Sick betta...

[ECH2005]

Well, some of you might have heard about my new betta and the situation he got himself into with my other betta a few days ago... well now things have turned even worse. He's become very pale and just lays in his rock and only swims up for air... I noticed a change in him this morning, but he ate like normal so I didn't really worry about it. When I got home today, he looks even worse. He used to be a really dark red/black, and now hes extremely pale.What could this be!? Could it have anything to do with the fight he got into the first day I brought him home? He was fine up until this morning...

I haven't had time to get to my LFS today, is there any medicine that would help him?

 

[ECH2005]

I came home today and he's not looking like he'll make it. The only medicine I could find was some anti-bacteria/fungi stuff that I was suggested by the LFS... although I have little trust in them...

He lays on the bottom, and only comes up for air (I lowered the water level so he wouldn't have to struggle too far). He's very pale and breathes heavily, and his fins are all clamped up. His gills and under his mouth is very white. Hopefully this medicine will work... we'll see in the morning.

 

[jkun17]

Hmm... what are the stats on the water?

Could the water be too cold?

 

[ECH2005]

I thought about that, but its a steady 74 in the house, which shouldn't be too cold... my other betta has done just fine in the same temp...

also, water tests out fine... either something happened to him when he picked a fight with my other betta (see post "Living up to their nicknames") or he was sick when I bought him... which makes me worried about my other betta....

 

[jkun17]

Check the ammonia and nitrites

 

[Sorrell]

Room temp of 74 is going to set your water temp around 72 which is too cold. I'm not suggesting this is the entire problem, but it certainly doesn't help

 

[ECH2005]

I've never had a problem with my betta I've had for several months now, so I never was really concerned about it...

Where can I get heaters that are small enough for a 2gal hex and a 2.5gal tank?

 

[Sorrell]

Set them on a heating pad, you can buy reptile heating pads as well that go under the tanks. Personally, I heat my fishroom with a space heater. I also know of people who will buy a ten gallon, heat it, and sit their tanks inside of it They do make heaters for tanks that are 2.5-5 gals, but they aren't really reliable and tend to overheat

 

[ECH2005]

Don't heating pads run the same risk of overheating?

I'll look into getting a few tomorrow for both my tanks, although I don't he'll make it through the night...