Haiku
Fishaholic
Hello to everyone. I'd like to start off saying I've been reading here a few days now and have enjoyed the vast amount of information I have taken in. I have had bettas off and on in the past but it has been a few years now since my last one. I had been thinking about getting another betta for awhile, and last weekend on Saturday, I got a beautiful blue/white betta boy from the pet store. I named him Haiku. I had him in a half-gallon tank that I had used before, but after reading more here I realized he'd be happier in something bigger, so the next day I went and got a 3-gallon Eclipse system. Saturday and Sunday he was very curious, active, and ate the Bio-Gold pellets I got him. Sunday, using instructions posted here, I transferred him to his bigger tank. He seemed very happy at first, swimming around and eating heartily when I dropped a pellet in.
Monday, I started noticing a change. He seemed to slow down, was less curious, and was not interested in food. His tank temperature was around 72, but I thought perhaps he'd perk up if it was a bit warmer so I went and got a mini heater, and also picked up some frozen blood worms (Hikari brand). His tank temperature is a steady 75-76 now. I have used stress coat, some aquarium salt (as directed on the box for fresh water fish), and a bit of Aquari-Sol for preventative measures. His water tests out at a Ph of about 7.6.
He's progressively gotten more listless over the day Monday and Tuesday. By last night he was resting the majority of the time with spurts of swimming around for maybe 5 minutes or so. I put up a mirror to see if he would flare at all and he did, but I put it away right away as I didn't want to stress him. Today, for the third day now, he refuses any food at all. He's to the point where he's resting 100% of the time except to briefly go up for air and then settle back in his spot. He shows no signs of obvious illness, no swollen body, no white Ich spots, no gasping or distress, no tightly clamped fins, no signs of fin rot or fungus of any kind.. I'm really stumped! I was thinking perhaps all the moves and changes might just have him stressed, but it seems odd that he would go from the fish he was this weekend to the fish he is now... and in a steady decline.
I'm looking for any ideas on what else I can do or what else might be wrong with him. I feel so distressed because I feel like it must be something I'm doing wrong
. I've thought about giving him a water change but I'm afraid of stressing him even more, but I just don't know what else to do at this point. I feel another couple days like this and he will be gone
A couple pics of him before...
And all he does now...
Thanks in advance.
Monday, I started noticing a change. He seemed to slow down, was less curious, and was not interested in food. His tank temperature was around 72, but I thought perhaps he'd perk up if it was a bit warmer so I went and got a mini heater, and also picked up some frozen blood worms (Hikari brand). His tank temperature is a steady 75-76 now. I have used stress coat, some aquarium salt (as directed on the box for fresh water fish), and a bit of Aquari-Sol for preventative measures. His water tests out at a Ph of about 7.6.
He's progressively gotten more listless over the day Monday and Tuesday. By last night he was resting the majority of the time with spurts of swimming around for maybe 5 minutes or so. I put up a mirror to see if he would flare at all and he did, but I put it away right away as I didn't want to stress him. Today, for the third day now, he refuses any food at all. He's to the point where he's resting 100% of the time except to briefly go up for air and then settle back in his spot. He shows no signs of obvious illness, no swollen body, no white Ich spots, no gasping or distress, no tightly clamped fins, no signs of fin rot or fungus of any kind.. I'm really stumped! I was thinking perhaps all the moves and changes might just have him stressed, but it seems odd that he would go from the fish he was this weekend to the fish he is now... and in a steady decline.
I'm looking for any ideas on what else I can do or what else might be wrong with him. I feel so distressed because I feel like it must be something I'm doing wrong
. I've thought about giving him a water change but I'm afraid of stressing him even more, but I just don't know what else to do at this point. I feel another couple days like this and he will be gone A couple pics of him before...
And all he does now...
Thanks in advance.
/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=80914
. That seemed weird. I did not see live bloodworms but I didn't really look because I thought I read they can carry parasites. I'm hoping he'll perk up in the next few days.. at least he doesn't seem as stressed as he was. He ignored the frozen bloodworms I offered him too. 
They're usually in little styrofoam boxes. I don't buy mine from Petco, though, I buy mine from the other fish stores I frequent.
