Sick Beta... Help!!

[haunani79]

Our beta, Spike needs help.

Up until a couple of hours ago, he was doing great.

My husband, not the best fish caretaker :argue:, did an approximate 80% water change today.

He did the chlorine remover, the iron supplement (we have live plants), and a bit of aquarium salt.

It's a 10 gallon tank with 1 beta and 6 small black skirt tetras.

Back to Spike... his color has faded around the front/underside area. His pectoral fins have lost color completely. He looks to be bloated and can't hold his position as he keeps floating up. He can "stick" himself under leaves or under fixtures to keep from floating at the top, but he's on his side when he does so.

This is my first sick fish, and I've up on everything it might be (dropsy, swim bladder infection, etc.)

Can anyone help me out here?

If you need more info, just ask and I'll provide it ASAP.

 

[Hannys_Papa]

I remember some posts a while back where a betta (or maybe even 2) didnt do so well with similar symptoms (except the colour change) because the keepers just "dumped" the water in when doing the waterchange - so they got swished around real bad and that caused some swim bladder issues. In those cases it cleared up after a few days...

Ask your husband if he was careful when he put the water in or if he created one big whirlpool of hell ?

Also - was the water temperature close to the tank temperature ? 80% in a 10G is a lot so if the water was a lot colder then suddenly the tank would drop to almost the same temperature. I ask this cause i've read about a lot about less colourful (than normal) bettas because of temperature issues.

 

[mykidsmylife]

I remember some posts a while back where a betta (or maybe even 2) didnt do so well with similar symptoms (except the colour change) because the keepers just "dumped" the water in when doing the waterchange - so they got swished around real bad and that caused some swim bladder issues. In those cases it cleared up after a few days...

Ask your husband if he was careful when he put the water in or if he created one big whirlpool of hell ?

Also - was the water temperature close to the tank temperature ? 80% in a 10G is a lot so if the water was a lot colder then suddenly the tank would drop to almost the same temperature. I ask this cause i've read about a lot about less colourful (than normal) bettas because of temperature issues.

I think that was me Hannys Papa Lessen learned though

Here is a link to that thread and it has fantastic advise on how to treat.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58422

Fast your guy for several days and see if that helps.

 

[RockabillyChick]

Ask your husband if he was careful when he put the water in or if he created one big whirlpool of hell ?

that just made me bust out laughing! :laugh:

 

[echoofformless]

I have yet to see a betta get sick or die from excessive water currents in water changes. I used to pour really carefully, but now I pretty much just toss it on, as it seems to have no effect on the betta other then making him look disoriented.

Besides, have you ever paid attention to the way they bag those fish at the lfs? You'd think the fish would puke. It's almost comical the way they pour them into those little bags and then spin them in circles like a Tilt A Whirl. I always feel kind of silly walking around the store afterwards, carefully cradling the dizzy little creatures gingerly as I move about.

One of our bettas loves playing in the currents of his filter. But I imagine that if he was human, he might be one of those kids who eats paste.

And here is my last paragraph, the fourth one, to satisfy my OCD.

 

[Roan Art]

Why are you adding aquarium salt? Unless all the fish in the tank are semi-brackish, salt should be used as a temporary measure for medicinal purposes. It can affect your fishes' health if used regularily. Especially a betta.

Roan

 

[Emg]

I use aquarium salt in my water for my fish all the time. It is a regular addition to my change water and I have never found it to be a problem at all. I add 1/2 teasp per gallon and I have very few health issues with any of my fish.

If you are uncertain as to what is wrong with your betta, I would remove him from the tank and put him in at least a 1 gallon tank. Fill up the tank half full with water from the tank he is in now. Then slowly add fresh change water a bit at a time. This will help if the issue is related to the water quality for any reason. You don't want to toss him into completely different water as stressed as he is already. When the tank is filled you can remove some and replace until you think you've got whatever could be wrong with the water, cleared out. Then let him stay in there and observe to see how he does. I would leave him in that tank until you see an improvement as it would be easier to treat him there if you need to. What you can do to keep the water in that little tank warm, would be to actually set it into the 10gallon that he is in now. Put something in the tank to set it on top of that will keep it at the same water level as the tank or higher..(so it doesn't float and then fall over)

If he appears to get better than you would have a good idea that something had gone wrong with the water change. (Go easy on Hubby, lol...he was only trying to help) Do another water change in your 10gallon and give your fish a bit of time to recover before putting him back in the 10.

I would fast him for a bit anyway...wouldn't hurt as it appears something is going on with the swim bladder.