Help! Something Is Wrong With My Betta!

[FrankFish26]

I NEED HELP!! I've had my betta, Frank, since last March. He is the coolest fish. He has his very own personality. Whenever I go home from college, I bring him with me. I have a travel cup (the cup he came in) and he is fine for the 5 hour drive. I put him in the backseat cup holder so the air doesn't blow on him the whole time, and the second I get home I switch him to his normal bowl, which is a 2 liter vase. There are rocks on the bottom (the shiny half-circle ones that are at the pet store) and a "betta garden" flower plant thing (not real). Exactly one week ago today I got back up to school after winter break and switched him back into his bowl and he seemed okay at first, and then this past Thursday he started acting weird. He isn't swimming around like normal (usually very active) he has just been hanging out at the surface. I don't think he has the swim bladder thing i've read about because he isn't on one side or the other and I don't think I over feed him. I am guilty of feeding too many blood worms (I give him about 3 every other day). I started him off with pellets and I heard they liked blood worms so I switched and now I think he's spoiled. Whenever I try to feed him pellets he won't eat them, I feel bad, and end up giving him blood worms. I do water changes at least once a week, usually more- whenever I see the film on the top. He doens't have a tank lamp, persay, but there is a lamp with a low-wattage bulb on the same table as he is and that stays on when it's cooler outside (his bowl is on the opposite side of the room from the window). When the sun shines in the window onto a different counter (usually for about an hour every afternoon) I move him over there because the sun seems to cheer him up and he fans his tail out more, etc. Except lately that hasn't been working. He has been staying at the surface, not really moving, with his mouth against the surface of the water and his body hanging down almost vertically below him. When I wiggle the bowl (usually he goes nuts) he doesn't move except his mouth moves a little. I tried feeding him (usually he knows when it's feeding time, he gets excited and starts swimming around the bowl- weird, I know) and he didn't even go towards the food when I dropped it in the bowl. He just isn't being himself. I don't know if maybe it's his time to go, if it's possibly from the bloodworms too often- maybe he just doesn't feel well? Or if there is something I can do to "revive" him. I don't think it's anything with his environment, I'm really aware of when he needs to be cleaned, fed, etc. I constantly check his water temperature the old fashion way- stick my finger in. I don't know how much thermometers are, but poor college students don't really jump to buying extra things.

I'm sorry it's so long, I just really don't want him to die. I know he's "just a fish", but he's my fish, and I don't want to be doing something that could kill him. PLEASE HELP FRANK!!!

Thank you!! Have a great day!

 

[tibby25731]

I take it you don't have a water testing kit? Try to get your LFS to check the water stas for you. Any other signs of illness - has his colour faded? Any pink or white patches on him? Flicking or rubbing?

You say he usually lives in a 2 litre vase.This is not big enough for a betta - I know he has been OK until now but this really isn't big enough for him. The smallest tank I will keep a betta in is 14 litres, that is the size of my quarantine tank, and I am always aware that it is small. In a 2 litre vase I think I would water change every day to be honest as there is so little water, the toxins will build up real quickly. I know you are strapped for cash, but there are plenty of places you can get a small tank for free or cheap. If you are in the UK, join your local freecycle group on Yahoo, you will likely be able to pick up a free tank. In the US, i think craigslist is what you would look at. Also try garage sales etc. Your betta will no doubt perk up no end in a larger tank. A heater is a good plan too, as it will keep the temperature at a stable level, which is good for the fish. And if you get a tank, get a cheap filter too, it will cut down on the amount of water changes and once cycled, will keep the water stats safe for your betta.

 

[FrankFish26]

His color hasn't faded. Physically he looks the same, he is just lethargic and not eating and floating on the top. I had no idea they needed such a big tank! Pet Supermarket, where I bought him, said that one of those tiny "betta bowls" was fine. I felt that was too small and upgraded, so I thought his bowl now would be like a mansion! The lady that owns another smaller pet store where I'm from said that bettas are shipped overseas from whereever they are from in moist paper towels and they are stacked on top of each other, etc. How mean!! I'll go to a pet store around here soon to have the water tested and look into a filter. What size do you suggest? I have read other forums that suggest about 2 gallons?

 

[tibby25731]

2 gallons would do, but most people on here would go for 5 gallons at least. And any filter that you can modify to kill the current is good. Bettas don't like a strong current. Try wrapping part of a stocking over the filter outlet, and securing with an elastic band

 

[FrankFish26]

i was looking online and found a Hikari Revive for Bettas at petco. Have you heard of this being useful?? the reviews online all said that within an hour, 2 days max, their bettas were 100%, if not better then before. it said it cured almost anything, from bacteria to unbalanced water causing the fish to be in a "punky" mood. I tried getting to the petstore but the (rude) man wouldn't let me buy it- i was two minutes after closing. my sob story that my fish was at home dying as we spoke didn't seem to help. I'm going to go first thing in the morning.

