Sick betta, not eating, lethargic

Hello! My betta, Monet, has been very lethargic for about a week and has stopped eating. She spends her time lying at the bottom of the tank and hardly changing locations. I noticed what looks to be hole-in-head, and started giving her API general cure 3 days ago. She had her second dose last night.
I'm not sure it's helping much, and I don't know what to do next. I tried giving her a piece of all her usual foods and freeze-dried bloodworms just now but she refused to eat. She's so weak and thin.
Now there's a fuzzy growth on her side too...

She's in a 5 gallon hospital tank with an airstone, some driftwood to hide behind, and some floating frogbit and java moss to make it more cozy. The ammonia and nitrite readings are 0 and the nitrate is very low, about 3.

Any help very appreciated! Thank you.

 

Hi, and welcome to Fishlore!

So sorry your betta is not doing well!!

Unfortunately, once a betta gets to the point where they are not eating, are laying at the bottom, not swimming or moving, it is hard to bring them back to good health. Bettas are so genetically weak now due to over breading, that they often times have weak immune systems, especailly those that are bought from big chain pet stores.

You can try to soak her food in some garlic juice to see if you can coax her to eat. Garlic is used for picky eaters and can boost immune systems. You can soak some garlic in water and make it yourself, or you can buy a jar of cut garlic at any grocery store, and soak the food in that liquid.

Based on your pics only, I am not really seeing hole in the head. I do see the spot on her side. To me, that is looking more like maybe columnaris than anything else. I could be wrong, but again, I am basing this on the photo alone. Columnaris is sometimes confused with a fungal outbreak because it can look similar. Here is a link to an article about columnaris and how to treat it. Read it and see if this might be what's going on with your beautiful betta girl.

Columnaris Symptoms And Treatment | Freshwater Fish Disease and Health Forum

For any body issue, my two go to treatments are aquarium salt and methylene blue baths. For methylene blue, I set up a bucket with a gallon of treated, heated tank water. I add one ml of methylene blue along with some aquarium salt, and let the betta in the bath for 30 minutes. Methylene blue will stain everything, so it you want to try it, just be aware that it will stain everything from your fingers, clothes, counter top, and the container that you use for the bath.

I hope this helps a little, and I hope that she gets better soon!!!!

 

Thank you! I will try the garlic and methylene blue + aquarium salt today.

She is breathing slowly and relaxedly, but now lying on her side hiding partially under a piece of driftwood, hasn't moved since last night.

Thanks for the columnaris description too. I'm not sure if it is that, since she's having no trouble breathing, but maybe so.
I want to do whatever I can to help her get better, or at least help her be comfortable.
Almost wonder if it would cause her more stress than it's worth to move her to the soaking bath, but I think better to have tried, in case it does help.

 

If you want, just try one bath to see how she reacts. If she is too stressed, then don't do any more after that.

And I think that I would stop the General Cure if there isn't any improvement.

I would do daily water changes to keep her water pristine. You could also add some aquarium salt to the tank. Using it for two weeks won't be detrimental to the plants. Just follow the dosing instructions, and only put back what you might take out with the water changes, not adding a full dose every time. Since the only way to remove aquarium salt is through water changes, it can build up over time if you put back a full dose instead of a partial dose. So if you change out 25% of the water, only add back 25% or less of a dose.

I do hope she bounces back soon!

 

I really appreciate your help in coming up with a plan to help her. I'll try these.
I also found Hikari's Betta Revive, but the soonest I could get it is next Monday. It had very good reviews about helping fish doing very poorly, and possibly it would be of use to her.
I'll see what happens after the bath!

 

There is more "fluff" on her body now, and I'm suspecting columnaris. Kanaplex and a medicine with nitrofurazone? So many things....

 

There is more "fluff" on her body now, and I'm suspecting columnaris. Kanaplex and a medicine with nitrofurazone? So many things....

Yes I think it’s Columnaris, as she is forming a “saddle”, a common symptom of Columnaris. Raise the temperature to 82F to help kill the fungus and add Kanaplex and Nitrofurazone according to the box (sometimes people sell plain Nitrofurazone if you can’t find medicine including it). Give her food coated in Kanaplex and drenched in garlic juice as well, it gives you a greater chance of her eating and recovering. Also do daily water changes (around 20-30%), Columnaris tends to stick around in the water and may reinfect your fish once she recovers from the illness. I wish you the best of luck with your betta baby.

 

Yes I think it’s Columnaris, as she is forming a “saddle”, a common symptom of Columnaris. Raise the temperature to 82F to help kill the fungus and add Kanaplex and Nitrofurazone according to the box (sometimes people sell plain Nitrofurazone if you can’t find medicine including it). Give her food coated in Kanaplex and drenched in garlic juice as well, it gives you a greater chance of her eating and recovering. Also do daily water changes (around 20-30%), Columnaris tends to stick around in the water and may reinfect your fish once she recovers from the illness. I wish you the best of luck with your betta baby.

Hi Bluugourami,

To treat columnaris, you must lower the temp to about 75 degrees, very slowly. The bacteria thrives in warm water. The rest of your recommendations are spot on.

I really appreciate your help in coming up with a plan to help her. I'll try these.
I also found Hikari's Betta Revive, but the soonest I could get it is next Monday. It had very good reviews about helping fish doing very poorly, and possibly it would be of use to her.
I'll see what happens after the bath!

