Tank is not doing well!

Hello, I would really appreciate some help! Here is some general info before I get into the backstory:
Tank size: 10 gallon
tank age: 10-11 months
pH: 7.6 ish
ammonia: 0 ppm
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
kH: 120
gH: 150
tank temp: 74-75 degrees Farenheit.

Fish Symptoms: This is a tiny (like less than 2 inches) female betta from Petco, and I've had her for less than six months. She is my profile picture btw. With that picture in mind, think of her now with barely any finnage left and pale in color, laying at the bottom of her tank. She still eats, but she was struggling to fit the tiny pellets into her mouth last time I fed her (and her belly looks terribly swollen after feeding).

Volume and Frequency of water changes: I usually do a one gallon water change every other week, considering it's only her in a planted, 10 gal. especially when my nitrate levels have been steady at 0 for over 5 months.

I add no chemicals, additives, or meds to my tank. Also, when my betta is sick, I move her to a one gal hospital tank. She is in this now, with aquarium salt and catappa leaves added to it. She's been in this setup for almost two weeks already with no improvements.

The only other inhabitants are some cherry shrimp, which are also lethargic and hiding even though my betta isn't in the tank. I've only had the shrimp for a few weeks, and I bought them from a seller on ebay as juveniles. I had bought 10-11, but three have died within the last few days, and I can only ever see one or two shrimp (if I'm even that lucky to spot them in the first place).

I have been fighting this mystery disease for over a month now with my betta, for she had been making a turn around, and so returned to her tank, but is not doing well again. I really don't want to lose another betta, so please help me!

Also, here is a picture of my set up. As you can tell, there is lots of growth for the shrimp to eat on, so they can't be dying from starvation. And, the dead shrimp looked almost bloated, and one that wasn't doing well last night couldn't seem to make their legs work for some reason. Hope this helps. Thanks!

Morganna said:

I add no chemicals, additives, or meds to my tank.

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Not even a water conditioner?

What kind of test kit are you using?

Someone who set me up with fish told me that dechlorinators aren't neccessary as long as you let the water sit out for a while (few hours to a day, depending on the volume of water) and then the chlorine would evaporate. I use Tetras AquaSafe Plus when I need to do an emergency water exchange though, and when my tank used to be more heavily stocked (before this current betta and the shrimp) I would sometimes use Tetra's Easy Balance Plus.
As for test kit, I used to use Tetra's strips, but I ran out and am now using a different test strip (I don't remember the brand). I use API's Ammonia test kit for ammonia though.
Hope that helps and thank you for replying!

Have you tried increasing your water change volume and frequency? Clean water can do wonders for fish and help with fin regrowth.

I will try that! But how can I tell when my water is clean enough when it's already at 0 for the nitrites and nitrates?

Morganna said:

I will try that! But how can I tell when my water is clean enough when it's already at 0 for the nitrites and nitrates?

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Water changes remove many microorganisms and replenish minerals that are important for fish and especially shrimp. It's not just about keeping nitrates low. I personally believe that one should do weekly WCs of no less than 50%. More when you notice you have sick fish.

Yep, there are a lot of things in water that we don't and can't test for. But fresh, clean water tends to be the best medicine!

Is there any change the tank water is getting contaminated somehow? This could be many things, someone spraying air freshener in the same room, using cleaning products near the tank or on the outside glass that then gets transferred, someone using a fish bucket for some other cleaning chemical, or hand sanitiser on hands that have gone into the tank are all potential contaminants.

Anything new added to the tank recently? I lost a lot of shrimp by getting some new plants that had been grown abroad, and were legally required to be sprayed or dipped with anti-snail treatment before being imported into the EU. This didn't pose a problem for fish, but it was fatal for shrimp by preventing them from moulting properly.

Morganna said:

Someone who set me up with fish told me that dechlorinators aren't neccessary as long as you let the water sit out for a while (few hours to a day, depending on the volume of water) and then the chlorine would evaporate. I use Tetras AquaSafe Plus when I need to do an emergency water exchange though, and when my tank used to be more heavily stocked (before this current betta and the shrimp) I would sometimes use Tetra's Easy Balance Plus.
As for test kit, I used to use Tetra's strips, but I ran out and am now using a different test strip (I don't remember the brand). I use API's Ammonia test kit for ammonia though.
Hope that helps and thank you for replying!

