Dire Straits For Betta?!

[ibbledibble]

Hi jim, its difficult for us to tell exactly whats wrong with him without seeing him. any chance you can post some pics?

Does it Sound like my fish has Velvet? I'm trying to determine what exactly is going on here so i can get the right medicine/treatment going.

shine a torch on him. velvet looks like he has been sprinkled with gold dust when the light shines on him. (if whole scales look gold it could be just his colouring)

personally i think your best bet is to get the temp sorted out first. i had a heater stop working and the betta in that tank stopped eating until i got him warmed up. thats probably your main problem, cold bettas have lower immune systems which leaves them more open to disease. if you can afford to buy several different medications, then do so. but don't use them straight away. first sort out the temp and see if he improves and what remaining symptoms he has after an hour or so. you may find that warmth is all he needs. if not at least it will help him fight off whatever the problem is.
the epson salt bath that amunet suggested is also a good idea as a second treatment if the temp alone is not helping. swimming at a funny angle is often caused by swim bladder disorders, which can be caused by constipation, the epson salts help with constipation.

Should it not be 100% pure sea salt or marine salt as normal table salt has addatives?

dusky is right, table salt has aditives to make it free flowing and stop it clumping. you don't want to be adding this to your tank.

I know...its just that he was doing so well...and i left a while around mardi gras and he seemed okay...

I used water that was filterated a few times to put in his tank...so the water was very very clean. the temperature is the problem he could easily go a week without a water change because of the water i used for him...

I'm sorry i don't mean to sound rude but this is rubbish. the reason you have to change the water regularly is because of the ammonia buildup caused by the fish weeing and pooing and by any uneaten food breaking down. in a 1 gal tank you NEED to change it AT LEAST once a week. using filtered water is no different than using normal declorinated tap water. why would that mean you don't have to change it?

also what type of filter is it? if its a reverse osmosis filter, you need to add minerals to the water as it is TOO pure and the fish cant survive in it.

 

[jimdandy]

Okay just got back from the store...thoe guys were alot of help...

First off no worries being harsh...thats how I finally get answers or at least better ones.

The weird coloration isn't all over his body just around the gills, mouth and general area of the head.

The think I've been asking for is a way to heat up a 1 gallon tank... they had a heater for 2-5 gallons at a store but i didnt get it because it said not to use it in anything smaller than 2 gallons. I went to walmart as someone suggested and they didnt have the small reptile heaters. I need a way to keep the water heated and not just warm for an hour or two. the bag of warm water works for a time but it has to remain in the tank and also my fish is trying to get up to get air and has enough problems doing that without more difficulty.

So is Epson salt better or is Aquarium Salt better (havent found any yet)? i think he may ave finally used the restroom once...now hes floating a bit higher.

the filter is a silver-impregnated activated carbon and ion-exchange resin system.

i only added an 1/5 teaspoon of salt just to see how he would react not enough to do harm or be of high concentration.

I got some frozen brine shrimp to try and feed him later...also i got Aquarium Solutions Betta Revive

it contains neomycin sulfate, methylene blue, EDTA, green chloride and cyanocobalamin and electrolytes.

I have not used it yet.

Pics coming in a minute...

 

[jimdandy]

Brand new camera right out the box...hope these are good...this is NOT how I wanted my first Betta fish pictures to be...

















Looks Bad...

 

[nakomis90]

awww he looks old sweety

 

[jimdandy]

I just got him 3 months ago! my friend works at a pet store in my hometown and she said they were all fresh too...so I got one.

Pic of all the stuff i have so far...



Misssing:

- Epson or Aquarium Salt...depending on what the situation calls for.
-Heater or some heating lamp or something i can use to heat up the water.
-Possibly Blood worms if they can be found

The temperature is around 68-70. though it feels really cold...my cheap thermometer may be off. I know thats really low but i can only temporarily heat it up. should i risk it and try one that was designed for 2-5 gallon tanks? Ill try anything to heat it up.

 

[ibbledibble]

looking at those pics, it does look like he could have velvet so that would probably be your best bet meds wise. it might just be his colouring, but he does look gold specked to me.

but as you say, you really do need to get his temp up. is there no way you could get a slightly bigger tank for him? that was big enough to put a heater in.

i really do feel that warmth would increase his chances massively.

epsom salt and aquarium salt are 2 totally different things. aquarium salt is good for finrot and whitespot, epsom salt is good for constipation or dropsy. he doesn't look bloated at all so probably don't need the epsom salt. not sure if aquarium salt helps with velvet. could try asking wilder, hes really good on diseases.

