How To Treat A Depressed Betta

[Dishy]

40 Nitrate is pretty high D:

Have been getting different opinions on that, but he is 95% better...pretty much back to his old self and his fins look good. He's been getting water changes every day. I'll be testing his water tomorrow, and Levi's and Fin's, to check all parameters. Red and Levi's tanks are still cycling as far as I know...

How long have you had Red's tank going for now? Ammonia/nitrite from the cycling process could well be a reason for the lethargy/lack of appetite, maybe?

 

[Gizaroo2]

40 Nitrate is pretty high D:

Have been getting different opinions on that, but he is 95% better...pretty much back to his old self and his fins look good. He's been getting water changes every day. I'll be testing his water tomorrow, and Levi's and Fin's, to check all parameters. Red and Levi's tanks are still cycling as far as I know...

How long have you had Red's tank going for now? Ammonia/nitrite from the cycling process could well be a reason for the lethargy/lack of appetite, maybe?

His tank has been going for almost 2 months or so I think now. Everything has mostly leveled out now with daily to every other day water changes. I know it's probably still in the process of cycling, but Red is 100% better now. He's still on a diet just as a precautionary measure, but he's back to his normal self.

 

[cherrybombvonn]

Hi! my betta fish is EXACTLY like yours, in the sense that he's a betta and he's red and all, his name is Brain and he seems to be displaying the same symptoms your betta fish Red displayed, he's not flaring at all, he use to quickly flare up when ever he saw me or any of my family members, in front of a mirror, at the presence of another fish, or at his own reflection in the clean fish bowl, but now he just lays motionless at the bottom of the fish bowl, nestled in between the rocks. The tips of his fins are darkening, like when lettuce begins to go bad, I'm scared that this is because of his lack of swimming, I'm afraid that if he doesn't use 'em he'll lose them. I think he's depressed because he doesn't seem to be displaying symptoms of a fungal/bacterial infection or the ICK, I wanna know if maybe i should get him a toy or if he really is depressed or maybe bloated, like I said he's displaying the same symptoms your fish did, so I would really appreciate any advice you have on how to treat him. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I love my betta fish, he's the best pet ever and I want him to get better.

 

[sausagewinkle]

This post is from October 2010....

 

[Mistymercer]

I took picture of my betta when I was giving him a salt bath and.....he's...he's defiantly really sick or dying. I feel so bad because I should of done a lot more research on betta fish and how to keep a healthy aquarium. So please don't be to harsh I realize it was irresponsible and un-educated.

I had people in my life saying they had aquariums and never had to deal with half stuff I'm dealing with and just let them be.

First person had 10gl with plastic plants and rocks at bottom of tank. He had a betta, 2 tetras, a molly and 3rd fish he can't remember and they lived fine for year till had move and rehome them. He had gravel cleaner but never cycled tank

Second person had a tank with real plants (not sure of size and fish kept) and she said they never changed water.

I've seen multiple beta fish in little 1-2gl tank with fake plants with no heater and they didn't seem happy but defiantly didn't seem on verg of death like mine.

With that being said I took picture of my tetra in his salt water bath and..... it's bad. Again please be kind I feel so horrible already!

Tried giving him blanched skinless peas and he didn't want anything to do with them. I socked him in epsonsalt bath for 10 min. He did take one Betts pellet and some crushed blood work. Heater comes at the end of week! I'm 100% buying real plants but I don't want to buy a whole new tank set up dpe the betta if;
A.) He dies

B.) The heater helps

I'm half way threw 7 day medication treatment for fin rot (molly has it too). Goingb give him another epson salt bath and then when medication is done I'm doing a full tank clean out.

If heater and plants fail. Then get him his own tank. If that fails...going have uthanize him.....


God I feel so bad he was so colorful and lively... I was meant to save him from his old owner not kill him.