Sick Betta... Sick For A Long Time

[Yang Xiong]

I have a betta that I've had for more than a year. Just a few weeks ago it stopped eating as much and have swimming problems. When I feed it food, the betta hangs at the top and have trouble staying at the bottom of the tank, but when I stop feeding for a few days it starts laying at the bottom and have trouble getting air at the top as it sinks without propelling itself. I'm thinking about fasting it. I just changed it to a 10 gallon tank with a heater but no filters. Previously, it was in a 1 gallon tank but I changed it because algae was growing on the walls. I clean the new tank once every week with water changes. I also add aquarium salt. I think my fish my also have popeye. I need help restoring health to the betta. As previously said, it's been like this for a few weeks already!!!

Some pictures:

 

[KimberlyG]

Welcome to Fishlore Yang!
I'll take a better look at the pictures and see what is going on, but many others here can help as well.

He is extremely thin. What do you feed him and how often do you feed him? Does he get anything like frozen blood worms?

 

[Rtessy]

Hi, do you know your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings? Also, why do you add salt? And how do you add it? Do you dissolve it before hand or just throw it in?

 

[Iverg1]

He also looks like he got some dropsy

 

[FishFor2018]

Pictures aren’t the best but I think he either had dropsy SBD. I’m assuming you don’t know water parameters and the tank isn’t cycled so you need to go get a filter you can get the whisper 10I for like $10 then get the freshwater apI mater test kit. Test the water and then post the results on here. Also you may want to add a substrate and some live or silk plants as it keeps betta’s more entertained. If he has dropsy you will need to do twice daily Epsom salt dips and treat his main tank with kanaplex if he has SBD then you need to lower the water level to where it’s just enough to cover him fully and follow these directions but skip step 7 also you don't need to add aquarium salt.

 

[akcarroll12]

I would recommend a gentle sponge filter asap since a bigger filter might be too strong for his weak self. It looks like he is suffering from ammonia. daily water changes 25% everyday for a couple weeks will probably help him a lot. Hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[Yang Xiong]

Sorry I haven't been so up to date on my OWN posts. I was relying on google mail to get notifications from fishlore, but clearly that didn't happen.
I believe the betta doesn't have dropsy, because my goldfishes got dropsy. Betta's scales are also not perked up.
I know, the betta is extremely thin; I've been trying to feed it well but again, whenever I feed it, even small amounts, it gets extremely bloated. I try feeding it about the size of his eyeball in flakes and 2 to three small DRIED(not sure if dried is bad...) bloodworms, twice every day(but obviously I'm not doing that now because it keeps getting bloated).
For the aquarium salt, I just threw it in... it usually dissolves by itself. I put less than a teaspoon of salt for the 10 gallon.
I just changed the water like on the weekend.
FishForCuteness2018 I'll try posting a picture of the whole tank. I have a small hill of substrate, 3 live plants, and a decoration.
I just tested the water and ammonia readings said the water was safe.

Also, should I resume feeding the betta? It is indeed thin and I'm trying my best to decide between bloat or starvation.

 

[FerretsLover]

First thing first, welcome !
I will second what most people said here, he needs a filter in a 10. With slow current, an ajustable one is the best. You should also try to feed him little pellets instead of flakes, it's easier to feed him rigth, and skip the dried bloodworms for a while that's probably what's make him bloated. And because he is to thin, I will give him 3 or 4 pellets per day, in 2 or 3 feedings.
Also for the salt, never put it directly in the tank. You have to dissolve it first in a cup with your tank water, and then pour it slowly. But in his case I don't think it does anything for him
..
Also, where did you get your 'ammonia' safe reading? Safe level are 0. Just 0. Without a filter or any media to hold the beneficial bacterias, i'm pretty sure his tank is not sable at all. Small water changes (with water conditionner) every day is what I would also do to help him!

Oh and he needs another heater. That you can manually change the temperature. This one is for 5 gallons max, and even for a 5 it's not really reliable, I have the same for my princesses guppies in they 5 gallons tank.

 

[Rtessy]

How long does he stay bloated after feeding? Freeze dried bloodworms can contribute to bloating, so maybe cut back on those and just try pellets for a while. Bloodworms should only be fed once or twice a week as a treat

 

[Yang Xiong]

Okay, but I don't have any pellets in hand right now, so I'll just put 2 to three flakes in. I think that maybe it is the freeze dried bloodworms because I feed them to the betta every day. I have an airstone, should I put that in also?

 

[Rtessy]

Okay, but I don't have any pellets in hand right now, so I'll just put 2 to three flakes in. I think that maybe it is the freeze dried bloodworms because I feed them to the betta every day. I have an airstone, should I put that in also?

An airstone won't hurt, but probably isn't necessary. How long does he stay bloated for? A few hours? A few days?

 

[Yang Xiong]

Usually stay bloated for 1 to two days

 

[KimberlyG]

I would stop feeding the freeze dried blood worms. They probably expand when ingested. The flakes should be fine. I have one betta that only gets flakes and occasionally frozen blood worms (totally different than freeze dried). He can not eat pellets. He was a floater that looked skinnier than your guy. I fed pellets and after each feeding, he would be back floating at the top on his side. He could only get to the bottom after epsom salt baths. Took me several days to corrilate things. He has not "floated" once since feeding flakes. Those tiny little pellets expand a lot once ingested. If I had another betta who was experiencing bloating, he would also be getting flakes instead of pellets.

 

[Yang Xiong]

Thank you to everyone who helped me or commented back!!!