Betta Sits On Leaf Or Bottom Of The Tank

[Tankerinc]

Hi all.

My betta is normally " Hi. How are ya. " but lately. it is more of " Yeah. " He will eat. Very little... He normally would eat almost a full cube. Now he will take one or two bites and float to the bottom or sit on his leaf.

So I am left not knowing what is going on. He normal is swimming about and just bubbling. Now he will just sit on a leaf. Blow some bubbles and then sink. So I rang a pet shop and they are saying old age.
But this is only been the case for 2 weeks now. 

What I have done.

Changed the water 100% and put into healing tank.
Added salt for 2 days then changed the water.
Fed peas. 
Added some more salt just before with some warm water in case the heater was broken. { Didn't do anything but swim a little and sink }

So please if anyone knows what is going on please let me know. I do not think he is stressed and/or depressed but I can be wrong.
He has bred 2 times before. It has been almost 3 months since he last bred.

Also

Betta frys

I have loss about 3 frys over the past 2 weeks they seem to just go up right and stay that way. I added salt , fed pea's. Tested the water and everything is normal. Just seem that 3 of my biggest fry's wouldn't swim right and died.

Help with this would be great as well. 

Thank you for your help

 

[fluttermoth]

What are the actual numbers from your tests, and what are you using to do the tests?

Are the tanks cycled and/or filtered?

 

[DerpPH]

Bettas do get a bit passive sometimes and this happened to my betta back then. he was fine

 

[bluesword23516]

I don't think salt is good for them so I would change his water as soon as possible. Also you fed him a whole cube? Cube of what? Betta fish easily over eat

 

[GuppyGirl20]

What are your specific water parameters?

Betta's stomaches are only as big as one eye so the whole cube thing concerns me.

Salt is not the best thing for them. Indian Almomd Leaves (IAL) is much better. It comes from their natural habitats and has a ton of benefits for them. You can buy the leaves or it's extract (as the leaves will turn your water a brownish color and I just personally don't like that look).

How big is the tank and what is the temperature of the water?

I've never really had Betty's fry (I got my Spiderman when he was lonely two or three months old from Petco butido hope to breed bettas one day) but I don't thing you should but salt in a fry tank at all because as I've said salt is not good for them.

 

[Tankerinc]

What are the actual numbers from your tests, and what are you using to do the tests?

Are the tanks cycled and/or filtered?

 
I used the all in one test kit 

http/theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=424&name=Aquarium+Pharmaceuticals+API+Freshwater+Master+Test+Kit
 
Tank is normally filtered. But due to being healing tank the water isn't filtered to allow all the good meds to do it's stuff.
Water levels. are all fine. { From the last test I did } I ran out of the testing products due to worrying about him.
 

I don't think salt is good for them so I would change his water as soon as possible. Also you fed him a whole cube? Cube of what? Betta fish easily over eat

 
Salt is the best thing for them. Non iodized salt that is. Normal plain table salt is not good for them at all.
But what salt does is allows them to heal cuts bumps or just any and all fin rot. 

I did the salt treatment to him by adding small amounts of salt in the morning and slowly raising the salt level for 2 days then on the 3 day letting it sit and on the 4th day I changed the water to allow him time to heal from the higher levels of salt { Non-iodized salt }
This is good for parasites and fin rot and fungus that can grow on him.

Cube of brine shrimp. I do not mean in one go. I mean in a day. I feed him about 3 small meals a day which is used to keep him fat, Strong and big as he is my main breeder.
I do the same for my CT { Crown tail } for the same thing. He is fine and been going great. I also change up the food for bloodworms and pea's so it isn't just full meat diet but more of a 80 - 20 diet { 80% meat 20% veg }

But in the healing tank he is at 60 - 40. I do not feed live food it is all frozen 

The tank he is normally in is about 200 liters but right now he is in a 20 liter tank. Heated to 32.

 

[DerpPH]

 

What are the actual numbers from your tests, and what are you using to do the tests?

Are the tanks cycled and/or filtered?

 
I used the all in one test kit 

http/theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=424&name=Aquarium+Pharmaceuticals+API+Freshwater+Master+Test+Kit
 
Tank is normally filtered. But due to being healing tank the water isn't filtered to allow all the good meds to do it's stuff.
Water levels. are all fine. { From the last test I did } I ran out of the testing products due to worrying about him.
 

I don't think salt is good for them so I would change his water as soon as possible. Also you fed him a whole cube? Cube of what? Betta fish easily over eat

 
Salt is the best thing for them. Non iodized salt that is. Normal plain table salt is not good for them at all.
But what salt does is allows them to heal cuts bumps or just any and all fin rot. 

I did the salt treatment to him by adding small amounts of salt in the morning and slowly raising the salt level for 2 days then on the 3 day letting it sit and on the 4th day I changed the water to allow him time to heal from the higher levels of salt { Non-iodized salt }
This is good for parasites and fin rot and fungus that can grow on him.

Cube of brine shrimp. I do not mean in one go. I mean in a day. I feed him about 3 small meals a day which is used to keep him fat, Strong and big as he is my main breeder.
I do the same for my CT { Crown tail } for the same thing. He is fine and been going great. I also change up the food for bloodworms and pea's so it isn't just full meat diet but more of a 80 - 20 diet { 80% meat 20% veg }

But in the healing tank he is at 60 - 40. I do not feed live food it is all frozen 

The tank he is normally in is about 200 liters but right now he is in a 20 liter tank. Heated to 32.
 