 

[tibby25731]

Never heard of it, but i am in the Uk. Worth a try though I would say - Hikari are a great food brand so hopefully their medicines are as good

 

[guppy fan]

A larger tank and a small, cheep, filter would help him immensly. I found a good little filter at Walmart for like 5-7$ I think it was. In the filter there should be a spongy looking thing. As the filter ages the sponge will turn a green color. The color is caused by backteria that is benaficail for your fish. It takes care of the toxins produced by uneaten food and waist. Larger tanks are also easier to take care of than smaller ones because the water stats tend to stay more stable. Good luck, I hope your fish gets better soon.
How do his fins look? Have you seen any fraying? Does he have stringy white poo?

 

[FrankFish26]

sadly to say, frank died in the middle of the night

thanks for everyone's help though, now i know better for next time. I don't want to be one of those perpetual fish killers.

Have a great day!

 

[tibby25731]

Sorry to hear that If you do decide to get another betta, post here first and we can help you to get the best possible home for him and give you lots of advice

 

[FrankFish26]

i got a new betta yesterday.. his name is Phil and he is pink and purple =)

I bought him a 2 gallon drum fish bowl that he seems to love! (much more active then frank was in the smaller bowl)
I also got an under gravel heater that is for 2-5 gal bowls and tomorrow i'm going to get a small thermometer to keep in there to make sure the water is staying constant.
I also got him a treasure chest with holes in it like a cave that he can swim through, etc, and i woke up in the middle of the night and looked and he was sleeping in there!! how cute!!
I didn't bother with a filter, i might down the road but for now i don't think it's necessary. I'm going to do 1/2 water change every 3-4 days and full water change once a week.

Can't wait to watch him swim around and be happy in the bigger bowl!

Any further advice? Thanks!

 

[LionMom]

Congrats on Phil.

PICTURES - we NEED pictures!!!!

 

[FrankFish26]

so yesterday i got phil (betta) in a 2 gallon fish bowl with a heater but i can't tell if the heater is working. i don't have a thermometer yet (getting one tomorrow). the water feels chilly to touch, but the heater is for a 2-5 gal tank and is plugged in. i don't know if maybe it just feels cold to me, or if the fish is cold too. It's cold outside, between 30 and 40 F and supposed to drop to 15 tomorrow night!! so I want him to be warm enough. to try to warm him up, i wrapped a towel around his bowl, figuring if it does heat up a little at least the insulation will keep it warmer. any suggestions, or should I just wait and see what the temperature reads when I get one tomorrow? I also pulled the heater out and felt it by hand, it felt slightly warm, but I thought it would feel warmer. Is it maybe not working properly? I'm not expecting something wonderful, it was $11 at Petco, but it should at least heat the water a little bit (you would think). THANKS!!!

 

[Nifheim]

I have to say as long as your room doesn't dip below 60 you should be fine. I had my betta out for two days in a vase (had to isolate him for that long) and he only had room temps to deal with. I also put a heat lamp near (not on top since it produces a ton of heat) his bowl or any lamp that seems a bit warm should work.

Do not put him near a window as I said near the heater might work unless it cranks out heat way too much or near a lamp. He will be fine for a few days.

Honestly it sounds like your prev. betta died from too much ammonia in the tank. Do your changes with dechlorinated water every other day and he should be fine and get the heater with in a few days.

 

[FrankFish26]

I got the thermometer today and put it in there and it's staying around 76-77 F, which I think is pretty good so the heater must be working (it is colder then that in my room). The bowl was set up Wed. night and it is already pretty cloudy (my roommate got a fish at the same time and set up her bowl at the same time and her water isn't nearly as cloudy). I've scooped out all of the uneaten food within five minutes or less of it going in. Any ideas why the cloudiness might be happening? Also, what would the excess ammonia in my prev. fish's bowl have been caused by? THANKS!!

 

[Nifheim]

Look up a pinned thread on fishless cycle and it kind breaks down everything (this is on the beginners board) sorry don't have the link handy. But basically fish eat and poo/pee along with the rotted food it forms ammonia which kills fish when it is VERY high. I am not sure if your going to cycle a fish bowl so that you won't have this problem anymore but I would just keep up on the water changes.

As far as cloudy water - I have that problem currently and there is nothing you can do (can be a bacteria bloom, your gravel had access stuff on it so it may settle down after a day or your tap water has lots of stuff floating around. I would get a container fill it with water you plan on using for your fish and let it sit for a day or evernight before using it and that might help it.