My Poor Betta Is Dying I Think.

[Murasaki]

My poor little Flick has been showing some signs lately. The past month and a half, he's stopped trying to make a bubble bed up at top. As well, he no longer flared up at his own reflection, something we only did once every great while (certainly not daily or even weekly). Other than that, he was pretty regular, though spending more time at the bottom than usual the past week.

Today, he's gone though a major change. He hangs around the bottom and no longer swims towards me when I appear (he'd always try to swim to me 'through' the glass, silly fishy). When feeding, he showed NO interest whatsoever, and he always ate like it was his last meal. If I tapped the side or made my presence well known, he suddenly drove straight to the surface in a mad break and would take multiple gulps of air, gills flaring as he did so. Obviously he's having trouble getting surface air. I also caught him earlier laying nearly on his side and his gills were beating and throbbing quickly.

I've gone over many signs of illness and he exibits none of them, though from what I've read, it seems more that he's dying. Understandable since I've owned him for 9 months, and who knows how long he lived in that tiny cup at the pet shop before that.

So am I right in assuming he is dying? I also see a consensus that I should let him ride it out rahter than trying my mothers idea of putting him down (aka, the toilet).

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Is he trying to rub up against any decor like he's itchy? What size "home" is he in? Bowl or tank? Is his water being changed frequently?

One of my bettas was acting like that too. I lowered his water level to make it easier for him to swim up for air, and added aquarium salt (less than the rec. dosage) to his water, along with Quick Cure - not sure if he had anything that required that, but I was desperate. Then I did 100% daily water changes. After three days he was better!

Hope your little guy feels better.

 

[Murasaki]

Is he trying to rub up against any decor like he's itchy? What size "home" is he in? Bowl or tank? Is his water being changed frequently?

One of my bettas was acting like that too. I lowered his water level to make it easier for him to swim up for air, and added aquarium salt (less than the rec. dosage) to his water, along with Quick Cure - not sure if he had anything that required that, but I was desperate. Then I did 100% daily water changes. After three days he was better!

Hope your little guy feels better.

He's in a 1.5 galon tank, though I'd say it's 9 + inches from the bottom to the surface. Though we did reduce the water level by half just to make it easier for him to get up. He doesn't rub or itch on anything, he just goes up and lays down. I've looked him over carefully but doesn't show any physical sign of anything abnormal except his behaviour. The only major oddity was that we changed his water just yesterday. We change his water religiously weekly and add reccomend conditioner. I do hope to wait it out a few days, but given the length of time I've had him, and slowing down the past few months makes me think of age.

 

[MewMew42]

do you know what your water chemistry is? ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph?

whats in the tank? decor wise...if there isnt much he could be very bored try moving things around and see if he perks up, sometimes i have to do that with mine

if that fails then it could be old age, if youve had him 9 months, theres no telling how old he was when you got him, the expected lifespan is 18 months, I have heard of cases of them living up to 4/5 yaers though!

ps my purple crowntail betta was called murasaki =]

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Have you ever tested his ammonia levels? In a 1.5 gallon bowl, the levels will build up quickly when water changes are done only once per week and in the long run the fish won't be as strong. One of my bettas is in a smaller home (2 gallons) and she gets 100% water changes every three days. . .also, she has a heater (7.5 watt one - very small and good for little tanks/bowls). Smaller betta homes mean religious water changes! Also, it's better to have less gravel in them because that provides extra space for water.

You've done all the basics like add water conditioner, right?

 

[loraxchick]

keep doing daily at least 50% waterchanges for the next week. offer food and if he doesnt eat it remove the uneaten bits. see if the clean water will help perk him up. 90% of the time meds are unecessary. honestly, weekly changes in an unfiltered 1.5 gal tank will have more toxins than youd think even after only a week. so clean water hopefully is all he's missing. even if this has been your routine for the time youve had him, poor water may just be catching up to him now. make sure the temp isnt really cold either..hard to find a heater for a small tank so, and sorry if im worng, i assume its not heated. they are tropical and their water needs to stay fairly warm (low end around 75 degrees F).
cheers.

 

[Murasaki]

We've used Hartz Beta water conditioner for tap water, used with each water change. We've always changed the stuff around in his tank every time, and only a handful on pebbles on the ground. Heavily washed and strained with each cleaning too. Haven't used a hearter, but do check it's temp and has been ideal and constant all this time.

Edit: We had changed his water again and treated last night, though his condition was miserable. He had no activity whatsoever and physically responded to nothing, even to touch and his gil resparation was 1/5th the pace it was earlier today.

Alas, the little fella didn't make it over the night.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Sorry about your loss

 

[OpalineAqua]

awww i'm so sorry...