Betta Has Drooping Fins

[GuppyGoddess]

Hi everyone,

I brought home my third betta the night before last, so I've had him for 1.75 days.

Last night I noticed that his top and his tale fin are drooping. They're not fanned out like they should be. He also doesn't come up to the top for air. When I watched him, it almost seemed like he attempted to travel to the top, but couldn't make it. I lowered his water level and then he came up for air twice. Now he only half his bowl is full, so I am going to scoop out one large cup of water and replace it with clean water two times today to help him.

Based on the fin description and breathing patterns, does it sound like he should be exchanged? I would attempt to nurse him although the fish is in my son's room and I am concerned if the fish passes on, my son may be the one who discovers him. My son doesn't want to take him back. . .there are a few other similar colored fish at the LFS so I possibly could trade him w/out my son knowing.

If I do very frequent partial water changes, is there any way that the fin drooping can be corrected and the fish can live? (I am going to put a heater in his bowl today to see if that helps.)

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Luke_emma_23]

what tail type is he?

 

[Honeythorn]

He shouldn't be in a bowl at all, he should be in a tank. A 5 galon tank or larger to be precise, though a smaller one would do as a temporary measure. A large clear plastic storage tub ( food safe ) is also an excellent substitute, and also large critter keepers ( not the ones with the slits in the side of the tank the solid ones ) .

He should have a heater 24/7 and also a filter with a gentle flow. A filter is essential as it will provide a stable biological envirnment for the fish and along with weekly water changes help to keep him in good health. You cannot fit a filter to a bowl so a tank is needed asap.

It should be heavily planted with either live or silk plants so he can hide. Since he is showing signs of illness or stress, stick with silk plants and no substrate or gravel of any sort on the bottom. It will help to keep things cleaner for now.



Rapid breathing and general signs of ill health could mean he caught something at the store. If nothing else it is a sign of stress.

Lowering his water and frequent changes with dechlorinated water are all good measures to take and may help to make him more comfortable so you are on the right track.

Above all you need to get him out of the bowl and into the correct environment.

Are there any visible skin problems such as all his scales sticking out, or patches that look grey or like cotton wool ? Any blackening/disintegrating of his fins?

If you have only had him a day he may still be stressed from the move.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

He shouldn't be in a bowl at all,

I didn't say he's rapid breathing. He's just not coming to the surface for air like my other two bettas do. He attempts to, but doesn't make it to the top.

FWIW, BOTH of my other Bettas started out in 2-gallon bowls and they did just fine. The second was recently moved to a heated/filtered tank, but the other is still in a bowl and she is active and alert.

I don't appreciate your judgement or critisism. I'm not shelling out money for a tank set-up until I know a fish is healthy. My first tank was set up with guppies and they had been infected with camallanus while at the store and now I'm stuck with a tank that has to start over IF the levamisole I added to the water didn't clear out the parasites.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

what tail type is he?
[/quote]
I'm not sure. Here is his photo:

 

[betta fish]

Hi, he's a veiltail and it is normal for their fins to droop in this way, only when they flare should they fan out.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Hi, he's a veiltail and it is normal for their fins to droop in this way, only when they flare should they fan out.

He's a Veiltail. Thanks so much for providing this info. The other male I have is a double-tail and was labled as such, so I knew what to look for.

Funny thing. . .right now he has gravel substrate and just a second ago I put a couple clear glass 1/2 marbles (the ones that are flat on one side) into his tank. Since then, he's become obsessed with them. Keeps swimming up to two of them. Seems like this is stimulating him. After doing that for a bit, he went up and took a gulp of air. Thank goodness. He may be seeing his reflection in the glass, though, so maybe that is why he's so riled up.

 

[pippoodle]

make sure you're doing daily changes of 50% hun if you dont have a filter in the bowl also make sure you keep the gravel nice and clean with biweekly gravel vacs

i would upgrade him to at least a 3UK gallon in a few weeks though hun when you know he's nice and healthy

Looks like a nice Veiltail boy you have there - pretty colouring

YOU can keep him in the 1g bowl temporarily - i keep my male boys from approx 8 weeks until they are 12-16 weeks in 2 litre unfiltered tubs - 50% daily changes in a warm room
They do well as long as you keep temp right - 25-28 degrees and keep nice and clean water

 

[GuppyGoddess]

make sure you're doing daily changes of 50% hun if you dont have a filter in the bowl also make sure you keep the gravel nice and clean with biweekly gravel vacs

i would upgrade him to at least a 3UK gallon in a few weeks though hun when you know he's nice and healthy

Looks like a nice Veiltail boy you have there - pretty colouring

YOU can keep him in the 1g bowl temporarily - i keep my male boys from approx 8 weeks until they are 12-16 weeks in 2 litre unfiltered tubs - 50% daily changes in a warm room
They do well as long as you keep temp right - 25-28 degrees and keep nice and clean water

I'm doing good on the water changes. I set out water the night before and change each bowl during the day. Oh, and he's in a 2-gallon, not one gallon!

Thanks.

 

[Assaye]

He doesn't need to be moved to a larger tank straight away, but if you think he is off colour then keeping him in a quiet place with somewhere to hide, or even just with a cloth over the tank could help relax him.

You're doing good water changes - you'll need to keep it up while he doesn't have a cycled filter in his home. Do you have a test kit? It would be super useful so you know exactly when to change the water.

I would recommend a 14 litre tank minimum for long term as it gives you plenty of space for plants, caves, filter, heater and swimming room, but as you said, no point spending the money until you know the fish is in good health. What is important is that he is kept warm. This applies to all betta as they are tropical fish and like temperatures between 74 and 80 (26-30 degrees celsius). Also - the larger the tank, the longer the toxins take the build up and the less water changes you need to do. In a cycled 14 litre tank you should only need to change 20-50% a week.

If/when you do get a larger home for him, keep him in his bowl until the filter is properly cycled. There are loads of resources on here about how to do that.

His fins look fine though hun! No need to worry there, as far as I can see.

If you want to save some money on tanks, get a 28 litre tank and divide it in two for him and the girl in a bowl. Only need one filter and heater then and it'll be cheaper than getting two tanks. They'll both love it =)

 

[aly_starh]

Lovely Betta!!!
defos a veiltail, he looks like my first betta except mine is yellow, drooping fins is nothing to worry about, as someone already said, when they flare then they go straight.

 

[pippoodle]

make sure you're doing daily changes of 50% hun if you dont have a filter in the bowl also make sure you keep the gravel nice and clean with biweekly gravel vacs

i would upgrade him to at least a 3UK gallon in a few weeks though hun when you know he's nice and healthy

Looks like a nice Veiltail boy you have there - pretty colouring

YOU can keep him in the 1g bowl temporarily - i keep my male boys from approx 8 weeks until they are 12-16 weeks in 2 litre unfiltered tubs - 50% daily changes in a warm room
They do well as long as you keep temp right - 25-28 degrees and keep nice and clean water

I'm doing good on the water changes. I set out water the night before and change each bowl during the day. Oh, and he's in a 2-gallon, not one gallon!

Thanks.

Opps sorry hun lol - 1 or 2 gal be fine for a while - i know you love your bettas and know you'll look after him in the bowl until he's moved

Here's hoping he keeps going ok - he sounds fine to be honest with you
as i said hun - YOU DONT need a filter as long as you are doing the water changes and you are so he'll be fine - even when he gets to a tank - or large 3UK gallons bowl - he still dont need a filter as long as you do the daily changes

take care sarah x

 

[fishlover2306]

My female veiltail has been going thru the exact same thing for the past 3 months. I've been searching everywhere, and apparently, at first, she was constipated? then, just yesterday I read that her water might be too cold and it should be between 70-80 degrees Farenheight ( 80 degrees being 26 degrees Celcius), so, changed her water temp and she looks a lot better cause before, she was alive but floating at the top of her tank, now she's at the bottom, but she is moving a lot more. Also, she wouldn't recognize it was her feeding time until she saw it, but now she knows and she's going up to get her food. she wouldn't go up for breaths before or now tho, but I guess that's because she's in the process of getting better.
Hope this helped!!