Try To Cure Or Humanly Put To Sleep

Hi!

Little background. I have an established 15 gallon tank that I divided myself, Has two male bettas in it. They settled down long ago. I have a heater in the tank and a water filter set on the very lowest setting.
I also had a separate male betta in a 5 gallon tank.

About a month ago, the one by itself got swim bladder problems and was spinning around in the water with its head up near the top. Tried everything I could think of, from not feeding a few days and giving him a piece of pea. Put him in a shallower tank so he could get around a bit better. But alas he put up a good fight but he lost.

Shortly after that I noticed the one elephant ear betta I had in the larger tank looked.........odd. He would float on his side if he was in the middle of the tank. He now spends most of his time near the top of tank, curved around the corners. I've tried the same things, not feeding, giving him a pea afterwards (which he wouldn't eat or spit out), turning up the heat in the tank. He will eat the 1 pellet I give him if you put it near enough to him that he doesn't have to move to much from the wall. The other betta in the tank is doing fine.

I've done water testing and while it seems that the Ph is a tad high and the ammonia is not quiet zero, everything else seems to be in range. Picture attached.

Is there anything I can do to help poor Twilight, or is it more humane to get some clover oil and put him to sleep.

 

Nitrate might be high, and your pH is pretty high, but trying to lower pH can make things worse, especially if it won't stay down.

How old is the fish?

 

I've had him about 2-3 years now

 

The life span of pet bettas is something like 3-5 years with plenty of accounts going a few years longer. Pet shops sell them generally 6 months to a yearish. Your water looks good to me.

 

If he doesn't perk up soon, it might be time to get out the clove oil, and grain alcohol. He's in the older ages for a Betta.

However, fish can come back from swim bladder injury. Give him some time, and try to reduce current in his area. Just make sure your current reduction doesn't have a negative impact on aeration.

 

Thank you

 

How's he doing?

 

I ended up putting him down. He wasn't getting any better and it broke my heart to watch him like that. Ordered clove oil and sat staring at him for a bit before putting him to sleep. He's better off. I know.

 

Aww, I am sorry to hear that... I had to put down one of my black telescopes, it is hard.