Sick Betta

[omega59]

So for some reason my betta sits on the sand looking sickly. He has developed fin rot. I been testing my tank and everything is coming good with the stats. So I started doing daily water changes in hopes he will get better. I am fairly new to bettas so unsure if that is even nornal behaviour. He will sit below on the gravil or at the top looking still and his fins down below his body, is this a sign of things to come, or its normal behaviour?

2 gallon Fluval Spec, 3 months old.
only 1 fish (betta)
ammonia 0.025
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
ph 7.5
no heater room is decent temps 70f-76f
water change every 5 days 50%
feed twice a day small amounts

 

[omega59]

no replies :\
I'll be re testing my water this afternoon and will report back. i guess i can also buy Malefix formula. ANy other advices and inputs of the cause of fin-rot?

 

[Tizer]

Usually results from stress, if a fish isn't happy then all sorts of diseases can burst out unexpectedly. While i consider a Spec quite nice for a Betta (plenty on here would argue otherwise) maybe its in a place that gets too much noise/banging/movement that scares the crap out of him? has he got much cover to hide under?

 

[omega59]

He has a large Anubis on the bottom he goes under, also a Morino Ball about 7 inches in diameter that he likes to rest on. There is not much noise or movement in the room and when i walk by he doesn't get scared or look scared he remains where he is or comes up thinking i'am going to be feeding him.

 

[Tizer]

fair enough, if you think hes happy enough in the tank then poor water quality would be my second guess, you say there is ammonia in there....first thing to sort out, there should be none.

 

[afremont]

no heater room is decent temps 70f-76f

This is too cold. He is a tropical fish and needs a heater. I keep my daughter's at 80F.

 

[Tizer]

no heater room is decent temps 70f-76f

This is too cold. He is a tropical fish and needs a heater. I keep my daughter's at 80F.

ooh good spot, didnt see that myself, certainly helps to keep a higher stable temperature for a Betta

Another reason why the spec is a bit of a pain, heaters take up a lot of space!

 

[omega59]

okay, i read different opinions on keeping a Betta with a heater or not, some say they don't need and some say otherwise, so i will add a small heater and see how it goes. i think you are correct that the water is not good. After the water change yesterday he seems to have perked up today. I also would like to know is it normal behavior that Betta's sit at the surface with their fins down below their bodies looking sickly? he isn't aggressive at all.