Beta’s Hiding and Acting Strange

[Hammerpgh]

Quick update on this. Both Beta’s are still surviving but still hiding most of the time. The fin rot treatment arrived today and I have administered the first dose.

Neither fish seems to have the fungus/fluff that they previously had but are still either at the top or bottom. One favours the former the other the latter this evening after both spending most of the day at the top close together. They do both seem to like going inside the skulls head. Also every now and then one of other swims quickly up to the surface and then dives back down to hide again.

One does come out to swim about for a short while more than the other.

 

[TNG]

Quick update on this. Both Beta’s are still surviving but still hiding most of the time. The fin rot treatment arrived today and I have administered the first dose.

Neither fish seems to have the fungus/fluff that they previously had but are still either at the top or bottom. One favours the former the other the latter this evening after both spending most of the day at the top close together. They do both seem to like going inside the skulls head. Also every now and then one of other swims quickly up to the surface and then dives back down to hide again.

One does come out to swim about for a short while more than the other.

I hope the treatment works as I haven’t had much success with it.

You’ll need to ensure good aeration of the water as the med could reduce the oxygen content of the water (keep the filter or air stone going). I’d also check ammonia every couple of days, just in case.

 

[Hammerpgh]

I hope the treatment works as I haven’t had much success with it.

You’ll need to ensure good aeration of the water as the med could reduce the oxygen content of the water (keep the filter or air stone going). I’d also check ammonia every couple of days, just in case.

They are still surviving and as mentioned in my last post the fungus seems to have disappeared now. They are still showing the same behaviour though and have been at the top of the tank by the filter arm constantly whenever I check on them since my last post. They swim out to feed so are still eating.

Should I still continue with the water changes while I’m using the medication or would a full change be advisable? It’s also a bit unclear how long I continue using it, do I assume the fin rot/fungus is over now and stop or continue for a few days I did remove the carbon filler prior to using the medication as indicated so assume I leave that it until I stop.

 

[Hammerpgh]

This is the one that seems healthiest and swims around more than the other. As you can see there is no fungus on her but the fins are more closed than before and some like on the tail are now partly gone.

 

[Hammerpgh]

This the other and as you can see she is not looking very good in so far as she has been staying up there all morning. Like the other one she has no visible signs of fungus any longer.

To me that would appear to be a fish struggling to breathe. How do I test whether the water is being aerated enough. That tank came with its own filter which has a small fountain which has been working throughout so I’ve assumed that was all that was needed. Do I need anything else to provide greater aeration?

I’ll be retesting the water this morning.

 

[TNG]

I’m not familiar with med in the UK, but I’d just follow the instruction. I think it will take a few days for the treatment to be effective, but the betta in your first photo looks promising though not the 2nd one. Unless the instruction says otherwise, I’d treat it for around 3 days.

If I change the water, I add med to the new water, based on the volume of new water added of course. I don’t think it matters if it’s partial or a full change.

The carbon should be out until treatment stops. Many (most?) members here remove carbon from their filters anyway.

I wouldn’t test the water for oxygen. If you have a working filter it should be OK. Or change water if you’re worried (with med added to the new water).

 

[Hammerpgh]

Cheers much appreciated. Just tested the water and it’s coming out as fine again.

Just wondering why that second one is struggling much more and seemingly for oxygen. Now she’s dived down to the bottom and hiding somewhere. Amazing they can hide in a small tank but she’s nowhere to be seen for the last ten minutes

I’ll try to get a photo of her swimming around.

 

[Hammerpgh]

Just a quick update..

Both Beta’s are much improved and swimming around the tank much like before this all started. Photo’s attached. The silver/blue one does look in the photo as though it might have some fungus still but it doesn’t. I’m going to continue with the treatment for a short while longer just in case. Fins appear to be growing back which I wasn’t sure would happen.

 

[TNG]

Hope they will fully recover. Honestly, I wasn’t very hopeful seeing how severely infected their fins were, but you did well, treat them just in time.

 

[Hammerpgh]

Well final update on this.. both recovered really well and although initially one was being quite aggressive to the other and chasing her all over the place they settled down and yesterday were happily co-existing together. However, when I got up this morning one was swimming about as normal and the other I couldn’t find. I just thought she was hiding/sleeping as she has tended to do as she likes to swim underneath one of the plants or into the little skull I have in the tank. Put the feed in and still no sign. Left it a while longer and was getting a bit concerned when she was still missing so lifted up the plant and moved the skull only to find she was nowhere to be seen. Looked all around the tank then moved the unit it was standing on and there she was, lying underneath . No idea how she got out
So gutted after getting her back to seemingly good health again! It’s the silver blue one with claret fins that has gone.

 

[Hammerpgh]

Now that I have just the one love female Beta left in my tank what would the advice be in respect of tank mates. I’ve read various places about best mates for her but just interested in whether it is a good move or is she better on her own. Just looks rather lonely in there this last couple of days

 

[Byron]

Now that I have just the one love female Beta left in my tank what would the advice be in respect of tank mates. I’ve read various places about best mates for her but just interested in whether it is a good move or is she better on her own. Just looks rather lonely in there this last couple of days

Leave her alone and she will probably have a healthier and better life. @Essjay went into this earlier in this thread, the advice is still sound. Aggressiveness between these two was undoubtedly the issue you have just gone through, losing the weaker of the two. Things are not going to change.

 

[TNG]

Now that I have just the one love female Beta left in my tank what would the advice be in respect of tank mates. I’ve read various places about best mates for her but just interested in whether it is a good move or is she better on her own. Just looks rather lonely in there this last couple of days

I agree with others in this thread that a betta doesn’t need tank mates.

I have a male betta in a 130L tank and it happily explores the tank on its own. I recently moved ruby barbs from my community tank to its tank, not because the betta needs tank mates, but because the plants and rocks were full of algae and I need the barbs to clean them up. I don’t know if they are happy being in the same tank together, but they leave each other well alone – at least for now. Any problems, I have the option of moving them back to the community tank.

The barbs have done an excellent job though!

 

[Hammerpgh]

Many thanks for all the advice in this thread. Billie does seem to be very happy right now and since the treatment for that fin rot problem is looking in great shape so I will leave her alone for now and perhaps explore the possibility of another task for other fish.