Is my betta fish sick/dying or getting old or sleeping

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Baked potatoes

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Jan 27, 2020
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I have a Siamese fighting fish (Betta) for about a yearand about a month ago he started laying on the bottom of the tank.

I have a 20L tank, heater, filter, thermometer, hiding spotsplastic plants. He used to be very active and only rested at night. He used to eat all the food I put in and then he just stopped, he’s lost colour and he’s not eating.

When this started I thought it would just pass but it didn’t in about a week I started researching. I’ve tried a small piece of pea, he didn’t eat it, I’ve tried two different pellet food and flakes, he didn’t eat them either. After 2 weeks of nothing I put 5 black tetras in there thinking he might be lonely, it didn’t change anything.

I’ve tried blood worms and mosquito larvae, he won’t eat them. I’ve checked his water, the ph was high a week ago but it’s alright now, ( at 7.00) the temp is at 26 degrees Celsius. I do 50 % water changes once a week and clean the tank once a month. The nitrites, nitrates and ammonia levels are all good.

I just don’t know what to do, it’s like I don’t want him to die but nothing changes anything, so I don’t know, I think he’s going too but if he does die I don’t want the same thing happening again. The tetras are happy and eating. I also have a muscle in there who seems happy (it’s a bit hard to tell...)
Is he just old or am I doing something wrong?
Thanks
 

northernlady

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Jan 24, 2020
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well, your Betta could be older than you think, sometimes they are older when you buy them. the longest i have had one was 6 years,the least 1 year. you could try putting a little aquarium salt in the tank, sometimes that helps. they also sell this neat little gizmo for them to play with, it is a Betta mirror that floats around and makes them think that some other Betta has moved in, i have seen them for sale on Ebay for a couple dollars.i just got a new Betta myself from Pets--rt , i am going to try the Betta Mirror with him. fish are sensitive to PH changes and ammonia spikes among other things, keep up your water changes , be sure you declorinate, you could also replace the plastic plants with some super easy to grow Java fern, bettas like it, you attach Java fern to a piece if driftwood ( from a petstore please, wood that you pick up might not be safe for your tank), you can use gel super glue (just a little) to hold it to the wood or you can wire it down-- i wire mine down with tomato wire that i get at Walmart in the plant department about $3 a spool and lasts a long time, it is coated wire wont rust in your tank. i dont get out much so i buy aquarium plants on Ebay too , lots of neat mosses on there as well as Java fern. you only need a couple pieces of that stuff it is very prolific, LOL.hope your little guy comes around. let us know how he is doing :)
 
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Baked potatoes

Registered Member
Jan 27, 2020
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well, your Betta could be older than you think, sometimes they are older when you buy them. the longest i have had one was 6 years,the least 1 year. you could try putting a little aquarium salt in the tank, sometimes that helps. they also sell this neat little gizmo for them to play with, it is a Betta mirror that floats around and makes them think that some other Betta has moved in, i have seen them for sale on Ebay for a couple dollars.i just got a new Betta myself from Pets--rt , i am going to try the Betta Mirror with him. fish are sensitive to PH changes and ammonia spikes among other things, keep up your water changes , be sure you declorinate, you could also replace the plastic plants with some super easy to grow Java fern, bettas like it, you attach Java fern to a piece if driftwood ( from a petstore please, wood that you pick up might not be safe for your tank), you can use gel super glue (just a little) to hold it to the wood or you can wire it down-- i wire mine down with tomato wire that i get at Walmart in the plant department about $3 a spool and lasts a long time, it is coated wire wont rust in your tank. i dont get out much so i buy aquarium plants on Ebay too , lots of neat mosses on there as well as Java fern. you only need a couple pieces of that stuff it is very prolific, LOL.hope your little guy comes around. let us know how he is doing :)


Alright, thanks for that I’ll put some salt in this morning as we’ve already got it, and I’m going to town today so I go and check out some plants
I’ll keep you updated
 

the loach

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Aug 6, 2018
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I also have a muscle in there who seems happy (it’s a bit hard to tell...)
Is he just old or am I doing something wrong?
Thanks
I'm sorry but your mussel isn't happy, he is starving.... they need floating algae as a main food source you won't be able to create those conditions in an aquarium. But I don't blame you for not being able to tell, it's hard to see whether a mussel is happy or not ;)
 

northernlady

AC Members
Jan 24, 2020
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thanks for the picture, your Betta is not looking to good, he may be older than you think. Live plants in a tank are always good , your tank looks nice and clean, keep your water changes going , dont let this upset you, we all have tank issues from time to time.
 

Rbishop

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Dec 30, 2005
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Real Name
Mr. Normal
I have a Siamese fighting fish (Betta) for about a yearand about a month ago he started laying on the bottom of the tank.

I have a 20L tank, heater, filter, thermometer, hiding spotsplastic plants. He used to be very active and only rested at night. He used to eat all the food I put in and then he just stopped, he’s lost colour and he’s not eating.

When this started I thought it would just pass but it didn’t in about a week I started researching. I’ve tried a small piece of pea, he didn’t eat it, I’ve tried two different pellet food and flakes, he didn’t eat them either. After 2 weeks of nothing I put 5 black tetras in there thinking he might be lonely, it didn’t change anything.

I’ve tried blood worms and mosquito larvae, he won’t eat them. I’ve checked his water, the ph was high a week ago but it’s alright now, ( at 7.00) the temp is at 26 degrees Celsius. I do 50 % water changes once a week and clean the tank once a month. The nitrites, nitrates and ammonia levels are all good.

I just don’t know what to do, it’s like I don’t want him to die but nothing changes anything, so I don’t know, I think he’s going too but if he does die I don’t want the same thing happening again. The tetras are happy and eating. I also have a muscle in there who seems happy (it’s a bit hard to tell...)
Is he just old or am I doing something wrong?
Thanks
Real readings, from a good liquid test kit is what is needed...not just "good".

And what specific type of mussle? Where from?
 
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