Ricktavious doing poorly, please read!

Ricktavious has passed away

Yesterday morning, Ricktavious was fine....swimming, eating, and acting like normal. Then yesterday afternoon, some brown algae showed up. Got that cleaned out, but since then, he has been staying at the bottom and only coming up for air. No eating, no playing. What could be wrong with him? Could he just be resting, upset about something, or sick?

Will also add that he has been medicated with API Fungus Cure for 4 days now (am stopping that in case that is what's causing the problem). If anyone has any suggestions or advice, please drop a line.

 

I would stop using the med. Sometimes fish, like humans, have a bad reaction to a med or he may be sick and the particular antibiotic is not helping.
I would give the tank a thorough cleaning, scrub the algae off the glass and ornaments (brown algae won't cause him to get sick but for your own peace of mind) and do a 50% water change using NovAqua+ conditioner. A sudden increase in algae usually means anaerobic conditions (lack of oxygen in the water) excess phosphates and nitrates. Check for nitrates, but a water change should help that and add an airstone turned on low if you don't already have one. See if he perks up within 24 hours. If not, then he probably has an internal infection. Maracyn-Two usually works well with my fish when they are acting sick and I don't know what's wrong. It takes a couple days but most of the time everything is fine after one course of treatment.
If this still doesn't help, sometimes internal parasites can make them act lethargic and sick. Use some Jungle Parasite Clear. It's cheap, easy to use and works very well. All fish usually have some parasites in them. When they are healthy it won't affect them but if they get stressed or their immune is lowered the parasites can multiply and make them miserable and if left untreated can even kill them due to infections brought on by the parasites.
Good luck and I hope he feels better soon.

 

Thanks, will try and pick up those things ASAP.

Now, how could the oxygen go down? I do 20% water changes 3 times a week for a 5 gallon tank. Could the fungus cure had messed things up in his tank? Is Maracyn-Two something you add into the water? Reason I ask is because he hasn't eaten or shown interest in food for awhile.

Sorry for more questions, but thank you for your help

 

Is Maracyn-2 betta-safe?

Take a look around his tank, and look really carefully. Is there a film of blue-green algae on anything? At least two people (myself included) have had a betta begin succumbing to poisoning from this, and the symptoms you gave are identical to what our bettas went through. Not saying this is definitely the problem, but it's a possibility.
Also, what kind of substrate do you have, and what kind of filtration do you have? Is there any place where a pocket could have been isolated and become stagnant?

Hope you figure it out and Ricktavious gets better.

 

Ok, have the Maracyn-Two in hand. I've got a question (believe it or not, haha!).......right now, maybe 60%-75% of the Fungus Cure is out of the water. Is it safe to go ahead and start using the Maracyn? Also, it says to continue filtration. Would this go for the carbon filter as well?

 

Is Maracyn-2 betta-safe?

Take a look around his tank, and look really carefully. Is there a film of blue-green algae on anything? At least two people (myself included) have had a betta begin succumbing to poisoning from this, and the symptoms you gave are identical to what our bettas went through. Not saying this is definitely the problem, but it's a possibility.
Also, what kind of substrate do you have, and what kind of filtration do you have? Is there any place where a pocket could have been isolated and become stagnant?

Hope you figure it out and Ricktavious gets better.

sirdarksol, there is no such algae in his tank. There was some brown algae that has been cleaned out.

I've got large marbles (the kind you get in little baggies at Wal-Mart/pet stores) for substrate with a carbon filter.

 

Yes, Maracyn-Two is completely Betta safe.
You always need to take the carbon out of the filter before medicating or it will absorb the meds.
If you have some FRESH carbon (old used carbon won't do and can even leech toxins back into the water), run that in the filter for a few hours before using the Maracyn-Two and it should remove the remaining Fungus Cure. Take out carbon before using the Maracyn-Two though.
Maracyn-Two seems to work well in fish that are not eating. I used it on Daphne when she stopped eating eating for over two weeks. It took a few days but she started eating again.

 

sirdarksol, there is no such algae in his tank. There was some brown algae that has been cleaned out.

I've got large marbles (the kind you get in little baggies at Wal-Mart/pet stores) for substrate with a carbon filter.

I see no possible way for you to have any cyanobacteria in the tank (that's good). My thoughts are tapped with this problem.
Good luck.

 

Put in the first treatment....now time to hope and wait!

