The new guy

[BettaMomma]

Hey guys - I just dropped in the first dose of Maracyn Two - should I add some aeration for him while he's being medicated??

 

[AlexsDaddy]

Bettamomma, here's something you might want to think about. If the reptile tank cover the the screen mesh one that I am thinking of. If it's not and more solid then you should be able to just ignore what I am about to type. A bettas surface air needs to be warm and humid. Breathing in cold dry air could cause them to get pnemonia(sp). To get warm humid surface air the tank should have a solid cover with a couple air holes. That will help hold in heat and humidity and help keep your betta healthy. What you want to aim for is condencation build up on the inside of the tank walls above the water line, and on the inside of the lid also is even better. That way you know that the air is warm and humid. It also helps cut down on water loss due to evaporation and will help keep your water conditions steady. If you don't have the $$ to shell out for a cover right now, you could put a peice of plastic wrap under your reptile cover and tear a couple small air holes in it. That way you can have the reptile cover to keep him from jumping out, and the plastic wrap will help hold in the warmth and moisture.
I wouldn't worry too much about airation if he's still swimming around and not having too much trouble getting to the surface to breath, but if it makes you feel better, it can't hurt. Just use a gang valve and turn the bubbles down low so you don't create too much surface movement.

 

[BettaMomma]

Hmm, interesting info - I had not heard that before.
I will certainly get him a different type of cover.
Thanks!

I think I'll put in a little bubble bar that I have after while.
I don't have a gang valve, but I have something rigged up that I can control the flow of bubbles with a hair clip. LOL (don't ask)

Agian, thx for the info!

 

[BettaMomma]

crap.
I was just watching him and he took off swimming madly and smashed his face into a plant, then kind of floated back like he was stunned. that's the only time today he's really done much except for to take one tiny lap around his tank very slowly.

I just watched him sink back down to the bottom of the tank and now he's just sitting there again.

I've got Maracyn 2 in the tank.
just leave him be?

 

[BettaMomma]

Here's my poor boy.

He's been laying in that spot for a good 30 minutes now.
That's all he does now - just moves to a new spot to lay.
His fins have become more blue but he's still just laying.

I'm beginning to think his problems aren't at all related to his new tank - he's just really sick. I have only seen him struggle up for air a couple of times since yesterday. I did put up some walls of dark paper around his tank so he has privacy.

I'm doing Maracyn 2 - should I toss in some salt, maybe?
2.5 G tank, how much - if so?

 

[Skylar]

BettaMomma,

Not too worried about the price, really, just the fact that my parents have banned anymore fish from the house. I do have a betta in my community tank and Im thinking of getting him his own tank with some ADF's maybe. But sadly, I have to get $400 by July to pay for my dog's boarding in a kennel for my vacation so..well..Project Rescue Betta will have to go on a hold for now. Until my birthday. Ill ask my friends to just give me money or some part of a 2.5 fish tank. Like one friend give me gravel, another two give me the tank and another friend give me the heater. xD

 

[BettaMomma]

Sweet, then you can just say it was a gift and no fault of your own that you have another tank to fill up.

nice!

 

[3fsh]

Bettamomma,

Is there any way that you can get some plants that don't need much light to put into his tank? (Anarchis, hornwort, etc.) My betta (Popeye) that I rescued from Petco was having trouble swimming and getting air but when I put in a bunch of Anarchis he basically *sat* on top of them right by the surface and took a breath of air every once in a while! It really helped him to get better quickly.

*Edit*: On second thought... give me your address and I will fedex you some hornwort for free if you would like some! Anything to help cutie little Jasper.

 

[BettaMomma]

Really???
You would do that?
How sweet are you!
Okay, I'll pm it to you!

Thanks, and Jasper thanks you too.

Oh, and let me know how much it was and shipping - I'll gladly reimburse you!

 

[Gimli]

Your bettas really nice, I hope he likes the proper home.

 

[BettaMomma]

Thank you!
He's really really becoming beautiful. (Not that his pitiful little face wasn't adorable BEFORE but... )

His coloring is REALLY coming through. It's amazing what some clean water, a little heat and some good meds will do. ANYWAY - he's found a new favorite spot. It's up at the top of the little hydor heater stuck on the side of the tank. He rests his chin on it, and just kinda hangs there. I'm assuming it's because then he only has about 1/2" to go to get air.

He has yet to eat. Every time I peek in he flies under his hidey leaf, but I think I'll catch him sometime when he's hanging out up by the heater and drop a pellet in. the little guy's got to be getting hungry!

YEEHAAAAAAW! I just looked in on him - he let me peek at him while he's hanging out by the heater - his dorsal has a HUGE mass of clear finnage growing back in.

 

[BettaMomma]

Well folks, it's not looking too good for ol' Jasper.
I noticed that he keeps moving around, and I was happy to discover that.
However,I moved a tiny portion of the privacy paper cover I had put up to see what he's doing, and I realized that when he does move, he bumps into things, darts around and smashes himself into stuff and he has now lodged himself between the heater and the side of tank to keep himself near the top of the water. It makes me want to cry.

I just don't know what else I can do for him. He swims around in circles, sometimes running into things - it's almost like he's on another planet. He's been in his new tank for 2 days now.

Sorry to keep going on about him but this is the first time I've rescued a betta that i'm not sure is going to pull through.

What the HELL?
There's nothing physically wrong with him that I can see. No fungus, no blood, no patches, nothing. No white spots, nothing. He looks a teeny bit swollen, but I think he's just a big fish. What could be wrong?

His tank temp is up to 82 degrees - I just noticed. Is that too warm?
I'm SO very angry right now.

 

[BettaMomma]

I'm getting to the point that I feel like Jasper's really, really not going to make it.

Just when I thought he was doing better - this morning he was swimming slowly around his tank and stopping to rest on things, etc. he was at least starting to come out into the open - it seemed like it kind of registered to him that I was looking in at him and everything - THEN.....
He started darting around the tank like a mad freak - it went on for about half a minute and now he's again laying on the bottom of the tank. I'm pretty sure he probably hurt himself running into stuff.

Anyone have an answer as to why fish when they're sick just start darting around like this? I want to take everything out of his tank so he won't get hurt anymore but I don't want to remove his hiding places. I did put a pinch of salt in his tank a while ago - would that have made him start this up?

I think the guy with the bloated belly that was ready to burst would have been easier to deal with (emotionally) than this guy, because I still have no idea what's wrong with him.

 

[BettaMomma]

Well, we determined what Jasper has.
Acute Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia
which comes along with a very high mortality rate.

I'm so very sad.
I'm going to try to save him but the odds are definitely against him.

 

[Allie]

How did you find out what Jasper has? I still hope the little guy gets better...