# Urgent hep needed with sick betta



## Cup_Cake (Aug 7, 2006)

Hi Everyone

I need some professional advice on what may be wrong with my betta and what I can possibly do to help him out.

Sorry if I go on a bit but will try to give as much info as I can.

Tyson is about 18 months old, and has been a happy, healthy little guy since we have had him, about 12 months. Never been sick, always eats well, gets excited when we come home (more than the dogs do!!!). I love him to bits and am quite distraught at the moment as he is very unwell.

About 3 weeks ago he started to lay on the bottom of his tank. He is in a round 4 litre tank on his own with lots of room and lots of play things. Then after about a week he floated to the top, and has been there ever since. He is floating upright on about a 45 degree angle with his mouth out of the water most of the time. Have checked, and am checking every other day the Ph level of the water and this has been OK all the time. He was eating well up until about a week ago when he lost all interest in food. I still tried to offer him food with no luck. Until today, I offered him dried blood worms as well as pellets and he now seems to be hungry. Only problem is the poor little guy can't seem to get the food. As hard as he tries he keeps 'missing' every time he tries. 

He is still floating on the top and has not progressed any futher. His body is clean, no sign of any disease at all. Water temp is about 21-22 celcius. 

One other noticeable thing is sometimes he seem to go "nuts" and race around madly at the top of the bowl, to the point that if I didn't have some glass over the top he would jump out.

Any help is appreciated.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

What are the water parameters? Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. How often do you do water changes? How big is the tank? Are there any other occupants?


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## Cup_Cake (Aug 7, 2006)

As I am an amatuer at this not quite sure how to check all that. I check the Ph which is always fine.

The tank is a 4 litre tank which I change about once a week and he has always been on his own.

As mentioned he has always been such a happy little thing and this seem to have come out of the blue, haven't changed anything I would usually do.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Have you been finding poops in his bowl? Constipation can cause them to float at the top at an angle.


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## txholeyrock (May 26, 2006)

You mention water changes. what exactly do you do? All the water/half/1/3rd weekly bi weekly, monthly. Do you ad anything to your tap water? Food feeding how often. 18months seems a bit at the end of the life cycle for me for a Betta. I have read that once a fish starts to float it's pretty much the end and nothing you can do. Sorry for your fish and your loss. I suggest if you feel it's suffering because it's swim bladder is on the bonk then do the humane thing and cull it. Put it in a bag (plastic) Either you step on it. Drive over it with your vehichle or hammer it. Quickly an no feeling to the fish. It's humane way to end the suffering. I am only saying that if you feel the fish is suffering. I am not on here saying mean things cause I know you love your betta.

Again yah it sucks and is hard to do that with the attachement of any pet.

Zak


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Ok, those are horrible ways to kill a fish, and not one of the ways recommended as humane euthanisia. One method, and the one most everyone I know uses, is to use clove oil. You put them in a small container of tank water and add 5-6 drops of clove oil. This knocks them out and then stops their breathing. Then I usually pop it into the freezer for awhile to make sure its dead. The other way is to use a knife or other sharp object and pierce the brain, causing instant death. 

I would only consider euthanasia if you feel its hopeless. Take your water to the LFS/LPS and have them test it. You should have a test kit on hand if you are keeping fish (liquid kits, not test strips). pH really has very little to do with the health of a fish as long as its stable - ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are much more critical and should be tested regularly.

A 4 liter tank is quite small for a betta. You've had him for a long time though so that shouldn't be as much of an issue, but they really do thrive and live longer in larger containers. Personally I won't keep mine in anything smaller than 2.5 gallons (about 10 liters). 

It is quite possible that he's dying of old age. You say he's 18 months old but unless you know the breeder and the actual birth date, most of the time when they are sold in stores, they are already a year or two old. Which brings him to just about old age, unfortunately.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

Cup cake, your problem sounds the same as one that I have with my old betta except mine lays on the bottom of his bowl on his tail at the 45 degree angle.
I found him one morning quite disorientated in his 5 gallon tank . I untangled him from the floating plant and by next day he had sunk to the bottom of the tank and couldn't make it to the top.
For the past 2-3 months he has been in a small container that is only a couple of inches deep. He is just able to get to the surface for his food and to breathe. At times he props himself up on the ait stone.
He is in good shape except for his inability to swim anymore.His bowels move regularly.
I am wondering what to do with him as the weather gets cooler. he cannot go back into his tank or he will drown. I am thinking of putting him into a breeding tank and floating him in the 5 gallon.


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## Nippyfish (Apr 25, 2006)

If I may add a couple of things... 21-22C (69-70F) is quite cold for a betta. Ideally, a nice warm and most importantly stable temperature of about 25.5 - 26.6C (78-80F) is really where you want to be. Realizing your tank is quite small, an upgrade may be necessary so you can accommodate a heater. In the mean time, try putting him in a warmer location of your home, but out of direct sunlight. Once he warms up you may notice him become more active. 

Regarding euthanization, I think this is a last ditch effort to put a fish out of misery if that is indeed what it is in. Swim bladder disorder, if that's what this fish has, is often easily curable by a day or two of fasting and careful monitoring of food portions. If it has an infection of the swim bladder it's possible that fish can overcome it on it's own or with the help of some medication. Clean warm water and small portions of tasty food like the bloodworms you have seems like a good start while you keep him under observation and get those water parameters checked.


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## Cup_Cake (Aug 7, 2006)

Hi everyone

Well Tyson is still hanging in there. Took some water into the local aquarium shop who are always helpful and they tested the water for me. All was OK and they said it would not be the water.

He is still floating on the top and still not eating much at all. He still doesn't seem to be able to get any food when he tries to get it. Poor little thing keeps missing so he is not eating very much. I moved him last week into another room in the house which is a lot warmer and gets the afternoon sun but still no change.

I can't work out why if we have had him for over 12 months and he has been a happy little fish all of a sudden he gets so sick.

I am hesitant to change his water as I don't want to put him through any more stress. This just seems like a dreadful waiting game to see if he will come good.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

I think it is just his age. Most bettas seem to only live about 1-2 years. He was a few months old when you got him and you have had him for 1 year also.
This a.m. found one of my females all bloated up. Looks like it is going to be dropsy. This is how most of my females have ended. I have had her just a year now.
I am separating her and will fast her for a couple of days, then try the pea thing and see if that helps.


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