URGENT - betta is dying

whats going on with your betta i cant say but my pet peeve is people who keep fish in these small tanks. even in the wild when the ponds and paddys dry up theres more than that in there. small tanks are inherently unstable. ph varys any ammonia will spike at least a 10 gal will be able to handle fluctuations much better that this
 
I check the water several times a week, and do weekly water changes (more frequently if needed). I'm in the process of setting up a larger tank. Being judgemental doesn't really help here, does it?
 
your right and i apoligise if i seem judgemental,i'm just stating my opinion and thats not going to change. these little 1 and 2 gallon tanks are the worst thing yo could ever do to a living creature
 
It sounds like you are staying on top of the water quality issues, and it looks like his tank is in the kitchen where he gets lots of interaction with the family, and where you can see and observe him closely at all times.

I know it's better to have bigger tanks, but he's so so much better off than most bettas who wind up in a brandy snifter or vase with an ivy in it, or worse, wind up dying in a cup at Wallyworld or the big chain petstores.

I can't even take one of them home right now, and it kills me. I found one cup with a poor little dead Betta lying curled on the bottom at one of the big pet stores just the other day.

You are here trying to get help for him, you obviously care very much for his welfare. We all really do want to help you. Please know that.
 
Last edited:
Are you sure that there is something wrong with your Betta? As they age, they can change their habits. One of my Bettas now likes to lay on the substrate and actually ends up laying sideways due to the water current. He'll stay that way for quite some time and then just casually kinda float around with a few flips of his fins here and there until he wedges himself between the glass and his favorite plant. Its kinda like his perch. He just looks around and enjoys the view and when I get near the tank he shimmies about and waits for me to 'pet' him throught the glass. They are quite responsive fish.
 
I think he's got an obstruction somewhere in his throat. He can't eat, and desperately wants to. He did eat a pellet yesterday, but today he can't - he can't seem to open his mouth as wide as he normally could. I found the tiniest pellet I could, and he swallowed that, but instantly went into spasms and finally spit it out. He's tried numerous times to eat the pellet floating there, but can't. I crushed up some flake very finely, but he won't touch it - he's never accepted flake.

My son fed him a very fat bloodworm a few days ago - could this have somehow lodged somewhere? Maybe this would explain his gasping?

Again, thanks so much for everyone's help and support.
 
i checked a reference book on "resting on bottom," and it says Swim Bladder Disease, or...the bad one...Fish Tuberculosis.
 
If he has tuberculosis, could he have a lesion in his throat or GI tract?

Laura, does he look like he's thinner at all since he's not eating?
You could try to crush his pellet really fine, and use a medicine dropper or eyedropper, (clean and unused of course), and see if he can take it about the size of grain of sand or small seed.
 
Was the bloodworm a freeze dried one, or frozen? Freeze dried can cause constipation and potentially an intestinal ubstruction.

Could you nuke a frozen enlish pea in the microwave in a little water, peel it, then mush sightly and see if he can eat any of that. Peas can help with constipation, I'm not sure how much help it would be if he has an obstruction.

There's a treatment for constipation that might help if he's impacted I guess. Calls for using epsom salts in some water. Sort of a bath/dip in it....
Someone with more experience can pitch in with a comment on this, I'm far less experienced than the others.

There is a protocol for that in this forum, we can find it if everyone thinks this might be his problem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom