Female Bettas acting strange

[Koenator]

I have a 36 gal tank with a female betta sorority. There’s 5 female bettas, 5 oto cats, some ghost shrimp, and 4 guppies. Everyone has been getting along and I never see any stress stripes or nipping behavior, so the tank has been peaceful for a number of weeks since I started it.

All of a sudden this morning I went to feed my guppies (I only feed the female bettas every other day) and the bettas were nowhere in sight. I looked around the tank and found them all in various hiding spots, all either lying sideways or motionless. After some coaxing they all came to the surface but they’re still not nearly as active as usual.

The main thing I’m concerned about is now all of a sudden they have the stress stripes, and all of them have some weird white tinting around their mouths. My first thought was ich, so I treated the tank but its strange to me that all the guppies, shrimp and otos are totally fine and just as happy and active as ever, but the bettas are all acting sick and stressed. And why is the white only around their mouths?

Any advice appreciated. I tested water and my ammonia, nitrates and nitrites are all zero.

 

[Bpoulter97]

Id get them quarantined if possible, sounds like Columnaris. Use some form of antibiotic and aquarium salt and do a 100% water change. Then when they've been treated do 25% water change every 3-4 days til they're back to normal

Columnaris In Bettas (Cotton Wool Disease Cure)

Columnaris in bettas isn't the most common illness, and that makes it more dangerous. Make sure you know how to diagnose it for the sake of your betta!

www.bettacarefishguide.com

 

[Koenator]

Id get them quarantined if possible, sounds like Columnaris. Use some form of antibiotic and aquarium salt and do a 100% water change. Then when they've been treated do 25% water change every 3-4 days til they're back to normal

Columnaris In Bettas (Cotton Wool Disease Cure)

Columnaris in bettas isn't the most common illness, and that makes it more dangerous. Make sure you know how to diagnose it for the sake of your betta!

www.bettacarefishguide.com

I’m apparently too late, despite my efforts to follow what you said. All 5 bettas and 1 guppy are now dead
I have no idea what I did wrong or how this happened. Last night everyone was totally fine and then in an instant everyone just crashed. Feeling totally discouraged about trying again, and I spent a lot of money on these fish. I can’t afford to get more at this point so i guess my only option now is to try and save the remaining fish.

I have 4 guppies and 5 oto cats left, plus a few ghost shrimp. What can I do to save them all? Should I do a big water change?

 

[Bpoulter97]

I’m apparently too late, despite my efforts to follow what you said. All 5 bettas and 1 guppy are now dead
I have no idea what I did wrong or how this happened. Last night everyone was totally fine and then in an instant everyone just crashed. Feeling totally discouraged about trying again, and I spent a lot of money on these fish. I can’t afford to get more at this point so i guess my only option now is to try and save the remaining fish.

I have 4 guppies and 5 oto cats left, plus a few ghost shrimp. What can I do to save them all? Should I do a big water change?

Can you treat them all in a smaller tank/container and do 100% change in main tank?

I’m sorry for your loss it is discouraging I know that but don’t give up we learn and we improve. These things happen

 

[emeraldking]

I have 4 guppies and 5 oto cats left, plus a few ghost shrimp. What can I do to save them all? Should I do a big water change?

It surely won't hurt them to do that.

 

[Koenator]

Can you treat them all in a smaller tank/container and do 100% change in main tank?

I’m sorry for your loss it is discouraging I know that but don’t give up we learn and we improve. These things happen

I would love to learn and improve from this experience but I don't even know what I did wrong. If I knew what the problem was I would be able to prevent it next time.