Sick betta fish!! Pinned fins and lethargy.

[IzabelB]

This dude is in a 20 gallon long with a large sponge filter and ceramic bio-balls for filtering. The only other creatures in the tank are shrimp and snails. It’s heavily planted and I don’t do regular water changes.
He has been in this tank for roughly 6 months and he’s had the symptoms of clamped fins, lack of energy and lack of appetite for a few weeks. He now won’t eat freeze dried blood worms or brine shrimp, or flakes. He will only have a small amount of micro pellets meant for tetras. His symptoms haven’t really worsened in the time he’s been like this, maybe just a tiny bit.
I was very adamant that it’s not bad water quality causing this, because he’s been in pristine health in the past 6 months with no water changes. The shrimp are also breeding and seem very happy with the water quality. I finally did a 50% change yesterday and so far there’s been no improvement.
Anyone have any advice? I don’t want to use chemicals or salt to treat it without knowing what’s going on first.
I don’t see any discoloration, weird texture, fungus growth, or parasites on him. Nothing significant has happened in the last few weeks to cause this.
Thanks.

 

[CopperIsEpiK]

This dude is in a 20 gallon long with a large sponge filter and ceramic bio-balls for filtering. The only other creatures in the tank are shrimp and snails. It’s heavily planted and I don’t do regular water changes.
He has been in this tank for roughly 6 months and he’s had the symptoms of clamped fins, lack of energy and lack of appetite for a few weeks. He now won’t eat freeze dried blood worms or brine shrimp, or flakes. He will only have a small amount of micro pellets meant for tetras. His symptoms haven’t really worsened in the time he’s been like this, maybe just a tiny bit.
I was very adamant that it’s not bad water quality causing this, because he’s been in pristine health in the past 6 months with no water changes. The shrimp are also breeding and seem very happy with the water quality. I finally did a 50% change yesterday and so far there’s been no improvement.
Anyone have any advice? I don’t want to use chemicals or salt to treat it without knowing what’s going on first.
I don’t see any discoloration, weird texture, fungus growth, or parasites on him. Nothing significant has happened in the last few weeks to cause this.
Thanks.

What are your parameters? How often do you do water changes? Snails and shrimp breed like nobody's business so that doesn't;t really matter to much.

 

[IzabelB]

What are your parameters? How often do you do water changes? Snails and shrimp breed like nobody's business so that doesn't;t really matter to much.

I don’t have a test kit available to me at the moment. I heavily plant all of my tanks and under stock them to the point where they don’t need any water changes.
During the time that he’s been sick, I moved him over to an empty, heavily planted 40 gallon tank which I’m positive has good parameters. He was there for about 3 days and I saw no improvement, so I moved him back and made the conclusion that his 20 gallon was okay too. Like I said I did a 50% water change yesterday just in case.

 

[CopperIsEpiK]

I don’t have a test kit available to me at the moment. I heavily plant all of my tanks and under stock them to the point where they don’t need any water changes.
During the time that he’s been sick, I moved him over to an empty, heavily planted 40 gallon tank which I’m positive has good parameters. He was there for about 3 days and I saw no improvement, so I moved him back and made the conclusion that his 20 gallon was okay too. Like I said I did a 50% water change yesterday just in case.

Ok. You NEED a test kit. Just because it is understocked and planted doesn't mean it'll have good parameters. Also, you need to do water changes no matter how understocked or planted. Buy a test kit and test the water. I am not trying to sound rude or anything, just suggesting a way to help. Has he experienced anything like this before?

 

[IzabelB]

Ok. You NEED a test kit. Just because it is understocked and planted doesn't mean it'll have good parameters. Also, you need to do water changes no matter how understocked or planted. Buy a test kit and test the water. I am not trying to sound rude or anything, just suggesting a way to help. Has he experienced anything like this before?

Nope never before. I researched and am trying the walstad method. I believe it can be done properly without needing WCs. I have a masters test kit, just was away from home. I’m waiting for the results.

 

[CopperIsEpiK]

Nope never before. I researched and am trying the walstad method. I believe it can be done properly without needing WCs. I have a masters test kit, just was away from home. I’m waiting for the results.

