Questions about my betta

[Raechal]

Okay so I set up the 10 gallon and put my female betta that was terribly stressed out with two dark black horizontal stress lines running down her body and she hasn't eaten in about a week or so maybe longer. She was in my main 29 gallon and I think the pregnant molly shoved her away from all of the food. (She's such a pig) Anyways I was going to get a male betta for my 10 gallon, but thought I would try moving the female betta from the community into her own 10 gallon to see how she did.

I got her about 2 months ago and she hasn't grown at all since I bought her. She is about an inch in length. It actually isn't mine, my little sister wanted it so she bought it, but now she gave it to me.

Anyways I have a heater for it but the dresser it is on is nowhere near a plug outlet! So I can't plug in her heater until I can get an extension cord tomorrow or this weekend. It is supposed to get rather cold tonight around the 50's maybe even 40's. It is 52 F right now and will most likely drop as it gets later. I am afraid my betta will freeze to death over night. I have been constantly filling plastic bags with hot water and letting them sit in her tank to warm it up. It is currently at 75 F right now and since I don't have a lid for the tank either I put ceran (sp?) rap over the top and poked holes in it to lessen the ammount of cold air touching the water. I don't know if this will work so if anyone has any other ideas please let me know. I am open to anything!

I have been watching her all day long and I noticed she has a white spot where her poo should come out or really close to that area. I am not sure if it is EXACTLY where her poo should come out or if it is really close to it. I have been waiting for her to poo so I can see if it is normal or if it is white like internal parasites. I dropped two de-shelled peas in her tank and she darted for them like a mad man! She LOVED them. I mean she REALLY LOVED them..more than bloodworms! So I am hoping this will help her along and make her show me her poo so I can treat her if she has internal parasites.

So any advice on what do to? What meds to I get to treat internal parasites? Can aquarium salt be used to treat them or no? Please help. This is my FIRST betta and I want her to live as long as she can and be 100% healthy. She is my little girl.

 

[BettaMomma]

First off - if she went for the peas readily, that's a VERY good sign. You're probably right about her getting shoved out of the way to her food before...

The fact that she hasn't grown at all shouldn't really concern you too much, especially if she hasn't had ready access to much food - I've had Amos for almost 4 months now and he's still a slim, sleek, slender guy - hasn't grown at all. He's also a very happy healthy boy (except for the fact that he EATS his own tail, but that's for another thread)... and he eats like a HOGGY.

The horizontal streaks generally mean that there's some kind of internal infection. You should probably treat her with Maracyn Two. (How long have they been there?) (are you currently treating her with anything??) Go ahead and put some salt into the tank - it's okay as long as you use it for bettas, but just use it when she's sick or stressed (like now )

Since she ate the peas, they should be moving thru her pretty quickly. If you do see what comes on out, if it is stringy and white, you do have an internal bacterial infection OR internal parasites. Maracyn Two will take care of that too. The white spot - does it look cottony, or more like a chicken pox?

As far as keeping her warm, is she in a room that you could possibly jack up the heat just for the night a bit??

 

[Raechal]

My room stays the warmest in the house and I will turn the heater up tonight. It looks like...it kind of sounds gross but you know when you have like a whitehead and you pop it and that white seed or stringy thing pops out? It kind of looks like that but slightly coming out of her poo hole. She hasn't passed anything yet and to tell you the truth I've never seen her poo, not that I've ever payed attention before but I've never seen it.

As for the horizontal lines, they have been there since we bought her. I didn't know much about bettas so I thought those were just her markings. Finally they are gone and she is eating like a pig. She just can't get enough of those peas. She is now scavenging through the gravel to find more and when she gets her hands on one she picks it up in her mouth and rips it to shreds!

Is it okay to mix the meracyn 2 with aquarium salt? Since I don't have a filter is it okay to just dump the meds in everyday without any water changes or should I do a water change everyday then add meds?

 

[BettaMomma]

FABULOUS news that the stripes are gone.
You're making her VERY happy then!

Yep, Maracyn 2 can go right in with salt - and you can keep adding meds without water changes, although you might want to do small changes (10 - 20% each day) just because of the murky yellowish water you'll get in the tank as you medicate.

And we resolved the issue with the white "thing" sticking out.

You know - with everything you've said in your last post, I'm not sure that you even need to medicate her up anymore now - I might just try the salt and keep her nice and warm. She's obviously loving her new home so that in itself, along with the salt and some good foods might be enough to have yourself one happy princess on your hands!

 

[aznmidnite]

Good to hear she's eating. Yes, those horizontal stripes can be a sign that your fish is maybe a little stressed, or maybe just getting used to her environment.

White spot where her droppings would come out? Are you talking about her ovipositor? That's where her eggs come out (close to where she lets out her droppings).

This link gives some info on some of your questions about horizontal stripes, and about the female betta's ovipositor.

http/bettalistserv.tripod.com/FAQ.htm#2

Hang on about adding the meds! She's eating fine now, right? And those horizontal stripes are gone, so she should be doing fin. I'd be cautious of medicating her already. If you are medicating for that white spot, are you sure it's not her ovipositor? Just don't want you medicating when you don't have to. However, if her droppings are white, then I medicating would be fine.

Adding some aquarium salt is a good idea.

Let us know how it goes. Good luck!

 

[Raechal]

I haven't medicated her yet as I am thinking it is her ovipositor But I won't be 100% positive on that until I can see some healthy poo. I've been checking on her nonstop. It is very warm in the house and the temp has maybe only gone down a half degree. I've been keeping floating bags of warm water in there so just incase the temp does drop when I am sleeping she will have something warm.

Geeze I love her to death. She is quite amazing and I think I won't add anymore bettas, but give her the 10 gallon for herself.