 

A betta can sometimes be very picky and needs help to get interested in food. If you do not have the money to get some Garlic Guard to soak some of his food in, try to get some Garlic POWDER or Minced Garlic in the jar at the store. (the frest kind in its own juice is best of all) Soak some food in the Garlic Guard or some of the Garlic juice and try that. Garlic is an appetite stimulant to fish and sometimes even very sick fish will go after food that has been treated with garlic. Also another food that is excellent to get for sick fish as it is very easy on their tummies is freeze dried daphnia. It contains lots of protein and fiber so it cannot constipate them and yet is very easy for them to eat. My fish love it and when I have one in the hospital tank they get it for at least one meal a day. The ones who are NOT sick get it a couple times a week for a treat as they do love it.

They also can have as much as they want of it as they CANNOT become constipated eating it.

Rose

 

It may just be a bit of a bacterial infection just like people get the flu and they don't want to eat either when they are sick.
Do try what Rose suggested and try to tempt him with a favorite treat dipped in garlic but keep the foods light. No heavy proteins like bloodworms as protein is harder to digest and he needs his body's metabolism to concentrate on getting well, rather than metabolizing proteins.
Daphnia is good or even a small piece of pea. I found that Daphne would not come to the top to eat (probably felt too sick or lazy) but did pick around on the bottom for food. You could try putting a small clean plastic lid or anything flat and clean that is not metal in the tank and leaving a small piece of pea on it. He will probably be curious at what you put there and investigate and maybe eat it.

 

Rose, I have tried garlic guard (didn't work) and he has never liked daphnia (odd, huh?).

Phlox, will try to use the plastic lid in there to try and make it easier for him to eat.

Thanks both for the suggestions!

 

Oh wow, so relieved! Got back from my first class a little while ago. When I left, he was still staying on the bottom and wouldn't come up for food. Since I've gotten back, he's been swimming a good bit more and came up for his first bit of food in a couple of days!!! So happy!

 

Oh wow, so relieved! Got back from my first class a little while ago. When I left, he was still staying on the bottom and wouldn't come up for food. Since I've gotten back, he's been swimming a good bit more and came up for his first bit of food in a couple of days!!! So happy!

We're all rooting for him.... &

 

 

Thanks for all the well wishes and advice!

Phlox, what you told me about the tupperware top is hilarious I had to line the inside of it with the marbles to keep it down in the water. He has spent a lot of time resting in there leaning over on the marbles! I'm thinking of keeping it in there full-time. Is there any reason to not leave it in there for him?

 

glad to hear of improvement with him. Best of luck with him recovering fully.

 

*Sigh* I've noticed he's been breathing hard lately. I'm afraid something is wrong with his gills (hence not as active). He has not gasped for breath at the surface unusually though. The Maracyn-Two says that it treats gill problems, but is it enough?

Or could he just be getting old and showing some age? My girlfriend saved him at Wal-Mart right around a year ago. No telling how long he had been there before she rescued him

 

Gills pumping fast are sometimes a sign of gill mites. Several of my fish have had them. I treated with Parasite Clear and it helped them. I've heard that adding a little aquarium salt to the water can soothe sore gills so you could try that first. Check the water parameters. Nitrite poisoning can cause this too, but I know you are good with water changes so I doubt it but you can check anyways.

 

how often is he doing that?

 

Parameters are good, but it's been suggested to me that he might need an airstone in there, so I picked one up to turn on occasionally. Sometimes he seems fine, other times like he's struggling. Maybe this will help out (trying not to over do things on the meds, but his fin rot is going baserk now).

 

yea, bettas do like an airstone.. often playing with the bubbles. aslan loves them so much, he has an air wand and an air river.

I really hope your guy beats this out and starts regrowing fins so he'll get into playing with his bubbles.

 

The air stone doesn't seem to be getting his attention, nor does it seem to be cutting down on his panting. Only been one day with the air stone though, but should I pick up some parasite meds?

 

Sorry, I missed something in your last post. Don't turn your airstone on periodically. Either leave it on or leave it off. Aerating water changes its pH (seltzer water, which is nothing but water and carbonation, is fairly acidic), so if you're turning the airstone on and off, the pH is going on a rollercoaster ride. Probably a pretty mild one, when all things are considered, but you don't want to be further stressing a stressed fish.

I can't tell you what you should do, but I can tell you that, at this point, I'd get some parasite meds and at least try them out. I hate the thought of overmedicating, but when things are as bad as they seem, you've got to try something.
Also, do you have Vitachem or some other form of vitamins for your fish?

 

the parasite clear tabs don't seem to be overly harsh on our bettas and might be what he needs. I missed that about the airstone too, i'd leave in on all the time. if the disturbance from the bubbles is too much, a gang valve or check valve can cut that down for you.