I beilive for Walstad method you have to do it before you add fish. Tell me the results when you get them

 

[bored411]

This dude is in a 20 gallon long with a large sponge filter and ceramic bio-balls for filtering. The only other creatures in the tank are shrimp and snails. It’s heavily planted and I don’t do regular water changes.
He has been in this tank for roughly 6 months and he’s had the symptoms of clamped fins, lack of energy and lack of appetite for a few weeks. He now won’t eat freeze dried blood worms or brine shrimp, or flakes. He will only have a small amount of micro pellets meant for tetras. His symptoms haven’t really worsened in the time he’s been like this, maybe just a tiny bit.
I was very adamant that it’s not bad water quality causing this, because he’s been in pristine health in the past 6 months with no water changes. The shrimp are also breeding and seem very happy with the water quality. I finally did a 50% change yesterday and so far there’s been no improvement.
Anyone have any advice? I don’t want to use chemicals or salt to treat it without knowing what’s going on first.
I don’t see any discoloration, weird texture, fungus growth, or parasites on him. Nothing significant has happened in the last few weeks to cause this.
Thanks.

If you can, add an airstone and Indian Almond leaves. If it's been hot lately where you're at, adding an airstone can help. My betta was acting lethargic as well recently (with the heatwave and living in the hotter California area) and plopping a small one in helped. And almond leaves are cheap and easy to get and provide tannins to help promote healthy immune systems. It will tint your water brown but doesn't affect parameters or fish/shrimp/plants/snails. Water changes can easily get rid of the tint as well, once you're finished with the leaves.

And as mentioned, I would get a testing kit just in case. Better safe than sorry. If your shrimp are doing alright, it should be okay but still. If there's no big outward signs on the fish then the parameters might be to blame. You can do what I mentioned above though until you get one. Might help if it's not parameters and just low oxygen in the water or something else.

 

[jinjerJOSH22]

He now won’t eat freeze dried blood worms or brine shrimp

Hello, how do you prepare these for eating? I wouldn't recommend Blood worms I've heard they aren't great for fish especially fish like Betta that often have digestion issues.
What is the temperature of the water?
Maybe try live or frozen Daphnia, avoid freeze dried altogether if you can.

low oxygen in the water

This shouldn't be an issue for a Betta without other factors being present.

 

[bored411]

This shouldn't be an issue for a Betta without other factors being present.

That's just the issue I had with my betta. We were having a heat wave and he threw himself out of the tank (that had a lid on, the sneaky bugger). I asked the forum what to do and they said add an airstone. Upon adding an airstone he was more active and I added almond leaves to help with his fraying fins after. I've left the airstone in and removed the old leaves and he's back to normal. Just thought it might help if the parameters aren't an issue for OP.

 

[IzabelB]

I beilive for Walstad method you have to do it before you add fish. Tell me the results when you get them

The tank was set up, cycled, and planted several months before I got him. Sorry for the delay, I’ll post the update.

If you can, add an airstone and Indian Almond leaves. If it's been hot lately where you're at, adding an airstone can help. My betta was acting lethargic as well recently (with the heatwave and living in the hotter California area) and plopping a small one in helped. And almond leaves are cheap and easy to get and provide tannins to help promote healthy immune systems. It will tint your water brown but doesn't affect parameters or fish/shrimp/plants/snails. Water changes can easily get rid of the tint as well, once you're finished with the leaves.

And as mentioned, I would get a testing kit just in case. Better safe than sorry. If your shrimp are doing alright, it should be okay but still. If there's no big outward signs on the fish then the parameters might be to blame. You can do what I mentioned above though until you get one. Might help if it's not parameters and just low oxygen in the water or something else.

Temp has consistently been 76 throughout summer and winter, and the sponge filter is set up with an airstone.
Thank you all for your help, I tested a few days ago, found that the ammonia was slightly above 0 and everything else was 0, meaning that the cycle broke somehow. I have no idea how.
I’ve moved him into my 40 gallon with my other betta, in a separate mesh breeder box. Parameters in there are perfect. I added concentrated safestart and I suppose I’ll have to wait until my 20 gallon is cycled again to put him back, although I’m a bit worried about stress with him being able to see my other female betta. Though I’m sure that type of stress is better than ammonia burn.
I would love some input as to how the cycle might have broken and how to prevent it from happening in the future. With the few water changes I’ve done in there, I’ve always made sure to keep the media moist so the bacteria will stay alive. I don’t know how else it could have died.
Thank you all for your help! I really appreciate it.