Suddenly sick Betta. Not sure what to do next.

Tank
What is the water volume of the tank?
5 Gallon tank
How long has the tank been running? 1&1/2 months.
Does it have a filter?
Yes.
Does it have a heater?
Yes.
What is the water temperature?
78 degrees
What is the entire stocking of this tank? One Male Betta


Maintenance
How often do you change the water?
2 to 3 times a week.
How much of the water do you change?
20 to 30 percent.
What do you use to treat your water?
API water conditioner.
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the
water?
I vacuum the substrate once a week.

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? Yes. For one week.
What do you use to test the water?
API water master testing kit.
What are your parameters?
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10-20
pH:7.8

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? Once a day.
How much do you feed your fish? Two to three pellets.
What brand of food do you feed your fish? Zoomed
Do you feed frozen? No
Do you feed freeze-dried foods? No

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish? About a month and a half
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? A week ago.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms? Lethargic, not eating, barely swimming, hiding among the plants at the bottom of the tank or just laying on the bottom of the tank. Sometimes will start to tilt funny when laying on the bottom of the tank.
Have you started any treatment for the illness? No
Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? Not that I could see. Got it from someone who was going to flush him because they were moving and couldn’t keep him.
How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? He used to swim and eat wonderfully very active. His color looks less vibrant if that makes sense.

He seemed to be doing well. I bought a 5 gallon tank because he was in a bowl and cycled for a week like the fish store told me too before adding him to his new home. I gave him a little hiding spot along with fake plants to make it more homey for him. He did well at first swam around. Would watch me cook, and seemed happy. About a week ago he was just sitting at the bottom of the tank. He wouldn’t eat. He hasn’t eat all week. His coloring seemed dull, he’s definitely not happy. I bought a API master test kit to check the water just in case. Everything seems ok except the PH is a little high I think. He doesn’t have any damage to the fins, no spots or discoloring. Nothing noticeable that I can see. Yesterday he started tipping to his side at the bottom of the tank. He’s only swam around once today other than that he just sits at the bottom.

I don’t know what else to check or what to do to make him comfortable or not suffer.

 

could you add a picture? seeing the fish helps a lot.
Cycling the tank for one week isn't long enough. it usually takes around 3-4 weeks for a tank to be fully cycled. fish stores sometimes give you misinformation which sucks. happened to me a couple of times.

 

could you add a picture? seeing the fish helps a lot.
Cycling the tank for one week isn't long enough. it usually takes around 3-4 weeks for a tank to be fully cycled. fish stores sometimes give you misinformation which sucks. happened to me a couple of times.

I will try to get him to move and get a picture he’s at the back of the tank now.
Here he is.

 

I will try to get him to move and get a picture he’s at the back of the tank now.
Here he is.

Poor guy's going through it.
Like the above said, 3-4 weeks is usually how long it takes. Sometimes longer.
But that pH is kinda high for him.
7.0 (neutral) is best.
You ought to do another test of the water to double check your other levels.
Bettas are very particular about their water, and they let you know, the way you're experiencing it now.

 

Ok. I can do that. I’ve tested the water three days in a row. It’s about the same every time.
How do I lower the PH level?
Will it kill him?? I don’t have a different tank to move him too I’m afraid messing with him will make it worse.

Poor guy's going through it.
Like the above said, 3-4 weeks is usually how long it takes. Sometimes longer.
But that pH is kinda high for him.
7.0 (neutral) is best.
You ought to do another test of the water to double check your other levels.
Bettas are very particular about their water, and they let you know, the way you're experiencing it now.

 

However he looks pretty good. Maybe something in the tank is causing stress?
Could you post a photo of the tank?
I'm not too sure on how to lower pH but I know it's best to do it slowly.

 

Poor little baby! He's so pretty, and it was great that you took him on instead of letting him get flushed (that's just cruel). So sorry you are going through this!!!

Sounds like the water parameters are good, and you are doing all that you can.

You can add some Indian almond leaves to his tank. They release tannins, which will tint the water brown, but these tannins contain some slight antibacterial and antifungal properties. Bettas love the stuff, and it will lower the ph a tad.

I have found that bettas will adjust to the ph of your tap water, even if the ph is high. It is better to let them adust rather than chase ph levels.

I would feed him more, if he starts eating again. Three pellets a day doesn't sound like enough, unless the pellets are large. You could try soaking his pellets in garlic juice. It's used for picky eaters, and you can find garlic soaking in water in most grocery stores, or you could make your own, if you have some garlic. Garlic is an immune system booster, too.

There are other pellets out there that have a higher protein content and lower filler rate. I feed my guy Omega One betta buffet pellets, Fluval bug bites, or North Fin betta pellets. New Life Spectrum has something called New Life Spectrum Thera +A, which is laced with garlic.

I would keep up with the frequent water changes, and check your parameters often, like you are already doing. Prime water conditioner is good because it will hold the toxicity of low levels of ammonia and nitrite while the tank is cycling. It also allows you to overdose if needed. You could also add a little aquarium salt to the tank. It helps with breathing, osmoregulation, and gas exchange processes.

I hope this helps a little! So many illnesses have his symptoms in common, so it's hard to tell you exactly what is wrong. I hope he bounces back soon!!!

 

However he looks pretty good. Maybe something in the tank is causing stress?
Could you post a photo of the tank?
I'm not too sure on how to lower pH but I know it's best to do it slowly.

Here is a picture of the tank.

 

Is there enough water agitation?

 

Thank you for all the tips. I was given a very small bubbler do you think exchanging some of his decorations for the bubbler would help him? Or do him more harm? I’m afraid to mess with him to much since I’m not sure what I’m doing.

Poor little baby! He's so pretty, and it was great that you took him on instead of letting him get flushed (that's just cruel). So sorry you are going through this!!!

Sounds like the water parameters are good, and you are doing all that you can.

You can add some Indian almond leaves to his tank. They release tannins, which will tint the water brown, but these tannins contain some slight antibacterial and antifungal properties. Bettas love the stuff, and it will lower the ph a tad.

I have found that bettas will adjust to the ph of your tap water, even if the ph is high. It is better to let them adust rather than chase ph levels.

I would feed him more, if he starts eating again. Three pellets a day doesn't sound like enough, unless the pellets are large. You could try soaking his pellets in garlic juice. It's used for picky eaters, and you can find garlic soaking in water in most grocery stores, or you could make your own, if you have some garlic. Garlic is an immune system booster, too.

There are other pellets out there that have a higher protein content and lower filler rate. I feed my guy Omega One betta buffet pellets, Fluval bug bites, or North Fin betta pellets. New Life Spectrum has something called New Life Spectrum Thera +A, which is laced with garlic.

I would keep up with the frequent water changes, and check your parameters often, like you are already doing. Prime water conditioner is good because it will hold the toxicity of low levels of ammonia and nitrite while the tank is cycling. It also allows you to overdose if needed. You could also add a little aquarium salt to the tank. It helps with breathing, osmoregulation, and gas exchange processes.

I hope this helps a little! So many illnesses have his symptoms in common, so it's hard to tell you exactly what is wrong. I hope he bounces back soon!!!

Is there enough water agitation?

There is very little. I have the filter but the way it runs it doesn’t move the water much. Was given a small bubbler it’s a castle with a hiding place for a betta I was debating switching out some of the decorations for the bubbler to see if it helps. But I also afraid it’ll stress him more and kill him.

 

A small bubbler will help to add oxygen to the tank. As long as it doesn't push him around, I think it's a good idea.

 

A small bubbler will help to add oxygen to the tank. As long as it doesn't push him around, I think it's a good idea.

I added this one when I cleaned his tank today. He doesn’t seem to mind it. I can adjust the flow of bubbles if I notice it’s to strong.

