Betta Depression

[ral]

When I took Zuma out of his spawning tank, he was obviously not happy to leave. He mouthed one fry which he released back in his own tank. I did not notice for awhile... but it did not matter cause the good fish did not eat the fry which I was able to return to the fry tank.

Zuma though refused the food I gave him. And was frantic in his tank like he wanted to go back to the fry tank. Yesterday, today less than two days after leaving the spawning tank I find him on his side on the bottom of the tank... in panic a I do careful water change and add some mild meds.... and he looks fine. A few hours later he is back on the bottowm again breathing heavily.

Reading through all the old sites I went thorugh before buying my first betta, and I found this:

DISEASE: UNKNOWN – POSSIBLE DEPRESSION

GENERAL INFO: Sometimes a betta will act sick but not exhibits any symptoms. He could either have internal parasites, or some mild bacterial infection, or simply be depressed. Bettas often become depressed when they are first jarred as young fries, and get separated from their siblings. Also, males often become depressed after spawning. A depressed betta will stop eating and swimming around and may let himself starve to death. This is not as unusual as one may think!

SYMPTOMS: Bettas may or may not have clamped fins, lay at bottom or at surface, not eat, barely swim around. They will not flare or build bubble nests.

TREATMENT: Do a full water change for jars or a 70% water change for tanks. Isolate any suspected sick betta. Add one drop of marOxy or methylene Blue to each gal of water. You may add one drop per 1/2 gal jars and even one drop per 1/4 jars. I have done it a million time and have never lost one betta that way. If the betta was just spawned or just jarred, and it is likely to simply have depression: in the case of a newly jarred young betta, float his jar inside the tank where his siblins still are. This should help him cope with the isolation. In the case of a male who has just been spawned, try floating him inside a tank containing lots of other bettas, females preferably. It has always worked for me. When floating a jar in a larger tank, be careful: if you have a power filter or canister filter the water flow created will slowly but surely pull in the floating jar and once the jar is under the water flow, it will fill up with water and sink, releasing the betta into the tank!! Therefore, make sure the jar is secured somehow and cannot drift.

Betta Talk

Anyway... did the 70%, added the meth blue and removed the divider so he could see his spawning partner, Lema.

He seems fine now but am still worried.

 

[wuvmybetta]

They're never really the same after they spawn, it does sort of drive them a little crazy, especially the "taking away" part,of course this only applies to the 'good daddies'.I always feel sort of bad when they're doing so well and I still pull them anyway. There's nothing you can really do but try to find an entertaining spot for him to stay,maybe put him by a female or new male and shower him with good food. When the kids become old enough to be jarred I always show the male the fry really quick and I know that they know

 

[ral]

One thing I found funny was there were small pieces of java moss in and under the cup... I guess when the fish became free swimming, Zuma took some of it to them for food. Yes, he is a good father... maybe next time I should trust the little guy a let him stay in?

Anyway, showed him his old partner, Galema last night. Was excited for a bit, than was in the bottom of the tank again. So I placed Kimber, a female blue plakat beside him.

This morning I found him building a bubble nest.