Please help me, I think my Betta is dying!!!

[sremania]

:help: Sometime yesterday my VT betta started acting really weird. He is doing headstands on the bottom of the tank, and it seems like he has the hiccups. Ive read some betta sites but none seem to have an answer to this. Water is normal tap treated for betta life....nothing else seems to be wrong with him although he is missing 2 scales in one spot.....eyes, gills appear ok, and he doesnt seem to be scratching himself at all....please respond quickly if you have an answer....i really dont want him to die and im not sure what to do thanks

 

[budrecki]

What are your water parameters, ammonia-nitrite-nitrate?

What size tank and filter?

What is your water change routine, how much, how often?

Do a 100% water change and get back to us with more info.

 

[hondaman]

bud has asked the questions we need to know to help.

 

[sremania]

Answers

What are your water parameters, ammonia-nitrite-nitrate?

Dunno the answers to this, my girlfriend had the fish at work, and just recently brought it home about a month ago. But it's just warm tap water with bowl prep added to it...dunno about the different levels, still new to this

What size tank and filter? it's a one gallon betta tank from Petco, comes with a filter, diffuser, light, etc.....

What is your water change routine, how much, how often? 100% water change once a week...

Do a 100% water change and get back to us with more info. will do tonight after i get off of work

 

[budrecki]

Your Betta is, most likely, suffering ammonia burn / ammonia poisoning.

You need to purchase a water testing kit, a new tank (minimum 2.5 gallon but a 5gallon is better), and a gravel vac.

Your tank is probably not cycled so read this
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64301

and this
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=297432#post297432

Weekly water changes only apply to a fully cycled aquarium of 5g or larger IMO. With a "1 gallon tank" you should be doing daily water changes.

 

[sremania]

Water Levels

:duh: Ok so i bought a water test kit, and everything is within proper range, so its not ammonia posioning....besides he's been fine for 2 years doing it the way i described earlier, so why would it change all of a sudden....oddly enough though he has been trying to jump out of the tank recently, and did jump out of the net onto the counter while i was transfering him to clean the tank....still this doesn't make sense....also he did freak out from my roommate's cell phone ring the other day, and i guess thats about when this whole thing started....ie darting, hiding, headstands, swimming on his side, and in circles etc....any other ideas

 

[hondaman]

Have you recently moved the tank to a new location? Are there new influences affecting the tank (ie. new people walking around) ?

Seems like your fish is just plain freaking out and may be looking for a new place to live. Jumping out of the puddle is an instinctual betta behavior. They do this in the wild when jumping from puddle to puddle in search for food.

Does he have a place to hide and relax in the tank?

Keep in mind most Bettas will just sit around in a hole or plant all day long until dinner time. I currently have mine in a 10g and only see him when its time to feed or he's chasing the neons.