Betta Revive does have methylene blue as one of its ingredients. It also has neomycin (broad spectrum antibiotic for external lesions, mild infections and maybe fin rot) and some malachite green, which is used as an antifungal. I think that this product is helpful in mild cases, but am unsure how effective it will be in an advanced case. The % of actual medicine is rather low dose, with there being less than 10% of neomycin and less than .5% methylene blue.

Depending on where you are located (USA vs. other country), Kanaplex can be found in most pet stores in the US. And for the nitrofurazone, as the article states, is an ingredient in both Tetra Fungus Guard or Jungle Fungus Clear (I think I have seen the Jungle product at my local Wal-Mart). Or the powder is sold at some fish stores or you can find it on-line.

I absolutely know how heart-breaking it can be to have a very sick betta and not be able to do much about it. I don't want to be pessimistic, but fish with advanced cases usually do not survive the illness. It's a hard thing to fight, so before investing in any more meds, you might want to consider euthanizing. I'm sorry to even suggest it, but there comes a point where nothing you do will help, and the fish has no quality of life left. At that point, it is more humane to euthanize than to continue to try to medicate.

If you want info about how to humanely euthanize, I can help you with that....

 

Yes I think it’s Columnaris. Raise the temperature to 82F to help kill the fungus and add Kanaplex and Nitrofurazone according to the box (sometimes people sell plain Nitrofurazone if you can’t find medicine including it). Also give her food coated in Kanaplex and drenched in garlic juice, as it gives you a greater chance of her eating and recovering. Also do daily water changes (around 20-30%), Columnaris tends to stick around in the water and may reinfect your fish once she recovers from the illness. I wish you the best of luck with your betta baby.

Yes I think it’s Columnaris, as she is forming a “saddle”, a common symptom of Columnaris. Raise the temperature to 82F to help kill the fungus and add Kanaplex and Nitrofurazone according to the box (sometimes people sell plain Nitrofurazone if you can’t find medicine including it). Also give her food coated in Kanaplex and drenched in garlic juice, as it gives you a greater chance of her eating and recovering. Also do daily water changes (around 20-30%), Columnaris tends to stick around in the water and may reinfect your fish once she recovers from the illness. I wish you the best of luck with your betta baby.

Hi Bluugourami,

To treat columnaris, you must lower the temp to about 75 degrees, very slowly. The bacteria thrives in warm water. The rest of your recommendations are spot on.


Betta Revive does have methylene blue as one of its ingredients. It also has neomycin (broad spectrum antibiotic for external lesions, mild infections and maybe fin rot) and some malachite green, which is used as an antifungal. I think that this product is helpful in mild cases, but am unsure how effective it will be in an advanced case. The % of actual medicine is rather low dose, with there being less than 10% of neomycin and less than .5% methylene blue.

Depending on where you are located (USA vs. other country), Kanaplex can be found in most pet stores in the US. And for the nitrofurazone, as the article states, is an ingredient in both Tetra Fungus Guard or Jungle Fungus Clear (I think I have seen the Jungle product at my local Wal-Mart). Or the powder is sold at some fish stores or you can find it on-line.

I absolutely know how heart-breaking it can be to have a very sick betta and not be able to do much about it. I don't want to be pessimistic, but fish with advanced cases usually do not survive the illness. It's a hard thing to fight, so before investing in any more meds, you might want to consider euthanizing. I'm sorry to even suggest it, but there comes a point where nothing you do will help, and the fish has no quality of life left. At that point, it is more humane to euthanize than to continue to try to medicate.

If you want info about how to humanely euthanize, I can help you with that....

Ah sorry, I forgot. I haven’t treated sick fish in a while. Usually fungus is killed in warmer water so that’s why I recommended raising the temperature. My bad!

 

She's doing worse today, laying completely on her side, and it feels like this is the end. I've decided to stop trying medicines and let her go peacefully. She really liked the pleco she lived with before I moved her to the hospital tank, so I think I'll move her to a jar I can float in that tank so they can be somewhat "together" as she goes. If you know any ways to make this easier for her, I'd be glad to hear them, and I'll keep in mind everything you've said for possible future illnesses. <3

Update: She passed in the last 30 minutes. I'm glad she's not suffering anymore. Thank you so much for your help, it means a lot to me.

Here is a picture from some months ago, of her happy~

 

She's doing worse today, laying completely on her side, and it feels like this is the end. I've decided to stop trying medicines and let her go peacefully. She really liked the pleco she lived with before I moved her to the hospital tank, so I think I'll move her to a jar I can float in that tank so they can be somewhat "together" as she goes. If you know any ways to make this easier for her, I'd be glad to hear them, and I'll keep in mind everything you've said for possible future illnesses. <3

Update: She passed in the last 30 minutes. I'm glad she's not suffering anymore. Thank you so much for your help, it means a lot to me.

Here is a picture from some months ago, of her happy~

Wow I’m so sorry for your loss. Betta fish are some of the most personable fish I’ve kept. They’re always so charismatic and smart. It’s sad that you have to deal with losing your beautiful girl. I’m glad that she had a owner that loves her even in her last moments. RIP betta baby.

 

I'm so sorry.

 

So sorry for your loss!!! She was a beautiful little girl!!! And you did everything that you could for her...