Honestly even Epsom is not good for them, he best med forthem is indian almond leaves. since it has antibacterial and antifungal properties in itself and it simulates their natural environment

 

[Tankerinc]

 

 


What are the actual numbers from your tests, and what are you using to do the tests?

Are the tanks cycled and/or filtered?

 
I used the all in one test kit 

http/theaquariumshop.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=424&name=Aquarium+Pharmaceuticals+API+Freshwater+Master+Test+Kit
 
Tank is normally filtered. But due to being healing tank the water isn't filtered to allow all the good meds to do it's stuff.
Water levels. are all fine. { From the last test I did } I ran out of the testing products due to worrying about him.
 

I don't think salt is good for them so I would change his water as soon as possible. Also you fed him a whole cube? Cube of what? Betta fish easily over eat

 
Salt is the best thing for them. Non iodized salt that is. Normal plain table salt is not good for them at all.
But what salt does is allows them to heal cuts bumps or just any and all fin rot. 

I did the salt treatment to him by adding small amounts of salt in the morning and slowly raising the salt level for 2 days then on the 3 day letting it sit and on the 4th day I changed the water to allow him time to heal from the higher levels of salt { Non-iodized salt }
This is good for parasites and fin rot and fungus that can grow on him.

Cube of brine shrimp. I do not mean in one go. I mean in a day. I feed him about 3 small meals a day which is used to keep him fat, Strong and big as he is my main breeder.
I do the same for my CT { Crown tail } for the same thing. He is fine and been going great. I also change up the food for bloodworms and pea's so it isn't just full meat diet but more of a 80 - 20 diet { 80% meat 20% veg }

But in the healing tank he is at 60 - 40. I do not feed live food it is all frozen 

The tank he is normally in is about 200 liters but right now he is in a 20 liter tank. Heated to 32.
 

Honestly even Epsom is not good for them, he best med for them is indian almond leaves. since it has antibacterial and antifungal properties in itself and it simulates their natural environment
 


 
Okay. Thank you for your replies.
Does anyone know what is going on with him?

 

[GuppyGirl20]

If you would post the specific water parameters then that would help us figure out what's wrong with him.

 

[jasonh_000]

Never feed your betta peas. i wish people would stop telling people with sick animals to feed peas.
 
one thing i've been using is tetra lifeguard  http/www.amazon.com/Tetra-77327-LifeGuard-150-Tablet/dp/B001XD4QJO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
and use some maracyn II  http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GZ4SWU/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
first i put the fish in a bare 5 gal hospital tank with a heater and an air pump turned real low. then i medicate and hope for the best.

 

[bluesword23516]

Never feed your betta peas. i wish people would stop telling people with sick animals to feed peas.
 
one thing i've been using is tetra lifeguard  http/www.amazon.com/Tetra-77327-LifeGuard-150-Tablet/dp/B001XD4QJO/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
and use some maracyn II  http/www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GZ4SWU/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
first i put the fish in a bare 5 gal hospital tank with a heater and an air pump turned real low. then i medicate and hope for the best.

Why not feed them peas? 

 

[Meeresstille]

Bettas are carnivorous creatures, their intestines are not designed to digest plant matter. The only plant matter a Betta in its natural habitat would consume, is the plant matter that is inside the intestinal tract of the creatures he eats.
 
I have heard of peas having ruptured a Betta's intestine. This specific Betta may have been fed the wrong foods and developed constipation, and the pea only added to the blockage. The better choice to help a bloated/constipated Betta is to feed him some frozen/thawed Daphnia, it works as a gentle laxative.
 
May I ask if you defrost the frozen cube before you add it to the Betta tank? I always thaw a portion of frozen bloodworms for my 3 aquariums about once a week, my husband's Betta, and my younger son's get 2 - 3 bloodworms each, and the community tank gets the rest. I'm concerned that your Betta may be overfed, being overweight could make him feel sluggish, and being fed portions that are too large may cause him tummy troubles.
 
Normally my Bettas get 2 Pellets of New Life Spectrum twice a day. I either soak them first in some tank water before adding them to the tank or I grind them into smaller pieces where it gives them something to do looking for them all. They also get 1 fasting day a week. I try to get them to flare once in a while since this helps him moving his bowels.
 
Have you noticed your Betta's poop, is it normal?
 
Regarding the salt treatment, I have used salt treatments with my fish as well. It is the first treatment I would do, but you should never use salt treatments longer than 2 weeks. Salt can be harmful to his organs. Salt can help when you suspect bacterial infections, and often you might not need to reach for medications after salt treatments. Sometimes meds aren't tolerated well either, but they may be necessary if the salt treatments aren't working.
 
Epsom Salts are another treatment choice, again, more than 2 weeks may not be tolerated well. Epsom Salts can help make a Betta feel better overall, it can pull out excess liquid from his body and it is also a mild laxative. 
 
Seeing that your fry also seem to have something going on in their tanks, it could be that you might have introduced the illness by sharing equipment or not washing your hands between working with each tank. If they have trouble swimming it may be swimbladder disease which can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection.