Betta Is Acting Strange

[saradactyl]

I just joined here and am glad to find so many people who like bettas.

I have a beautiful crowntail betta and his name is Davis, and I would love to post a picture but he has been hiding a LOT lately. (The only one I have right now is a cell phone one of him being weird.)
I have had him for almost a year now. With this last water change he can no longer be found. He is almost ALWAYS behind the tank filter now.
He hasn't really been eating for a few days(and he used to eat everything I put in the tank, the second it went into the tank.)
He's always rested on this little suction cup leaf on the side of his tank until now. Now he's chosen to hide behind the filter or lay flat on the bottom.
I don't know if he's suffering any physical symptoms because he is so hard to see and won't ever come out of hiding. I have noticed that he has stopped building his bubble nests too, but he still flares up at me when I come near as of yesterday.

I just feel like he's acting strange, but I haven't changed his food, the type of water, or any new plant life or decorations. The filters I have always been buying did change a bit and I hate them now, but I can't image that would be a huge difference. Does he just need something new and interesting? He is in a 1.5 gallon tank. He is my first betta, so I'm still learning.
I could just be paranoid - but I just want to catch any issues before they become a huge problem.

Thanks!

 

[Randomitity]

If the flow of the filter is to fast that might be the cause

 

[saradactyl]

He's never seemed to have an issue with the water being too fast before. Then again, new filters and I hate them. I wish the company would go back to how they originally would. The water seems to be a little slower than when I first put it in - but I keep an eye on it and see how he does. Thanks.

 

[saradactyl]

It looks like he has white bits on his head, like when a persons skin is dry or maybe like when bubbles attach to someone when getting into water. Cant really see it in this picture. He looks bloaty to me But he did finally eat something!

 

[Katty]

He does looks kind of bloated or maybe constipated to me... It might also just be "old age". I recently lost a betta at one year old with some indeterminate symptoms and another at 2 ½ who got very bloated and came down with dropsy. I don't mean to freak you out, that's just my experiences. I couldn't really get a straight answer or find a cause so I just chalked it up to old age. Hopefully you can find a solution for your betta though.

Can you test the water at all (ammonia, nitrite?)? If he ever moves, does he look like he has trouble swimming? Like is he stuck at the top or the bottom? I'm thinking it looks like constipation, from the picture. Does he normally look like that?

 

[saradactyl]

Oh no! Sorry to hear about your loss. ):
I do hope it is not something old-age related, he is still so young to me! I got him in July.

I plan on testing the water tomorrow, I happen to have nothing here at the moment to check. uuugh.

Actually saw him swimming around a little today, he didn't seem to have any trouble with it. But mostly he's just been shooting straight up, gulping air, and swimming back down to the bottom. As of right now, he's facing me resting on a leaf at the very top of the tank. (Of course he would finally start moving around when I post asking questions about it! )

He doesn't normally look this bloated. It happens occasionally, and usually goes away on its own. But if he hasn't eaten in a few days then I can't imagine why it would be. Unless he is constipated. Is it safe to use the inside of a pea as the cure for that?

 

[Katty]

He doesn't sound too old then, hopefully there's a fix. I've had success with pea in the past for constipation, maybe wait a day and then feed him some of that if he still has trouble. Don't over-do the food, if it's constipation that'll just make it worse.

Have you done a water change recently? Water changes usually help things.

 

[lilfishie]

Sorry to hear about your lil guy, he is beautiful

When did you 'change' your filter? was it just remove the old stick a new 1 in?

 

[saradactyl]

Sorry to hear about your lil guy, he is beautiful

Thanks!

I did a water change about a week ago, and he had since then been hiding behind the filter. In the process of the water change, cleaned the tank and cleaned out the filter container, and then replaced the filter. Is there something else I can do other than testing the water?

 

[Katty]

Testing the water is the most important thing you can do, next to that, changing the water. Otherwise, you're kind of working blind, there could be ammonia in the water from having cleaned the filter.

 

[saradactyl]

Tested the water and everything is fine. The only thing I can imagine is the tiny spots on his head is maybe fungus related? So i'm trying to remedy that.
Also just noticed that he is staying at the top now and when hes at the bottom he looks like he has trouble breathing.

 

[demented pea]

Give him a bit of cooked skinned pea and nothing else for aday or two. Try some melafix in the water just in case and then add some bacteria starter stuff like "safestart" to boost good bacteriaafter a coupleof days. You may have over cleaned and you really need to test the water parameters. he doessound constipated tho' peaswill really help that but don't leave them in too long as they ruin the water.

Has he got a mirror? Mine used to love a bit of an argument with a small mirror. Take it away after a few minutes tho'

 

[Xiv14]

you said WHITE BITS? IMO i think you got a case of ich.. just add diluted copper sulfate and the white bits will be gone in one day! just a drop per gallon will do... and it will also clean him up of being bloated and ray thinning and! not flaring..

 

[Katty]

If they've had the fish for a year without adding any other fish and without having this problem, I don't think it would be ich. The spots might be the start of a fungus or a bacteria infection like columnaris.

If you still have the problem, maybe try making a post in Tropical Fish Emergencies. They might have a better idea of what's going on.

 

[saradactyl]

Give him a bit of cooked skinned pea and nothing else for aday or two. Try some melafix in the water just in case and then add some bacteria starter stuff like "safestart" to boost good bacteriaafter a coupleof days. You may have over cleaned and you really need to test the water parameters. he doessound constipated tho' peaswill really help that but don't leave them in too long as they ruin the water.

Has he got a mirror? Mine used to love a bit of an argument with a small mirror. Take it away after a few minutes tho'

The trouble for me is getting him to eat the pea.
I've tried the mirror lately, in case he has just been bored. but he shows ZERO interest in it.

you said WHITE BITS? IMO i think you got a case of ich.. just add diluted copper sulfate and the white bits will be gone in one day! just a drop per gallon will do... and it will also clean him up of being bloated and ray thinning and! not flaring..

Or patches. I kinda chalked it up to a bacterial or fungal infection. which is depressing, since he started showing symptoms shortly after cleaning his tank. I haven't considered ich because I dont have any live plants or ever feed him frozen live food or anything other than pellets - so I would hope he hasnt got ich? But i'm a beginner betta owner, i'll certainly look into treating it. It's sooo hard to see, whatever it is.

If they've had the fish for a year without adding any other fish and without having this problem, I don't think it would be ich. The spots might be the start of a fungus or a bacteria infection like columnaris.

If you still have the problem, maybe try making a post in Tropical Fish Emergencies. They might have a better idea of what's going on.

I'm using bettafix right now, since it was recommended to me. So hopefully it will work out.
If not, i'll try Tropical Fish Emergencies. Thanks.