Betta behaving differently

[r3n4ud]

Hi! I have a betta that has been in a 10 gallon tank, alone, since this past February. For the past two weeks he's been either staying in his ornamental castle or staying at the bottom of the tank . The color of his fins have been changing to white and continue to do so. Besides that, he doesn't seem to have any disease. I have been treating the water for chlorine/chloromine and only recently been treating water for high pH and have yet to test water for ammonia and nitrate/nitrite.

He eats flakes once a day. I do a 20% water change once a week. His water temperature is at a steady 78 degrees F. Not sure why the little guy has been acting differently these past two weeks. I thought it would be because he wasn't getting enough light, but for the past few days there's been light on him for most of the day. Anyone have any ideas why he's been acting differently? Maybe because I've only started treating the water for pH and have yet to test for ammonia or nitrate/nitrite?

 

[BrookeLea]

was he already full grown in february? maybe he's getting old? maybe the ph treatment is harming him in some way. if he was perfectly fine before you started it, maybe stop and see if he gets better. that would be my best bet. hope he gets better.

 

[r3n4ud]

Not sure how old the little guy is. He was fine until a couple weeks ago. That's when he started acting different and his fins changing to white. That's why I decided I should test the pH and it was high so I bought 'pH decrease'. Since I bought him in February, until beginning of August, I only used chlorine/chloromine water treatment. But since he's been sick, I bought pH test kit and turns out the pH was high. Maybe I should try out the ammonia kit and nitrite/nitrate kit?

 

[BrookeLea]

i don't know for sure, but i think that if you're doing water changes, there should be no amonia nitrite/nitrate problems. unless only doing a 20% water change once a week has caused stuff the build up. i'd suggest doing a 50% water change every couple of days just to freshen the water up without shocking him too much. it might help.

 

[r3n4ud]

I'll try out 50% water changes every few days. Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it!

 

[BrookeLea]

no problem. i hope it helps