 

Ok, right now going on in his tank is Fugus Cure, Maracyn 2, and the Jungle Parasite tabs things. Plus, he's getting vitachem, prime, and NovaAquel2 (whatever it's called?).

Thanks for the info on the air stone. The pump itself on the outside of the tank is not adjustable. So, if you don't mind, could you dumb down what a "gang valve" or "check valve" is for me

 

I'm not sure that many different meds at the same time are compatible.
Maracyn-Two can be mixed with "some" of the other Mardel products but I'm not sure the Jungle products can be mixed even with other Jungle products. I'd stick with only one at a time. It could be toxic if mixed.

 

The Jungle tabs can be mixed with other Jungle products. The Maracyn-Two can be used with the Maracyn equivilent of the Fungus Cure. I've got the filter in now to get rid of anything that could be harming him. He's still looking rough today. Still hardly moving. He's at the top and pretty much only moving to breathe. I feel horrible for him wondering what I could have done better......after the tank runs with the filter in it, I don't know what to do next. Leaning towards treating with just the Maracyn-Two, but am more than open to suggestions from you folks. I've got a really bad feeling though and am saddened at the thought of potentially losing him soon:'(

 

Oh no. I am so sorry he's not doing well. I really hope he gets better. And remember, there have been amazing recoveries before. Yours could be one of the miracle guys who just needed that one med.

 

I'm hopeful....hopefully I didn't do something to poisin the little guy. But considering how bad he had been doing prior to some new meds, I don't know if I had any choice. Since the Jungle tab for parasites, he has been breathing much easier. Just going to get as much as the other stuff out and hopefully just some Maracyn-2 could work for him. Who knows. And since the filter has been in and a small water change, he has been more active (which isn't saying alot). Will probably let the filter run for a while, do another small water change, and start over with the Maracyn. If he's willing to fight for me, I'm willing to fight for him.

 

Oh that's great. That means you've probably got the primary infection (gill parasites) out, and are now dealing with secondary infections. That's what I think anyway.

 

How long was he on the Parasite Clear? It has meds in it too for secondary infections from the parasites. I would do at least 4 days (2 doses with 25% water change in-between) of that and then clear it out with a large water change and then start Maracyn-Two.

 

Phlox, will go along with you say. You have probably forgotten 10 x's more about bettas than what I currently know, haha. So as for the fin rot right now, should I try not to worry about it, or is there a chance that the parasite meds could help take care of it?

He has been on the parasite meds for less than 24 hours.

 

I think one day is not enough to kill any parasites completely. If he is irritated from gill mites then the stress of that could CAUSE finrot. Try to give it 4 days on the Parasite Clear. If you notice the finrot getting a lot worse then do two days on Parasite Clear and then start on Maracyn-Two.
The meds in Parasite Clear don't cure finrot but will protect against secondary infections that can be caused by the parasites.

 

How is he doing? Natalie

 

Did a water change and am filtering the meds out. Will add some of the parasite tab in a little while. He seems to be moving around a bit more, but still not a whole lot.

 

Saw something really disturbing tonight. He was facing straight up at the water towards the top, and he got caught in the current from the filter. He went around the tank (from the current, not his own power), seemingly only to move to get air from above the surface. He was face up the entire trip around the tank. He still swims around some on his own, but very little. I feel horrible, like there is something else I could have/should have done, but didn't. It absolutely kills me to see him like this:'(

 

I actually would do 3 doses of parasite clear. we did that with aslan and that's what it took to clear him of the parasites he had at the time.

we hope he is recovering inside and will soon be showing that in his behavior. these bettas can really surprise you with how they bounce back.

 

Stefan, do you have a sponge filter handy? Sounds like he's too weak to handle the power filter. Sponge filters (as far as I know) are powered by the air pump, and hardly cause any current at all. I gave up on my idea of using these permanently as they're actually not that great at keeping things clean, but it's better than no filter at all with a really weak fish?

That must have been really upsetting. Poor fish.

 

I'm so sorry that Ricktavious is not doing well. I will pray that he recovers.
I know how hard it is to see them so sick and helpless and you want to pick them up and comfort them but you can't.
My little Daphne is still acting strangely and eating only occasionally. Sometimes she eats a lot and then vomits it all up. She also floats head facing up a lot of the time and her fins are clamped. Angel is acting normal but has a lump that looks like cancer. I dread losing them.
My brother scared me this morning when he said Frasier wouldn't eat last night (he feeds them supper when I'm at work) and he swam off and hid behind the filter. This morning he seemed fine and ate for me. Maybe he just wanted mommy.

I agree that you should maybe get a sponge filter for now so Ricktavious can rest and not be thrown about.