Our Betta Is Unhappy (now With A Picture)

[Jinxxie]

Hi,

Our betta is unhappy, he's spending a lot of time on the bottom of his tank. His fins look clumpy, imagine if you will it looks a little like they would look if they were made of plastic and someone had taken a lighter to them, the tips almost look like they are glued or melted together. They aren't ragged.

He's in his own tank. We have had a lot of temperature fluctuations in the house this week due to AC problems. He gets regular water changes with RO water.

Any ideas what might be wrong? and what I can do to help him?

Thanks

Michelle

 

[liz2]

He might just be too cold. I have had no central heating for a week and had to go out and buy another heater as my baby betta was just staying on the bottom of his tank. Can you not put his home somewhere where the temp. wont change. If the water is ok. perhaps he is bored..is he flaring...?

 

[Durbkat]

What size tank is it? What is the temp of the tank? How big are the temp changes? Does he flare when you hold a mirror in front of him? Does he come up and eat? This link should be helpful. http/www.bettatalk.com/betta_diseases.htm

 

[Jinxxie]

What size tank is it? What is the temp of the tank? How big are the temp changes? Does he flare when you hold a mirror in front of him? Does he come up and eat? This link should be helpful. http/www.bettatalk.com/betta_diseases.htm

He's in a gallon, the temp of the tank is 73, it will have been going from about that to up to 85-ish if it has been fluctuating with the room temp. He does flare, and he does eat. He spends a lot of time on the bottom, but will swim up for food, or when you peer in at him. He seems to be normal colour, no strange patches. Just the strange clumpy fins.

Michelle

 

[LEB2006]

I dont know much about bettas but I have been learning. My betta looked the same way. The way mine looked was if you put to much mascara on and get the "spider eyes" He MIGHT have fin rot? If I am wrong PLEASE someone say so. Its just a guess. I hope I helped.

 

[Durbkat]

No its definatly not fin rot but Jinxxie if you read that link it has a list of diseases that a betta can get so read over the symptoms of the diseases and try and match the symptoms of your betta to the ones listed.

 

[sukie]

How long have you been using the RO water??? I think that might be the cause of the problems. . . .

 

[Jinxxie]

No its definatly not fin rot but Jinxxie if you read that link it has a list of diseases that a betta can get so read over the symptoms of the diseases and try and match the symptoms of your betta to the ones listed.

I did read the list (honest!!). From reading the list I was thinking fin rot or a fungal infection, but he has no patches, luckily they said the treatment for fin rot was basically the same as the treatment for fungal infection, plus a treatment for fin rot.

I guess my problem with self diagnosing him is I am not exactly sure what the terminology of what his fins are doing is. So I took a picture hopefully this will help. This is just his fins, you can see how they are kinda fat on the bottom.

 

[Mugen]

You know.. it doesn't look like a disease problem so much to me as maybe his fins are just like that. Some bettas are more genetically prone to have clumped fins at the tips. I say this because the upper halves of his rays seemed to be pretty spread in the picture. Also, if he is spending a lot of time at the bottom, it may be that he's a "lazy" betta. A lot of times it helps to stick them in a place where there's a little more action and
people moving about.

hope that helps.

 

[Synirr]

I'd treat for finrot, as clumping like that is usually a bacterial/fungal infection. RO water is almost entirely pure H2O, which is actually a bad thing in this case, since it lacks trace elements that help keep fish healthy. I'd suggest switching to dechlorinated tap water.

 

[Jinxxie]

I'd treat for finrot, as clumping like that is usually a bacterial/fungal infection. RO water is almost entirely pure H2O, which is actually a bad thing in this case, since it lacks trace elements that help keep fish healthy. I'd suggest switching to dechlorinated tap water.

Thank you, I will start treating for fin rot, and using dechlorinated tap water. His fins have not always been like this, and he hasn't always been a bottom dweller.

Why is RO water not a problem for a regular tank?

Hopefully he'll start getting better.

Michelle

 

[liz2]

whats Ro water?

My long finned blue betta spent most of his time on the bottom...same colour as yours and his fins never fully flared...he then developed black edges to all his fins and the black fell off...yuck..I treated him with mel (sp?) and his fins are now growing back...I think they were too long...stupid I know..but he is a happy betta now..but doesnt like a big tank...he just hides all the time.

not much help sorry!

 

[catxx]

about RO water, i didn't write this:

RO water can be used for marine and reef tanks as the salt mix provides all the essential minerals and salts needed. Straight RO water is not acceptable for freshwater as it lacks essential minerals and salts. You must learn how to adjust the water chemistry if you use RO water for freshwater tanks.

more or less what synirr said i think.
that could have just upset him, when i moved my fish to a hospital tank, the water was perfect, but he just didn't like the tank at all and got clamped fins, sat on the bottom, and sulked. they get depressed sometimes. i moved him back to his other tank and now he's happy again!

 

[sukie]

Yeh the RO water is bad for bettas - you can get Freshwater Essential and add to RO water.

But my suggestion is tap!

 

[nmdelrio]

... it may be that he's a "lazy" betta. A lot of times it helps to stick them in a place where there's a little more action and
people moving about.
hope that helps.

I agree, he could be a "lazy" betta, mine has never been happier since I moved him into a community tank.

When he was alone (I was told they liked it that way), he just stayed near the water surface glumly.