you could list some numbers
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The aquarium section at Pet smart is testing it for me.
Ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
Acid 7.0
Alkaline between 120-180. ( forget the actual number)
Chlorine 0
 
From what I understand most Bettas are already a year old by the time of sale, as this is when their fins are most attractive, and they'll live an average of two more years with optimal care. This sounds like your little guy. I doubt he will eat anything.

I don't want to be the Kervorkian of FishLore, but to end his suffering in the most humane and painless way possible:

*Clove oil at 10 drops per 16 oz water. Not water soluble, so shake well or whip with hand mixer. Drop in fish. They will peacefully lose consciousness within seconds. At this time add a little alcohol to the mix to insure death, and dispose but don't flush.

*Benzocaine is available in gel, cream or spray forms. Use Q-tip or small soft paintbrush to rub on fish, which may be problematic. Must be 21 to buy pure water-soluble form (no prescription needed), but I'm unsure about dosage:
Benzocaine Hydrochloride (HCl), High Purity, Reagent, 25 grams: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

*Baking soda @ 1/4 cup, or 1 Alka Seltzer tablet per quart of water is considered acceptable by E. Noga.
 
If you do decideto euthanize, I prefer clove oil- but mixing clove oil well is critical as Kjeldsen mentioned. Wear gloves, and be prepared for the possibility of an initial excitement phase before he goes into deep anesthesia- this occurs with somw types of anesthetics. Leave him in for at least ten minutes after you see all opercular movement stop. This is just me ( and I know it sounds gruesome) but I prefer to perform a secondary method to confirm euthanasia even after it looks like he stopped breathing. Decapitation and subsequent bleed out will work (remember even if not dead he is under deep anesthesia and won’t feel it). There are lots of resources on the internet regarding humane euthanasia. Here is one from the RSPCA:

https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanase-aquarium-fish/
 
2-3 years isn’t abnormal in bettas given their often poor upbringing. Cups to cruddy bowls or mismanaged tanks.
Some live to be 9-10 years old though.

While it may not be that your fish is ‘old’, he’s sick and unwell and there’s a huge list of reasons that may not even be fixable for him.

Take care of him as best you can - you’ve been doing quite a lot. And see how it goes day by day.
 

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