# Need help with Betta



## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

Hey guys!

I need some advice here.

My friend left her betta with me while she went for a trip abroad. He was doing fine until this morning when I fed him and he didn't want to eat. He's in a 3 gallon eclipse tank with a filter and bio-wheel. The water parameters are ammonia 0, nitrites 0, pH 7.6, temp was 82F, but I've turned the heater on and it's now 84-86F.
As soon as I saw he didn't want to eat I removed him from the tank and put him in this little bowl to clean his main tank. I removed 30% of the water, added new de-chlorinized (sp?) water, waited about 20 minutes to put him back in the tank. 

He doesnt have any signs of disease, but seems apathic (sp?) and doesn't want to eat. What should I do??

Thanks

Chris


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## Echo (Apr 23, 2006)

Did she have to transport the betta to your house? Was it a big move for him? Sometimes a betta just being in a new enviroment won't eat. He'll be fine.


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## MaryPa (Jan 25, 2006)

84-86 is a bit too high. Turn the heat back slowly to about 78f.


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## PerculaClown (Apr 25, 2006)

that doesnt make sense though. Higher temperatures make the metabolism of fish work faster which make them eat more. But still 86, is pretty high


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## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

I had to go to her house to pick him up and bring him to my house. I emptied the tank half way and bring him in it in the car with me. It took me about 30 minutes. But he's been with me for a couple of weeks and he was fine until today. 

The reason he was in such high temp was because the owner told me that's "how he likes it". I also thought it was too much and I told her about it. She actually uses 2 heaters in his 3 gallon tank, but I've been using just one heater and the temps go up to 86F. I did turn off the heater, but it's one of those mini-heaters, so I have no control of the thermostat, but my house's temp has been around 78F, maybe a little less today since I've turned on the AC. It's pretty hot in So Cal today.

He hangs out on the bottom most of time, just swimming up to the surface to gulp for air, but I've noticed that when I turn the lights of the room out, he goes to the surface and hangs out there, but if I turn the lights back on, he goes to the bottom and stays there, hiding in his cave, kinda sad. Sometimes his body seems to tilt a little bit to the side as if he's falling asleep. His mouth slowly opens and closes... Do bettas breathe through their mouths like any other fish?? Sorry, I've never paid attention to it.

Thanks for helping.


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## Guest (May 20, 2006)

Are you feeding this Betta every day? You are only suppose to feed them about every three days. That temperature is way to high for him anyways. Lower it to about 76-78 degrees F.


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## Guest (May 21, 2006)

Bettas can eat every day. Mine does and he is perfectly healthy. Just don't overfeed as that can lead to ammonia and increased nitrates.

I would lower the temp, like every one has suggested, to about 78F. Turn the heater off and if the temp doesn't go down much, you can do a water change and replace it with cooler (not cold) water.

Do about 30% water changes weekly, feed him a small amount every day or every 2 days. 

He could just be an old guy. I had a betta that I had for a year. He got really sluggish after a while. He would just mope around. He still ate though.

Try turning the heater off and see if he comes around. Keep checking the water parameters, to make sure everything checks out.


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## chrisinha (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks guys!

I did turn the heater off. The temp went to 80-82F, but this morning when I went to check on him I saw he's pineconing  

So, it's dropsy and now I dont know what to do... I've dosed kanamycin... but everyone is telling me not to have my hopes up


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