 

[jimdandy]

Well come this far might as well go all the way...I'll try to get him a bigger one and put the 2-5 gallon heater i saw in...

Also I read Acraflavin is best to treat Velvet...I'm not sure on the dosages or things for betta fish...I've been told at all the stores that they cant handle normal fish medicine but Im guessing maybe a different dosage would work with them. A much smaller one?

Also if i get a bigger tank whats the best way to get him in there safest and fastest with the stuff I have on the picture I posted?

off to another pet store.... : whoosh :

 

[ibbledibble]

Well come this far might as well go all the way...I'll try to get him a bigger one and put the 2-5 gallon heater i saw in...

Also I read Acraflavin is best to treat Velvet...I'm not sure on the dosages or things for betta fish...I've been told at all the stores that they cant handle normal fish medicine but Im guessing maybe a different dosage would work with them. A much smaller one?

Also if i get a bigger tank whats the best way to get him in there safest and fastest with the stuff I have on the picture I posted?

off to another pet store.... : whoosh :

the link i gave you on velvet says

Maracide may be used for small fry and is usually effective with bettas

 

[jimdandy]

A pet store, a An Aquarium (Closed....grr...) and my second wal-mart of the day (they take horrible care of their beta...they're either all dead or in worse shape than mine!) and Now I have aquarium salt, a 2.5 gallon tank (ill explain this in a bit) and a 25 watt water heater, and Mardel CopperSafe....ill hold off on using that for now. Its the only thing the places hard for Velvet that i saw.


I was looking for a 5 gallon one but no one had any...If I got a 10 gallon tank the 25 watt would be too weak and the 50 watt would be too strong (or the labels on them said so anyway).

so right now I'm cleaning out the new tank....

Any advice on moving him with as less stress as possible? Also Since I have multiple treatment tabs and liquids anyone know if the Jungle ® Bowl Buddies Fizz Tabs are better than the normal liquids (what i have is pictured on page one).

Also....would putting in aquarium salt be advisable in the new tank...or should i give him a salt bath in the old tank before i move him?

thanks alot everyone.

 

[Shuifish]

The best way to transport a fish without much stress would be to find a small cup and just scoop him out very gently. I tried using a net to get my fish out when I was cleaning his tank and he didnt seem to like it. Just taking the fish out of the water might cause stress. Now I only have to net to remove Shui if there is an emergency or to move something around in his tank.
I would just put the aquarium salt in his tank and give him a break from so much salt. I really do hope your fish will get better soon.

 

[jimdandy]

thanks. Now how do i regulate the temperature...I'm going to have a heater in the new tank it isn't in yet....do i put him in there and then plug in the heater? or do i try and place him in his warmer environment? thats what i was really asking when i was talking about moving him.

and should I just use tap water this time and not filter it through the Brita filter (if you've ever seen one of those drinking water filter jugs thats what I'm talking about) like I've been doing?

 

[joycould]

Bettas are hard to tell the age on but yours does look like he may be older, a lot of times they are over 6 months old when they get to the pet shop. Most live about 2 years some longer. I had only one problem with velvet, my fish was rubbing against anything and everything. I did some research and found out that darkness will interrupt the life cycle of the parasite. Mine had a very mild case. I kept him warm, with a little aquarium salt and in the dark in about a week he was fine.

Make sure your water temperature is stabled and then float him in a cup for a few minutes before releasing him. I use cold water from the tap, hot water heaters can actually have bacteria in them that can effect the slime coat.

 

[jimdandy]

Bettas are hard to tell the age on but yours does look like he may be older, a lot of times they are over 6 months old when they get to the pet shop. Most live about 2 years some longer. I had only one problem with velvet, my fish was rubbing against anything and everything. I did some research and found out that darkness will interrupt the life cycle of the parasite. Mine had a very mild case. I kept him warm, with a little aquarium salt and in the dark in about a week he was fine.

Make sure your water temperature is stabled and then float him in a cup for a few minutes before releasing him. I use cold water from the tap, hot water heaters can actually have bacteria in them that can effect the slime coat.

I see...Okay so Use tap water....float him in a cup in the water and then turn on the heater to heat the both up?

and should i use the liquid or the fizz tablets on the water treatment this time?

 

[joycould]

Make sure the water in the tank is warmed to the temperature you want before floating your fish. I usually use the liquid medication, but that is what is readily available for me.

 

[jimdandy]

okay im warming the water now once the temperature gets about 78 ill put a few teaspoons of the aquarium salt in and then the cup with the fish in.