Kesh88
- #1
In the last couple of days my older betta Kiedis hasn't been doing so well, he's become quite inactive and spends most of his time hiding behind his heater or laying on his side in the plants. His colour has also faded a little. He's been eating OK but seems to have some trouble swimming to the surface, and he looks off balance when swimming. He swims around for a few seconds maybe 5 times a day, then rests again. My initial thoughts were swim bladder problems, so I haven't fed him for the last 24 hours. I've also reduced the filter flow and turned off the new sponge filter I've had set up in the tank for the last week (I'm running two filters until my new sponge filter has had time to establish some bacteria). I also did a water change Saturday.
I'm not sure what's wrong with Kiedis or what more I can do for him. I've had him 2.5 years so he could be as old as 3. I know older fish don't swim around as much but this amount of inactivity doesn't explain it.
Here’s some info that might help:
Tank size: 30 litres (think this is around 8 gallons), filtered and heated.
Temperature: 26 degrees Celsius.
Tank mates: Red Cherry Shrimp and some small snails.
Food: Was using Nutrafin Max, started using NLS Betta in the last 2 weeks.
Amount fed: 2 pellets twice daily.
Water parameters: I haven't tested this yet, my tank has been established for 2 years and the last water change was Saturday, I changed 40% of the tank water and vacuumed the gravel.
Appearance changes: His colour has gone dull.
Behaviour changes: He is very inactive, won't swim up to the side of the tank to greet me and lays on his side a lot.He ate Saturday morning but I haven't fed him since..
Treatment so far: Turned off extra filter, did a water change, kept lights off and haven't fed for 24 hours.
Illness history: None, only a little constipation once or twice in his life.
Here’s a link to a video I took of him yesterday:
If anyone has any thoughts on what might be wrong or what I could do to treat him please let me know! I’m considering quarantining him in case he doesn’t approve. Could it be a bacterial infection?
Unfortunately I’m also going away for a week from Friday so can’t be here to keep an on eye/treat him after that. I don’t want to risk him passing and decaying in the tank so I think a quarantine will be the only option right now. I’m aware that if this is bacterial then I will need to treat the whole tank. I have a large 60 litre plastic bin that I can set up with the sponge filter and my spare heater as a quarantine. As I won’t be around next week to do water changes I don’t want to risk using anything smaller.
Again, any thoughts/advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Fish Lore Aquarium Fish Forum mobile app
I'm not sure what's wrong with Kiedis or what more I can do for him. I've had him 2.5 years so he could be as old as 3. I know older fish don't swim around as much but this amount of inactivity doesn't explain it.
Here’s some info that might help:
Tank size: 30 litres (think this is around 8 gallons), filtered and heated.
Temperature: 26 degrees Celsius.
Tank mates: Red Cherry Shrimp and some small snails.
Food: Was using Nutrafin Max, started using NLS Betta in the last 2 weeks.
Amount fed: 2 pellets twice daily.
Water parameters: I haven't tested this yet, my tank has been established for 2 years and the last water change was Saturday, I changed 40% of the tank water and vacuumed the gravel.
Appearance changes: His colour has gone dull.
Behaviour changes: He is very inactive, won't swim up to the side of the tank to greet me and lays on his side a lot.He ate Saturday morning but I haven't fed him since..
Treatment so far: Turned off extra filter, did a water change, kept lights off and haven't fed for 24 hours.
Illness history: None, only a little constipation once or twice in his life.
Here’s a link to a video I took of him yesterday:
If anyone has any thoughts on what might be wrong or what I could do to treat him please let me know! I’m considering quarantining him in case he doesn’t approve. Could it be a bacterial infection?
Unfortunately I’m also going away for a week from Friday so can’t be here to keep an on eye/treat him after that. I don’t want to risk him passing and decaying in the tank so I think a quarantine will be the only option right now. I’m aware that if this is bacterial then I will need to treat the whole tank. I have a large 60 litre plastic bin that I can set up with the sponge filter and my spare heater as a quarantine. As I won’t be around next week to do water changes I don’t want to risk using anything smaller.
Again, any thoughts/advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Fish Lore Aquarium Fish Forum mobile app
