Betta fish

[danny_cham]

Is anyone here familiar with bettas and/or betta health issues? I got my male (Zuko) back in Dec of 2020. I think it’s around 2+ years old. He’s starting to act very strange. I first noticed his fins looking a little rough so performed a water change and kept an eye on him. He didn’t improve so I moved him to a larger tank, hoping that it might help. I figured he might be bored or the water quality was still off.

For the past 2 days he hasn’t moved much and has no interest in eating. His scales are slightly pale, but his gills are their normal red color. He doesn’t seem to be gasping or struggling for air.

He’s old I know, but I want to help him however I can. Any suggestions?

 

[Carloscruz]

Is anyone here familiar with bettas and/or betta health issues? I got my male (Zuko) back in Dec of 2020. I think it’s around 2+ years old. He’s starting to act very strange. I first noticed his fins looking a little rough so performed a water change and kept an eye on him. He didn’t improve so I moved him to a larger tank, hoping that it might help. I figured he might be bored or the water quality was still off.

For the past 2 days he hasn’t moved much and has no interest in eating. His scales are slightly pale, but his gills are their normal red color. He doesn’t seem to be gasping or struggling for air.

He’s old I know, but I want to help him however I can. Any suggestions?

Do you have a Filter and heater?

 

[danny_cham]

Do you have a Filter and heater?

Yes. It’s a 10 gallon tank with a tetra filter and a heater that keeps it at 78-80 degrees

 

[Carloscruz]

Yes. It’s a 10 gallon tank with a tetra filter and a heater that keeps it at 78-80 degrees

He is probably get old they live 2 to 5 years with proper care do you know where you got him?

 

[danny_cham]

He is probably get old they live 2 to 5 years with proper care do you know where you got him?

I got him from petsmart. I know now that they don’t take the best care of their fish. He was surprisingly healthy when I got him though. I know that the Betta they sell are around 1 year old

 

[danny_cham]

Update: he’s moved to the other side of the tank and ate a couple bites of food

 

[GiraffeSpots]

While I’m no pro…..when my fish babies aren’t doing good. I usually treat them with a combination of MELAFIX and PIMAFIX. I’m not sure if it’s betta safe but I would assume so since it says it treats most tropical fish and I was also able to treat my pictus catfish with it.

I read about this combination online on a different forum and it’s worked great for me. I usually treat the full 7 days but you can also treat for much less (say 3 days) and see if it makes a difference for little man.

Good luck! I hope he continues to eat and do better!

 

[danny_cham]

While I’m no pro…..when my fish babies aren’t doing good. I usually treat them with a combination of MELAFIX and PIMAFIX. I’m not sure if it’s betta safe but I would assume so since it says it treats most tropical fish and I was also able to treat my pictus catfish with it.

I read about this combination online on a different forum and it’s worked great for me. I usually treat the full 7 days but you can also treat for much less (say 3 days) and see if it makes a difference for little man.

Good luck! I hope he continues to eat and do better!

I got something called API betta fix that treats most bacterial infections. I’ve moved him to a quarantine tank and started treatment

 

[Spookies]

I think a picture of him might help, rough fins can lead to either fin rot or maybe some sort of internal parasite since pale color and in activeness is part of the symptom, but then again it could just be that he is an old boy. Does his stomach looks sunken at all?

 

[danny_cham]

I think a picture of him might help, rough fins can lead to either fin rot or maybe some sort of internal parasite since pale color and in activeness is part of the symptom, but then again it could just be that he is an old boy. Does his stomach looks sunken at all?

It was a little difficult to get a pic of him.but his stomach doesn’t look sunken in to me.

 

[danny_cham]

For reference, here’s when I first got him

This was 2 years ago. He was ~1 year old in this picture. His color is more dull now and his eyes too

 

[Spookies]

His fins looks clamp and it looks like there is a little bit of fin rot on his elephants ears. To me it look like he might have some internal parasites or some sort of diseases. I also would use the combination of MELA+PIMAFIX and just follow the instruction of the treatment. I usually add in an air stone in their recovery tank for water circulation and provide more oxygen to the little guy. Also if he looks like he is struggling to swim, I believe that is a sign of sickness, since sign of old age and internal diseases are pretty similar in betta. But keep us updated on the little guy!

 

[danny_cham]

His fins looks clamp and it looks like there is a little bit of fin rot on his elephants ears. To me it look like he might have some internal parasites or some sort of diseases. I also would use the combination of MELA+PIMAFIX and just follow the instruction of the treatment. I usually add in an air stone in their recovery tank for water circulation and provide more oxygen to the little guy. Also if he looks like he is struggling to swim, I believe that is a sign of sickness, since sign of old age and internal diseases are pretty similar in betta. But keep us updated on the little guy!

Yes swimming has been hard for him so he lays at the bottom most of the time. So do you think I should stop using the bacterial treatment and find the MELA+PIMAFIX?
Would a pet store sell that or is that something I need to order online?

I don’t have an air stone handy but I can definitely get one

 

[Spookies]

MELA+PIMAFIX you can find them at your local petstores, I believe petco do sell them, not sure about petsmart. And for the API betta fix, I've never used it before so I dont really have a saying that. I usually have most success with the combination of MELA +PIMAFIX. I would get a syphon and syphon out about 25-30% of the water, just make sure to get most of that debris out of the water before starting the treatment, and try to make the water as clean as possible.

I love using air stones in all my fish tank on top of a filter. There is a lot of benefits from using it, Aquarium CO-OP talks a lot about using a sponge fitler and airstones if you want to check him out.

 

[danny_cham]

MELA+PIMAFIX you can find them at your local petstores, I believe petco do sell them, not sure about petsmart. And for the API betta fix, I've never used it before so I dont really have a saying that. I usually have most success with the combination of MELA +PIMAFIX. I would get a syphon and syphon out about 25-30% of the water, just make sure to get most of that debris out of the water before starting the treatment, and try to make the water as clean as possible.

I love using air stones in all my fish tank on top of a filter. There is a lot of benefits from using it, Aquarium CO-OP talks a lot about using a sponge fitler and airstones if you want to check him out.

I read somewhere that melafix could be harmful to the labyrinth organ, but I’m not sure I don’t know too much else about it.

I did a water change and gave him another dose of bettafix for now. It says it’s a general antibacterial treatment. I’ll be able to go to the pet store tomorrow. And get everything else. Currently researching if I can do a combo treatment of bettafix + something else. Because I’m not sure if it’s bacterial or a parasite.

 

[Spookies]

You can try API general cure or erythromycin, I've never used erythromycin b4 but the general cure I used it when my betta had gill flukes, those parasite is real rough!

 

[danny_cham]

None of the treatments have been working and he’s started to float vertically near the top of the tank. I believe it’s a swim bladder issue. He can barely control his swimming

 

[Spookies]

That is quite odd. Fish diseases can be extremely tricky, but in my experience, once they are struggling to swim and keeping themselves balanced. The survival/recovery rate is extremely low. I would say to just try to keep his tank as clean as possible.

 

[danny_cham]

That is quite odd. Fish diseases can be extremely tricky, but in my experience, once they are struggling to swim and keeping themselves balanced. The survival/recovery rate is extremely low. I would say to just try to keep his tank as clean as possible.

Unfortunately, Zuko passed away. He started to decline very quickly, But he was very old and I feel confident knowing that I did everything in my power to help him live a long healthy life.

 

[Spookies]

Unfortunately, Zuko passed away. He started to decline very quickly, But he was very old and I feel confident knowing that I did everything in my power to help him live a long healthy life.

Dang, sorry to hear that.