metropolis93fan
Fish Crazy
I'm going to say this first: I am cycling a new tank for the sick fish. I tried to talk my mom out of its current tank to no avail! Finally, she decided to give him to me. I was determined
Okay. So scenario. In January I got MY betta for 5 gallon tank. My mom saw one she loved but didn't want a big tank. It had to be a 1.5 gallon. Period. I tried to keep that poor thing going in that tank... major water changes whenever I came home (maybe once a month, but usually did a whole tank change. She just couldn't grasp nitrogen cycle, or how big a deal leaving "just 1" piece of food in the tank that went uneaten because "she had to take the lid off to take it out." I knew by cleaning the gravel and doing complete water changes there was ZERO chance of it cycling but it was SO dirty there was just no way around it.
I was GOING to put him in the new tank when I got back from my last trip home. Was supposed to be Thursday afternoon to Monday morning. I just had surgery and had some complications. I had a new appointment Wednesday late afternoon and Mom wouldn't make an extra trip back to check on her fish. She forgot to feed him before we left and he only eats 2-3 pieces at a time. Has for a long time.
The first thing I did when we got back Thursday morning (one freaking week) was check on her fish. He's alive, and looks okay when he's resting at the top of the tank, but when he tries to swim, he's on his side. He finally ate for me twice... the food has to be RIGHT in front of his mouth.
One person said he MIGHT be constipated. We can't eat peas in my family but I'll get some hopefully when my dad comes and gets me tomorrow, if not, then by the time I come home Sunday afternoon. That's the easiest thing.
For anything else, what do I look for? I've been using aquarium salt in his tank. I just put in a catapa leaf (a huge one). I'm going to put a live plant in this afternoon. I'm hoping the new tank cycles soon. It finally started showing nitrate upon returning home. I was going to dump it all out and put fresh water in and a bucketload of Tetra bacteria (something Plus... the one that's highly suggested I don't have the bottle in front of me right now. But it's the good stuff.) as well as some plants and try and to a fish-in cycle. I talked it over with a couple of people here at length. We finally decided this was the best route since my tank just wasn't making nitrate. But it was DEFINITELY there. I'm putting MY fish in the new tank and putting Mom's in mine's already-cycled tank. I just... I want to cycle this thing the right way.
I don't know offhand what the specs are on Mom's 1.5 gallon right now but I'm sure it's bad. I don't have any more distilled water today to do a tank change. I'll have my parents bring a jug. I meant to add extra Seachem Prime yesterday. I will as soon as I get up. It's not in its usual place so I didn't see it. Thought of it when I couldn't get up yesterday.
How do I figure out what's wrong if he's NOT constipated?
Okay. So scenario. In January I got MY betta for 5 gallon tank. My mom saw one she loved but didn't want a big tank. It had to be a 1.5 gallon. Period. I tried to keep that poor thing going in that tank... major water changes whenever I came home (maybe once a month, but usually did a whole tank change. She just couldn't grasp nitrogen cycle, or how big a deal leaving "just 1" piece of food in the tank that went uneaten because "she had to take the lid off to take it out." I knew by cleaning the gravel and doing complete water changes there was ZERO chance of it cycling but it was SO dirty there was just no way around it.
I was GOING to put him in the new tank when I got back from my last trip home. Was supposed to be Thursday afternoon to Monday morning. I just had surgery and had some complications. I had a new appointment Wednesday late afternoon and Mom wouldn't make an extra trip back to check on her fish. She forgot to feed him before we left and he only eats 2-3 pieces at a time. Has for a long time.
The first thing I did when we got back Thursday morning (one freaking week) was check on her fish. He's alive, and looks okay when he's resting at the top of the tank, but when he tries to swim, he's on his side. He finally ate for me twice... the food has to be RIGHT in front of his mouth.
One person said he MIGHT be constipated. We can't eat peas in my family but I'll get some hopefully when my dad comes and gets me tomorrow, if not, then by the time I come home Sunday afternoon. That's the easiest thing.
For anything else, what do I look for? I've been using aquarium salt in his tank. I just put in a catapa leaf (a huge one). I'm going to put a live plant in this afternoon. I'm hoping the new tank cycles soon. It finally started showing nitrate upon returning home. I was going to dump it all out and put fresh water in and a bucketload of Tetra bacteria (something Plus... the one that's highly suggested I don't have the bottle in front of me right now. But it's the good stuff.) as well as some plants and try and to a fish-in cycle. I talked it over with a couple of people here at length. We finally decided this was the best route since my tank just wasn't making nitrate. But it was DEFINITELY there. I'm putting MY fish in the new tank and putting Mom's in mine's already-cycled tank. I just... I want to cycle this thing the right way.
I don't know offhand what the specs are on Mom's 1.5 gallon right now but I'm sure it's bad. I don't have any more distilled water today to do a tank change. I'll have my parents bring a jug. I meant to add extra Seachem Prime yesterday. I will as soon as I get up. It's not in its usual place so I didn't see it. Thought of it when I couldn't get up yesterday.
How do I figure out what's wrong if he's NOT constipated?