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If your tap water is treated with chlorine, this is true...chlorine will "gas off" after a few days

If your tap water is treated with chloramine, it WILL NOT gas off, and is poisoning your fish

Most US tap water is treated with chloramine, nowadays

Get either Seachem Prime, or API Tap Water conditioner, and do a large water change, ASAP, following the directions on the conditioner

Get an API Freshwater Master test kit ASAP, as well...run tests for ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte, and post those results here

I will do some conditioned water changes, thanks for the feedback! No, nothing new added to the tank, except for the christmas moss attached to some rocks using glue that is supposed to be safe for aquarium use. The rocks have been in the aquarium since it has been set up, and the moss was added a day or two before the shrimp did.
Thank y'all so much for your responsiveness, it's been really helpful!
I will update if anything changes.

Slaphppy7 said:

If your tap water is treated with chlorine, this is true...chlorine will "gas off" after a few days

If your tap water is treated with chloramine, it WILL NOT gas off, and is poisoning your fish

Most US tap water is treated with chloramine, nowadays

Get either Seachem Prime, or API Tap Water conditioner, and do a large water change, ASAP, following the directions on the conditioner

Get an API Freshwater Master test kit ASAP, as well...run tests for ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte, and post those results here

Click to expand...

GOOD CALL! I was going to suggest pretty much the same but you beat me to it.

Still I would advise using a conditioner that removes chlorine/chloramine that does not include Aloe Vera to replace slime coating such as Stress Coat as it is free floating and can, over time, inhibit the gill functions.

Contact your water company via phone or website and see if they add chlorine or chloramine to the drinking water.

Chlorine is just that chlorine, and will gas out by itself after 24 hours or so, preferably with aeration.

Chloramine is a mixture of chlorine and ammonia and does not gas off. They mix ammonia with the chlorine so the chloramine can keep water free of microscopic organisms for longer (usually months). You need to use a dechlorinator to break the chlorine and ammonia bond, and neutralise the chlorine. Then you end up with free ammonia in the water, which the plants and filter bacteria can use.

Some dechlorinators that are designed for chloramine will convert the free ammonia into ammonium, which is not as toxic to fish. This allows the filter bacteria time to convert the ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate.

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Pictures and video of the fish and shrimp so we can check them for disease?
If you use a mobile phone, hold the phone horizontally so the images and footage fill the entire screen. Check pictures on your computer to make sure they are in focus before uploading here.

You can upload videos to YouTube, then copy & paste the link here.

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BASIC FIRST AID FOR FISH
Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge. This removes the biofilm on the glass and the biofilm will contain lots of harmful bacteria, fungus, protozoans and various other microscopic life forms.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week or until the problem is identified. The water changes and gravel cleaning will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in. It also removes a lot of the gunk and this means any medication can work on treating the fish instead of being wasted killing the pathogens in the gunk.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration to maximise the dissolved oxygen in the water.

I agree with other members regarding increasing water changes and using a Dechlorinator.
Do you clean the gravel/substrate?
Do you have a filter? If not, the water changes need to be every day or every other day.
The temperature is cool for the betta, she will prefer 78-80°.

Yes, I have sponge filter. I am now using dechlorinator in water changes, and will from now on. I clean my sand the best that I can using my turkey baster. I did a 50% water change yesterday in the ten gal, and a 100% water change in my betta's hospital tank.
My last remaining shrimp decided to just sit around, making a video kinda boring, so I'll just do a photo. I will mention that her color is quite a bit deeper than the others had been. Also, I can describe the dead ones (if it isn't too graphic for this thread): they were still red, they didn't turn clear or white like I thought they would have. And they appeared oddly bloated, so could it have been that they were failing to molt?

I need a clear picture of the fish (make sure it's in focus).

Does the fish have lighter parts on her body?
If yes, has she always had them?

She has excess mucous all over her fins. This is an indication something in the water is irritating her. Medications, plant fertiliser and poor water quality can all cause this.

Need a clear picture of the shrimp too. Check pictures on the computer before posting so you know they are in focus.