Sick Betta. Will he fully recover?

[Kuroth]

I have a Betta that around 3 weeks ago stopped eating and was just sitting on the bottom of the tank in the back.. He looked VERY bad.. I thought he was about to die.. Then a few days later he started swimming a little and eating a little.. Then about a week ago I noticed his color around his head was changing(looked like it was a sore or fading). I looked it up and it sounds like he has(had) a bacterial infection.. Over the past week the fading spread to his body(He looks very splotchy now).. He now looks pretty bad BUT is swimming around and eating like crazy and acting completely normal. (He just looks bad). I had no access to an isolation tank so did no treatment..

So my question is.. Is he over it? Could he live now? And will his beautiful colors ever return?

Thanks!

 

[Kuroth]

Here is a pic(kind of blurry) of what he now looks like.. He was all dark blue.. He was posing for me for the Pic

 

[jaylach]

What size tank and what are the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels? Do you de-chlorinate the new water when doing water changes? What is your water temperature? Do you have any floating plants which betas tend to like?

I'm not good on fish illness but the above questions will probably be asked by those that are good at this.

 

[Kuroth]

3 Gal. All Parms zero. Use RO water for water changes and treat the RO water before water changes.. Temps stay between 77 and 79. No floating plants.

I will say I started this tank in May of this year and I know it's a BIG NO NO but I had the Betta in the tank the whole cycle.. But he acted fine until just 3 weeks ago. But I assume this may have been what caused his illness. The stress from the cycle..

 

[BettaFishGirl]

Are there other fish in the tank?

 

[Kuroth]

Yes. A Glow Tetra and a small Cory Cat for my bottom cleaner.. I know that's a lot for a 3 Gal so I run 2 filters.. Oustide one and an inside one and water change once a week with RO water.. Oh, and I have 1 snail. All have been doing great for the past 2 months+

 

[TNG]

The fish is very blurry so can’t tell what the problem is. By the look of the gunk attached to the heater, the HOB and what looks like a box filter, the water condition could be a contributing factor. You may have zero ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, but these tests do not give any indication of the levels of pathogens in the water which cause the diseases.
If the fish still eats, it may recover.
Regular water changes and keeping the tank clean will help, but that’s difficult to do when the tank is small.

 

[jaylach]

I'm not a tetra or beta keeper but believe that all tetras are shoaling fish and, if kept as a single can become quite aggressive. The tetra MAY be attacking your beta.

 

[BettaFishGirl]

Tetras need to have at least a 10 gallon and they need to have a school of at least 10 or they will be very stressed and suffer. Also, I believe Cory cats need other Cories and definitely a bigger tank.

If tetras are in low numbers they will attack Betta fish. I had 5 neon tetras with a Betta ina 5g and they tore his fins apart and killed him.

Can we see a clear picture of him and the tank?

 

[Kuroth]

They all play nice together.. I have never seen any of them act aggressively. They all pretty much stay to themselves.. I would say the Betta is the Alpha of the tank. The other two swim away if the Betta comes close to them.

I don't think I have an aggression issue.

 

[GaryE]

If it's a bacterial infection, his odds of a perfect recovery are about the same as yours if you have a serious infection. Some recover, some don't, and some recover fully while others are scarred. I just said a lot to say "maybe". I don't think anyone can say for sure.

 

[BettaFishGirl]

They all play nice together.. I have never seen any of them act aggressively. They all pretty much stay to themselves.. I would say the Betta is the Alpha of the tank. The other two swim away if the Betta comes close to them.

I don't think I have an aggression issue.

They don't "play nice". Maybe when your looking they are minding their own business, but that tetras is scared, stressed and suffering, so it is most likely picking on the Betta. Tetras are nippers, especially to fish with long fins.

 

[Kuroth]

I am retired and home 99% of the time.. The tank is right next to me.. "They Play Nice"

 

[BettaFishGirl]

I am retired and home 99% of the time.. The tank is right next to me.. "They Play Nice"

Maybe they are right now, but soon enough one of them will suffer. The tetra is already suffering with low numbers. Most likely that's what is causing the problem with your Betta. Tetras also need at least 10 gallons of swimming space at a bare minimum.

Having tetras with my Betta is what killed him. They nipped his fins and then killed him. They are ruthless. Even if you watch the tank a lot, it only takes a second, or a night to do damage. Better to be safe then sorry and move the tetra to a bigger tank and get him some friends.

 

[Lcc86]

I am retired and home 99% of the time.. The tank is right next to me.. "They Play Nice"

Bettas are solitary animals. Tetras and cories need to be in groups of at least 6 each, preferably more, they definitely are not solitary animals and will be pretty unhappy. You may not notice any outward signs immediately but fish communicate with each other using chemicals and are likely to be very stressed being kept like this, and it will likely exhibit itself through illness and early death eventually. 3 gallons is also very small for any fish unless you're completing water changes almost daily and could be contributing to the symptoms your betta is showing. Stress and unsuitable tank conditions may also make it harder for him to recover.