Betta Lying On Side At Bottom Of Tank, Help

[wilchil64]

Request Help

Tank size: 28 litre
pH: - sorry don't know
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0.25
kH: don't know
gH: don't know
tank temp: 28 degrees c

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):

He had popeye and now seems to have lost one eye. He's lying at the bottom oftank on one side,and has done for a couple of weeks, he comes up to eat but seems to find swimming up difficult and after eating sinks down again. No other signs.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: weekly water changes of 10 litres

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: have added interpet no. 1 general tonic

Tank inhabitants: he's on his own

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): nothing

Exposure to chemicals: none

Digital photo (include if possible): sorry, don't have at the mo but will try and get tomorrow. He's looking dull and droopy, doesn't flare.

Thank you very much.

 

[loraxchick]

hi
does he swim around ever and then just lay on the bottom after his patrol is over? or is he generally listless? what kind of decorations or plants do you have for him?
if he can swim ok(maintaining balance in the water when he swims) and is eating fine, he might just be lazy and likes to lay that way. one of my boys lays sideways as if hes actually napping on his plants. it is his personal quirk.
depending on what else is in his tank, he just may not have any options of where to "relax" and lays on the bottom. if he is having trouble maintaining balance when he swims, feed him a cooked deshelled chopped up pea and starve him for a day and see if it helps.
best of luck
cheers

 

[WILDER]

it sounds like the fish still has a bacterial infection.
Fish can tilt to oneside when they swim because there lost the use of an eye.

Does he look bloated.

 

[wilchil64]

hi
does he swim around ever and then just lay on the bottom after his patrol is over? or is he generally listless? what kind of decorations or plants do you have for him?
if he can swim ok(maintaining balance in the water when he swims) and is eating fine, he might just be lazy and likes to lay that way. one of my boys lays sideways as if hes actually napping on his plants. it is his personal quirk.
depending on what else is in his tank, he just may not have any options of where to "relax" and lays on the bottom. if he is having trouble maintaining balance when he swims, feed him a cooked deshelled chopped up pea and starve him for a day and see if it helps.
best of luck
cheers

Hi Lorax,

sorry, forgot to mention I posted this in the betta section before too. YOu replied to my msg there too, thanks again.

He won't eat the pea. I don't want to starve him unless absolutely necessary as I don't think he's eating much anyway as he doesn't seem to find the food easily now.

He never swims around, only comes up briefly as if he's coming up for air and then when he comes up for food - which he now barely seems to eat.

He has a nice piece of slate, some pebbles and plants in his tank, he did have a coconut shell to hide in but was just leaning against it, so I took it out tokeep a better eye on him.

He doesn't struggle to maintain balance in the water but seems to struggle to swim at all, getting to the surface seems hard work for him.

YOu also suggested epsom salts bath in the other thread, but I gather that can be very stressful for the fish and don't fancy it unless necessary.

I spoke to the guy in the local fish shop, who said he's probably just old, as I've had him since last November and he wasn't small then, not sure how old he was when I got him.

I just don't want him to be suffering, at what point should I be thinking of putting him out of his misery perhaps? Any other medicine I can give him?

it sounds like the fish still has a bacterial infection.
Fish can tilt to oneside when they swim because there lost the use of an eye.

Does he look bloated.

No he doesn't look bloated at all, just very drab and tired and listless. His breathing/gill movement is very slow.


Is there anything I can give him?

 

[WILDER]

Anti internal bacteria med by interpet.

 

[pippoodle]

do a water change hun - then an hour later take out 10 litres of water - to loswer the water level and so you know roughly how much water is left in the tank
if he has trouble getting to the surface lowering the level will sto him having to struggle

i would then add interpet anti bacterial or Myaxzin (spelling) - i use myaxzin more than any other now as found it more effective towards many illnesses - as have some a few betta breeders i know - they wont use anything else but the myaxzin

Definatly start treating him though and i would only feed him every other day for a week just incase he has some sort of internal problem - he wont get blocked up

 

[wilchil64]

do a water change hun - then an hour later take out 10 litres of water - to loswer the water level and so you know roughly how much water is left in the tank
if he has trouble getting to the surface lowering the level will sto him having to struggle

i would then add interpet anti bacterial or Myaxzin (spelling) - i use myaxzin more than any other now as found it more effective towards many illnesses - as have some a few betta breeders i know - they wont use anything else but the myaxzin

Definatly start treating him though and i would only feed him every other day for a week just incase he has some sort of internal problem - he wont get blocked up

Thanks. I did a 50% water change last night, a couple of hours after feeding him some peas, of which he ate one little piece.

