Is he in pain? and introductions

[bettablue]

Hello,

Thank you for this forum! I'm a newbie to computers on forums, so I hope you'll help me out patiently here. Even had a hard time figuring out where to open this page :cry: to write.

Anyway, I have had a few bettas in the last five years or so. I'm trying to develop a planted 10-gallon tank for my one betta. It's harder than a bowl! But he's happier.

I have other questions to ask about him, because he had an accident and now can't stay afloat. He works hard to get to the surface, and then lays on his side when he gets to where he's going.

About 2 months ago, since he's very inquisitive he made his way into the gravel vacuum. :22_yikes: :jaw-dropping: while I was using it. The vet says as long as he's eating not to euthanize him. I hand feed him teenie-tiny chicken liver pieces with tweezers, and he takes it like a baby. When he's done, he turns his head away. He'll let me put my hand under him and move him from place to place. I have all kinds of props along the water edge so he can rest there. He's almost 2 years old.:dance2:

He's bloated and pine-coney, very skinny at his tail. (I can never remember the terms of the fins -- must be my old age).:shakehead:

Anyway, that's my story. I don't know if I should now post this in illness/ailments or what. I'd like to know other people's feelings about keeping him alive. I really love him. And I think he trusts me, even though I was clumbsy and stupid with the vacuum. Do you think he's in pain? He's still eating. He won't eat peas any more. Only the liver. Sometimes a bloodworm, but that's all. I just don't want him to be suffering. What do you think?:1zhelp:

Anyway, thanks for reading.
BettaBlue

[MySpace Mike]

For one i recommend flake food for the betta, or small pellets. 2nd is the chicken liver you're feeding him could be causing problems with his digestive track, or he could have an internal parasite. I would switch to the flake food or pellets, add Pimafix to the tank, remember when using Pimafix to take out any carbon in the filter or the carbon will clear out the Pimafix medication.

Pimafix treats internal/external parasites, and should help with the bloating problem.

[bettablue]

Thanks! I did feed him pellets before this happened and he was an eager eater. He'd eat peas a couple of times a week and even ask me for them by going to the bottom of the tank and looking up because the peas dropped so quickly in the past he's rush to catch them. and I'd feed him frozen worms a day or two of the week. I'd feed him four or five of the Hakari pellets. He did take a few flakes in the past, but spit them out and rolled his eyes at me.

Now he will only eat the chicken livers.

[bettablue]

Where do I get the ...fix thing? I've read of that before. I'm allergic to many of the things that can be put into a tank. I've just completed a full battery of tests to find out why my hands wouldn't heal and learned that it was the medications I was putting into the tank -- anything mycin. Also some of those medications are carcinogenic, is this one of them? With my hands in the shape they are in, I need to be careful what I put in?

[MySpace Mike]

when using any aquarium medication, i recommend wearing gloves. You can get tank cleaning gloves at most local fish stores, i say pick up a pair. As for Pimafix most local fish stores carry it, it's one of the most used meds in aquatics, so it's not to hard to find. If none of your local stores carry it, you can order it online and have it shipped to you. Best website i've found for Pimafix prices is www.bigalsonline.com (http://www.bigalsonline.com)

As for the food situation, Try switching him back to pellets, even if he wont take them right off, after a few days he'll reallize he's not getting chicken anymore and will have no choice but to eat the pellets.

[Dwarf Puffers]

You said "pine coney"? That sounds like dropsy to me. Keep treating him though, if it is dropsy, it's possible to cure (possible, not common)

[jm1212]

if he is "pine-coning," then it is dropsy. ESPOM salt is supposed to help. most other things dont.

[bettablue]

Thank you, everyone, for your advise about my betta. I'm sorry to be so slow in responding to all your advise. For some reason I couldn't get into the site all day and yesterday. I'm so happy you're back to my screen!

I will buy the Melafix and put it in the tank. I will also use the epsom salt. How much would I use in a planted 10 gallon (about 6-7 gallons of water)?

My perameters is 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, 0 ammonia, ph 7.0. Temperature 79-80.3. Today I lowered it to 78 degrees slowly.

I do frequent gravel vacuuming and water changes -- at least twice a week because I use a small Duetta filter and a sponge filter.

The other question I have is should I be using bubbles during the night? It seems that he breathes easier if there's more air, but not much water movement.

You're very generous to respond to my questions. Thanks!

Sincerely,
Bettablue

[bettablue]

I have also changed him back to the pellets. He pushes them away with his head! (he's a character) and rolls his eyes at me.

I worry about feeding him the chicken livers, and was wondering if it might be contributing to his problem. However, I worried about his starting because he looks so skinny. His backbone is sticking up like a starving horse. It isn't as bad when he eats the liver. How long should I continue to try to feed the pellets? (I tried the flakes once before he was injured, and he swam away from them. Now he lets them just lay on him. He can't really grab anything from the water. He doesn't have the power, although today he was stronger and swam from post to post. But he can weakly take hold of the liver and wrestle it from the tweezers. He won't touch frozen defrosted bloodworms either anymore, but he will occasionally eat a dehydrated bloodworm. I'm worried about those, because I think they are not supposed to be fed much. He will only eat one anyway. And he won't touch the peas anymore. Even when cooked til mush, he won't. He used to ask for them. :-(

Bettablue

[silentskream]

try just feeding him algea flakes for now instead of pellets or regular flakes.. it might help with the bloating.

the bubbles will be fine at night, it doesn't really matter, if you like the bubbles being on then leave them on. bettas dont need hardly any water movement so dont worry about that either.

[bettablue]

try just feeding him algea flakes for now instead of pellets or regular flakes.. it might help with the bloating.

the bubbles will be fine at night, it doesn't really matter, if you like the bubbles being on then leave them on. bettas dont need hardly any water movement so dont worry about that either.
Thank you for your reply. I just wondered about the bubbles for the plants during the night, and for oxygen for the betta at night because of the plants using up the oxygen during the darkness?

Thanks!

[bettablue]

I'll try the algea flakes. thanks for taking the time to reply!