 

I added this one when I cleaned his tank today. He doesn’t seem to mind it. I can adjust the flow of bubbles if I notice it’s to strong.

do you see any change at all?

 

do you see any change at all?

He seemed to be swimming around a bit more after I added the bubbler. He would swim around and up to the top then lay down at the bottom. Then swim a tiny bit more and lay down. He still is ignoring food I tried to get him to eat but ended up having to remove the food since he wouldn’t touch it.

 

He seemed to be swimming around a bit more after I added the bubbler. He would swim around and up to the top then lay down at the bottom. Then swim a tiny bit more and lay down. He still is ignoring food I tried to get him to eat but ended up having to remove the food since he wouldn’t touch it.

I think that he needs some time then. did you add the almond leaves, or not?

 

I think that he needs some time then. did you add the almond leaves, or not?

Not yet I need to go to the pet store today and see if they have some if they don’t order them online.

 

The pet store didn’t have any almond leaves so I’ll be ordering that online. However when I got home this evening he was sitting at the top of the tank like taking air from outside the water. I checked his water levels
PH 7.4 (was at 7.8 so slightly lower)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 40-80 range.
So I did another water change. (I did one yesterday as well and vacuumed the substrate on the bottom of the tank) both water changes were around 40%-50%.
why is my Nitrite and Nitrate going up so fast? Will water changes help? He is still not eating I had to scoop his food out again this morning. We are on day 8 or 9 of not eating. I’m a little stressed feel like I’m failing the poor little man.

 

The pet store didn’t have any almond leaves so I’ll be ordering that online. However when I got home this evening he was sitting at the top of the tank like taking air from outside the water. I checked his water levels
PH 7.4 (was at 7.8 so slightly lower)
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0.25
Nitrate 40-80 range.
So I did another water change. (I did one yesterday as well and vacuumed the substrate on the bottom of the tank) both water changes were around 40%-50%.
why is my Nitrite and Nitrate going up so fast? Will water changes help? He is still not eating I had to scoop his food out again this morning. We are on day 8 or 9 of not eating. I’m a little stressed feel like I’m failing the poor little man.

It looks like the tank is cycling. its at the last stage, but you should probably do water changes every day. do you add any beneficial bacteria?

 

Yes with every water change.

It looks like the tank is cycling. its at the last stage, but you should probably do water changes every day. do you add any beneficial bacteria?

 

Yes with every water change.

good. that should definitely help the cycling process

 

A week is too short for a cycle unless you have existing bacterial from substrate or filters to "seed" the tank. If you're seeing Nitrites you're at the home stretch though. And from what you're saying that makes perfect sense. Nitrites make it hard to breathe as it messes up oxygen binding in the blood. It does more damage the longer they're exposed to it. If you're using prime you can buffer the nitrites using the directions on the bottle. This doesn't seem to be a popular opinion but I don't change water if I am dosing prime or Safe because of what these water conditioners do. I check water everyday and dose prime every 24 hours to account for the nitrites. The bubbler will definitely help him as well. But your prime bottle will at least remove the stress and health issues he will have from the nitrites. I change the water when I see Nitrites climb to 20 or I see Nitrates climb to 40+. Again it's a tight rope you walk but it seems like he is struggling there. This will allow your tank to cycle faster and you to do less water changes. More Nitrites in the water, more food for the cycle to complete quickly. Just remember a 50% water change brings your toxins down by half so at .25 Nitrite you will still have .13 nitrite which is still toxic. That's why I just keep the water in there and use prime. Your betta looks just like mine and I've got MTS cycling multiple tanks at once. Haven't lost any fish yet to Ammonia or Nitrite yet. No signs of stress either. Also since your Betta has the same colors as mine, make sure you check the stress stripes that appear along his face and sides as he gets stressed due to whatever he doesn't like. It's a good indicator you need to change something.