# q from newbie with sick fish



## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

hi guys
i bought my little betta for my son last saturday (3 days ago). he hasn't been eating but i figured he was just getting used to his tank. i have him in a large bowl type set up. this evening he has become very lethargic and has white cotton wool type stuff on his body, i don't think it is Columnaris as he's not bleeding or showing any ulceration etc but it could be just starting. it is 9pm so of course nothing is open. i am going to ring the aquarium i bought him from tomorrow morning but i just thought i may be able to get some help here.
when i bought him we followed all the instructions, gradually got him into his bowl, let the water come to the right temp etc etc and he was happy at first. 
maybe the stress has bought this out?
any opinions / advice would be much appreciated. he is in the bowl by himself.
cheers
mel


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

Do you have any salt? You can add as much as 5 tablespoons of FW or non-iodized salt to a gallon of water. Bettas in general need some salt in their water- and the higher amount of salt kills fungal infections. I also prefer using formaldehyde as the best medical treatment for fungal infections. Unfortunately, it sounds like your fish may be too far gone. Maybe not- do what you can!
The cottony infection is a common problem with bettas. I have seen it frequently in the pet stores and in fish I have brought home.


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## Imbrium (Feb 7, 2005)

It sounds like columnaris to me. I think you should get him some antibiotics.


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

thanks guys
i did add salt last night, haven't gone downstairs to check on him yet (too afraid). if he is still alive will get some antibiotics this morning
will keep you posted
mel

edited to say: RIP DOROTHY :sad:


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

That's the problem with long finned bettas. Sorry to hear your loss. :rip:


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

what is the difference btwn long and short fins? is one hardier than the other?
cheers
mel


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

No, it's just I don't agree with breeding bettas for their fin length because fish with longer fins are slower, seem to get more to get fin damage, and seem to be more prone to bacterial infections. They always seem to be weak to me, so I only buy wild varieties that don't seem so overbred and subject to bullying from faster moving species. I feel the same for fantail goldfish.


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

oh ok, thanks for explaining that.
i took a water sample back to the aquarium and it was fine so they think the fish was sick when i bought it and will replace it with another one (when i get back from holidays)
cheers
mel


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

Well I hope your next fishy does better. Don't be a stranger around here.


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

i won't be, this is a great site!
will be back to visit in a couple of weeks (going to the snow)
cheers
mel


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

sorry to hear about your betta :rip: have fun and glad to hear that your sticking around


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

thank you!


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Mel, actually I remember when I worked at my LFS, the water was fine but about half the fighters ordered suscumbed to fin rot and cotton disease resulting in their fins falling off. So it's probably all of the transportation and not the water.
Cichlid Man


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

maybe because i'm waiting 10 days or so my new one will be in a new batch
(fingers crossed)


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Hey good luck! I hope you will get a good one! Glad to hear you are sticking around, also.

Where are you going? If you don't mind me asking....


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

i don't mind, i'm off to the snow (perisher nsw aust)
keep your fingers crossed our 'new' fish doesn't die. my 4 year old thinks the pet shop is minding his original fish when we're at the snow - i've told him if he's lucky it may have changed colour so he's very excited lol
cheers
mel


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

Lol that was a good way to do it. Dead fishy would make a kid pretty upset. I want a color changing fish too!


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

lol, don't we all!


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## sonofbreeder (Jul 17, 2005)

my dad has bettas right now and they are hard to keep alive believe me keep them in atleast 1 gallon of water or they will get sick and die i got some other stuff that you might wanna get if they get sick, change the water regularly but remember to put water conditioner in the water they only need about 3 pellets


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

You're right, they can be high maintenance. If you get them healthy from the fish store you have a lot better chance though. If you can get them from a breeder, you're a lot more likely to have a healthy betta, but they can be a lot more pricy than the pet store variety. For instance, I saw a breeder with crown-tails for $15 apiece, and found some at the store for about $5...but I would almost guarantee the breeder's were more healthy.

Good luck to your dad, sonofbreeder, they are tough to take care of somtimes.


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

i only chose it cause the guys at the aquarium said they were low maintenance, even lower than a gold fish! now i'm stuck with it as ned thinks his is at the petshop being minded. they are gorgeous fish, just hope our next one is ok. at least i know the water was fine and i did everything right.
mel


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## aaa (Jan 19, 2005)

change the water once or twice a week(for one gallon tank, 100%), clean off uneaten food and poop everyday and feed the betta with variety of food, then you are good to go. plus i am not a big fan of gravel and live plant because gravel will hard to clean the junk out of the tank and the dead leaves is messy to clean.


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

I have a plant floating around in mine with no gravel. I was going to take it out of the bowl, but he started freaking out because he didn't have it to swim around...so I put it back in. As long as there's no gravel, you can suck up the leaves and stuff with the rest of the debris down there. Gravel is a pain though, it makes it that much harder to do anything to the bowl for cleaning purposes.


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## mel&ned (Jul 26, 2005)

am going to 'pick up ned's fish' this weekend
any words of advice?
was going to get a snail too for the tank what do you think?
cheers
mel


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## Kurtfr0 (Nov 2, 2008)

No snails they smell like my feet. And my lfs has half-moon bettas crown tail and others all from 7-15 each.:chair:

Edit - WOW this is from 2005 my bad LOL.


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## justintrask (Jun 29, 2008)

Kurtfr0 said:


> No snails they smell like my feet.


absolutely unnecessary.


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