betta trouble

[shellzz]

I work in a pet store, and as everyone know we are not trained to take care of any of the animals in there. Fortunately we only sell betta's as our live animals. I've noticed some of the betta's get sluggish and lay at the bottom. Sometimes they come out of it and become lively again, and sometimes they'll die . Also I've noticed this piticular one that went really pale, and it';s color is just now starting to come back after a week or so. Do you know what could be causing either of these or is it just them being bord? Also how important is it to switch their food between the brine shrimp and blood worms with the pellets and flakes?
-thanks-
shells

 

[wetwetwet]

Hi shells,

Personally I'm not a fan of keeping bettas in small jars....jmho

Maybe you're right boredom is killing them

How often is their water changed? and how much?

 

[Mollymomma]

www,
I agree with you on the little bowls..bad idea for these wonderful fish.
I have 2 betta's at present both are in a 1 gallon tank. The 1 gallon is still too small but hubby won't let me buy bigger tanks for a $3.00 fish(the bum)
The 1 gallon is about the smallest anyone should use imo. I have been told by breeder's Betta's should only receive bloodworms and brine shrimp once aweek as a treat..usualy I give one or the other at water changes which I do every 4-5 days(complete) In the stores the water should be changed daily(It usualy is not depending on the store)I use pellets, most people I have talked to have had no luck with their betta's eating the flakes (mine won't touch them. Just turn up their noses at it. lol)Frozen brine shrimp and bloodworms can be given in place of the freeze dried stuff.. Betta's really truely only need Clean, Clean water..heat..and lots of love to be happy.
As for them being sluggish and at the bottom they just don't have room to be happy, they stress, disease sets in , well you know the rest.
I love my betta males they have such funny personality's.. Hope this helped, if not maybe someone else will set me straight too lol
Take care

 

[shellzz]

These bettas are in a jar probably about a 1/4 of a gallon. I also hate them being in that small of a tank, but you must remeber that they are there to be sold, unfortunatly most, not all, but most pet stores dont have the space to keep them in anything bigger. I do a water change once a week, all of the water. I also feed them about every other day. Like I said there are some that are fine, and then there are others that act all sluggish, and it's like a 50-50% chance that they come out of it.
thanks for the food advice.
-shells-

 

[LiquidLife]

1/4 gallon containers need to have a water change at a minimum of every other day (every day is better) or you risk having ammonia build-up, an increased incidence of finrot, fungus, etc. and the concentration of bacteria, parasites, etc. that live in the water intensifies because there's less area to spread out in--all having a bad effect on the fish. And I am assuming you use dechlorinated water. A betta can subsist on just 1 to 2 pellets per day but a variety of food is much healthier for them but costs more. And how cold does it get in the shop? Bettas are tropical fish so they are happiest in water around 78-82 degrees. Your bettas are depressed. Well kept, healthy, happy bettas are active, proud, full of personality, curious, responsive and beautiful to behold.

 

[shellzz]

thankyou for all of your help, cost of writing off more food isn;t a problem, I'm aloud to do that, changing the water more is good, advice, I wasn't sure if changing it that often would put to much stress on them, but I guess a little stress isn't s harmful as amonia. the store doesn't get that cold the lowes it would ever get it around 73-75 but it generally stays around low 80's.
thanks again. your advice has been really helpful

 

[wherryj]

Our betta is very active, and displays great personality, but he often suffers from what appears to be fin rot.

It seems to occur most often AFTER a partial water change, though this time it occured three weeks after the last change. His fins grow what looks like cotton wool. The fin turns white, followed by a localized slough of the fin, leaving a shorter normal fin that eventually grows out. He occasionally gets a similar outbreak in a small amount on the body, generally near his "neck".

During the stage before I treat with anti-fungals (usually "bettamax"), he appears somewhat inactive and listless, but quickly perks up and is acting normally within a few hours.

I don't want to keep having to medicate, and I'm testing the water to make sure that it isn't poor water quality, but it seems to occur after water changes, and makes me wonder if it's stress related??

 

[wherryj]

I may have the problem. Ammonia is about one. Nitrite is OVER 3.3 (possibly MUCH over)-the test water is RUBY. The nitrate is about 25 (after a change yesterday).

Is this 2 gallon salvageable? It seems like the biological filter is working, but I have high levels of EVERYTHING!

 

[wherryj]

BTW, the tank is about 3 months old, with the betta in place since the start.

We did place an otocinclus in two days ago, so I'm wondering if the tank is in mid-cycle for the second fish.

The high nitrite worries me, as the oto is rather fragile by reputation.

Would another change help? Is the fin rot probably from the high nitrite?

 

[wherryj]

Well, I waited the entire 10 minutes for the test, and the nitrate is actually about 60+.

 

[wherryj]

I just did the second 25% water change in three days. We had an aquatic plant in the tank that recently rotten at the base, now that I think about it, that was removed about 5 days ago.

I hope that the decaying plant matter than almost undoubtedly escaped my gravel vacuum is responsible, and that the chemistry will stabilize.

I'm considering a larger tank for this betta. Would you recommend a change (with the possibility of fatally stressing our precious friend), or is it possible to keep this 2 gallon going without losing anyone? I haven't lost one yet, and I don't want to...

 

[gadazobe]

What are your levels like now that you've removed the decaying plant. Are they starting to go down yet?

 

[wherryj]

Unfortunately not.

I did a second change today (the second in 24 hours) of about 25% and the Ammonia level is about 1-1.5, the nitrite is still 60+ (dark ruby color). I didn't bother with the nitrate today.

The betta is doing ok, but is showing more fin rot. Unfortunately, I think that the oto may not make it. He was sitting on the bottom looking listless-I tried to net him to put him into our 55 gallon to possibly save him, but couldn't get him. Now he's attached to the side, but slides to the bottom until his tail hits gravel. He looks like he may not make it through the night.

I'm seriously considering a trip to get a 14 gallon tank, but with the state that these fish are in, I'm not sure if they'll make it...

 

[wherryj]

I purchased a 12 gallon tank with Biowheel filtration, and added an undergravel filter with a powerhead. This should be better than the 2 gallon with UGF powered by an airstone.

If I transfer my betta tomorrow, are there any suggestions for a less stressful transfer? I don't want to stess him any more than necessary when transfering him from the nitrite pool.

Thanks for the suggestions in the past. I am giving up on the 2 gallon, but not the betta.

By the way: the oto didn't make it.

 

[Mollymomma]

The only thing I can come up with is to tell you to slowly acclimate him. Try to do this over a couple of hours. He should be fine.What are you using for the fin rot? I would leave him in the 2 gallon without the carbon and treat the finrot before moving him to the bigger tank. I have 2, 1 gallon tanks and was told to do full water changes once a week to keep the tank stable on this princple I would be doing a full change in a 2 gallon every 2 weeks & using a turkey baster in between to keep the yucky's down. I have a 2 gal. eclipse that once I move I will be using for another betta. The UGF isn't the best for these fish so I use no filter at all. My guys have done really well & have only had 1 case of finrot which the guy had from the LPS. Hope this helps some maybe other's will let ya know what they think as well. Good Luck & keep us posted