Is it ok to add Interpet anti internal bacteria med, although last week I put in their general tonic or is this likely to create some strange concoction that may harm him? I don't have a carbon filter for his tank.

I have already lowered the surface of the water, he only has it just over half full now (it's a 28 litre tank) and I also added another floating bit of cabomba to help him stay at the top if he wants.

 

[WILDER]

Tonic meds are a complete waste of money.
Do a water change and add the med.
Good Luck.


The third type of infection produced by Aeromonas is by no means the least. This form is often the most virulent (potent) and can be rapidly fatal. This insidious form does not produce any noticeable external ulcers. The most notable feature is a behavioral change in which the infected fish generally become listless and lethargic. Some fish may lose color or appear darker. The fish do not feed, frequently seem off balance and may sink to the bottom laying on their sides. The course of the disease is rapid, and by the time the behavioral changes are noticed, the entire population of a tank may succumb, sometimes in a day or so. This is an internal infection, with the bacteria being found in the kidneys and blood of these fish. The bacteria produce potent toxins that account for the severity of the disease.

 

[wilchil64]

Tonic meds are a complete waste of money.
Do a water change and add the med.
Good Luck.


The third type of infection produced by Aeromonas is by no means the least. This form is often the most virulent (potent) and can be rapidly fatal. This insidious form does not produce any noticeable external ulcers. The most notable feature is a behavioral change in which the infected fish generally become listless and lethargic. Some fish may lose color or appear darker. The fish do not feed, frequently seem off balance and may sink to the bottom laying on their sides. The course of the disease is rapid, and by the time the behavioral changes are noticed, the entire population of a tank may succumb, sometimes in a day or so. This is an internal infection, with the bacteria being found in the kidneys and blood of these fish. The bacteria produce potent toxins that account for the severity of the disease.

Thanks Wilder. I've done another approx. 50% water change this evening and added the Interpet interal bacteria meds.

Do I add them again in 4 days as it says on the pack and how long do I carry on doing so or can't I add anymore after that? I'll carry on doing a 50% water change every day.

Thank you for your help.

 

[WILDER]

Yes you retreat in 4 days time.
You hve to mix the med in warm water to activate it.
Don't forget to remove black carbon if you use it.
Increase aeration as meds reduce 02 in the water.
Good Luck.

 

[wilchil64]

Yes you retreat in 4 days time.
You hve to mix the med in warm water to activate it.
Don't forget to remove black carbon if you use it.
Increase aeration as meds reduce 02 in the water.
Good Luck.

Thanks, I'll turn the filter up a bit.

I mixed the med with the last jug of water I added when doing water change, and his water is fairly warm - approx. 28-29 deg. so it seemed to disappear in the water. Should I have used warmer water than that?

It's just a simple foam filter, no carbon.

thanks again.

 

[WILDER]

I was told the jug of water has to be quite warm to activate the med.
It should be fine.
Let me know how they get on.

 

[wilchil64]

I was told the jug of water has to be quite warm to activate the med.
It should be fine.
Let me know how they get on.

I hope it was warm enough.

I'll post an update, how soon would you expect to see a change?

 

[WILDER]

Good Luck.

 

[wilchil64]

I'd be grateful for some more advice.

My betta now very rarely seems to swim to the top, in fact I have just seen him swim to the top for the first time (that I've seen) in a couple of days. Therefore I'm fairly sure he's not eating.

I added the anti internal bacteria med. by Interpet as suggested, I've been changing the water every couple of days, I've lowered the level, I gave him pea to eat (cooked and peeled and squashed) and then didn't feed him for two days.

No improvement. He lies at the bottom of the tank on the gravel. I can see his gills moving, obviously he's still alive.

Should I be putting him out of his misery? Is he likely to be suffering and not going to get better?

Like I said before I got him November last year, so he's probably about 12 or 13 months old. He's been like this now for at least 3 or 4 weeks, maybe longer. No sign of improvement at all.

Thanks for advice.