Hello. I need help with my betta.

[Trying]

He hasn't eaten in over a week. He either ignores food(pellets, daphnia, bloodworms) or bites and spits(flakes).

His tank is 6.5 gallons

The tank is heated to 80F

It is filtered.

The tank is 6 months old.

I checked Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, and PH using API Masterkit. Checked out okay.(I have pictures or tubes if anyone wants to double check.

I did a 1.5 gallon water change on Saturday.

Added a dose of Polygaurd on Sunday

Did another water change on Monday and added 7 teaspoons of salt.

I just got some Metroplex today. Not sure if I should try it

On the last pic there looks like there is some white on his lower lip(?)

 

[BettaFishGirl]

What are the water parameters? I can't help you much but having the water parameters might help.

 

[Trying]

What are the water parameters? I can't help you much but having the water parameters might help.

Here are some pics I took. I can't differentiate between color shades that well. For chlorine I used dipstick. It looked good.

 

[BettaFishGirl]

What was the chlorine? it alwasy has to be 0. Everything looks good exept possible the ammonia, could you try to take it in indirect sunlight?

 

[Trying]

Here is a pic from when I took it with the Tetra 5 in 1(for the chlorine).
The ammonia tube test I will redo as soon as I get home.

 

[BigJfish12]

It looks like to me alkaline is too low and also the water is very hard don't bettas prefer soft water? Someone else would be able to confirm.

 

[gwand]

It looks like to me alkaline is too low and also the water is very hard don't bettas prefer soft water? Someone else would be able to confirm.

Bettas need soft water and neutral pH.

 

[Colin_T]

The water chemistry and quality has nothing to do with this.

When did he last eat?
What does his poop look like?
What do you normally feed him?
Do his scales stick out from the body?

What are the ingredients in Polyguard and Metroplex?

What sort of filter is on the tank?
How often and how do you clean the filter?

How often do you normally do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the tank?

 

[Trying]

The water chemistry and quality has nothing to do with this.

When did he last eat?
What does his poop look like?
What do you normally feed him?
Do his scales stick out from the body?

What are the ingredients in Polyguard and Metroplex?

What sort of filter is on the tank?
How often and how do you clean the filter?

How often do you normally do water changes and how much do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the tank?

It has been at least a week. Though yesterday, he bit some flakes and burped out I believe a little bit.
I have never seen his poop.

I normally feed him 5 pellets daily.

On the scales I don't believe so.

Polygaurd has sulfathiazole, malachite green, nitrofurantoin, quinacrine, and nitrofurazone powder

Metroplex has metronidazole powder

It is one of the picture types with a carbon filter cartridge

I take 2 gallons out once a month.

The siphon I use has a tube that I poked into the gravel to stir it around while I'm sucking water up.

I dechlorinate the water and make sure it's the right temperature.

Do you think Epsom salt baths would help? If it constipation it might help him pass waste.

 

[Trying]

Bettas need soft water and neutral pH.

Should I get something to lower the ph?

 

[Trying]

What was the chlorine? it alwasy has to be 0. Everything looks good exept possible the ammonia, could you try to take it in indirect sunlight?

Here is another go. I'm basically just using indoor lighting. I don't know if these pictures are any better but I took a few. To me it looks like it's at the bottom range

 

[Trying]

It looks like to me alkaline is too low and also the water is very hard don't bettas prefer soft water? Someone else would be able to confirm.

 

[Colin_T]

You don't need to adjust the pH. The fish is fine at a pH of 7.6

Did you remove the carbon from the filter before you treated the tank?
If not, the medication will simply be removed from the water by the carbon filter.

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Fish don't get constipated and he doesn't look that bloated. Unless he is really fat there's no point using Epsom salts.

------------------

You could try him on some live or frozen food (brineshrimp, Daphnia or raw/ cooked prawn), that might get him eating. If it doesn't then he's got a major internal issue or a throat infection.

You can try doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate every day for a week. Then do it once a week after that. Sometimes the water changes can stir their appetite.

 

[Trying]

You don't need to adjust the pH. The fish is fine at a pH of 7.6

Did you remove the carbon from the filter before you treated the tank?
If not, the medication will simply be removed from the water by the carbon filter.

------------------

Fish don't get constipated and he doesn't look that bloated. Unless he is really fat there's no point using Epsom salts.

------------------

You could try him on some live or frozen food (brineshrimp, Daphnia or raw/ cooked prawn), that might get him eating. If it doesn't then he's got a major internal issue or a throat infection.

You can try doing a 75% water change and gravel cleaning the substrate every day for a week. Then do it once a week after that. Sometimes the water changes can stir their appetite.

Thanks.

I removed the carbon filter when I put in the seachems polyguard.

I have used some frozen bloodworms that I thought out. He ignored them.
Do you think that metroplex would help with a throat infection? I know these medicines work best when mixed with food and I've heard that there's some kind of garlic additive you can use to try to make the fish eat.

I think I will do those water changes. I'm thinking that using bottled water instead of treated tap might be best for the replacement water. I don't know if it could be some chemical in my city's tap water it is bothering him that those test kids can't detect.

 

[Colin_T]

You can contact your water supply company by website to get a Water Analysis Report. It will tell you what is in the water.

I wouldn't change water sources yet. A sudden change in water chemistry could kill the fish in its current state. Just keep using the same water source you have been using until he gets better (assuming he does).

Don't waste your time with garlic.

Metronidazole is more for intestinal problems. You can try it for internal issues but other types of medications are normally used to external bacterial infections, which includes the throat. However, I don't deal with antibiotics because we don't have them where I am. Kanamycin (Kanaplex) and Furan or Furan 2 (not sure which Furan is used) is sometimes used together but I can't give anymore details than that because I don't use them.

If you are going to use antibiotics, put the fish into a bare glass or plastic container and use the antibiotics in that. Wipe the inside of the container down and change all the water before adding another dose. Don't have a filter in the tank when using antibiotics, just have a heater and airstone.