Whats Wrong With My Betta? Is There Anything Wrong?

[JBetta]

Sorry to be so bothersome but I am so stressed and confused right now I didn't know what else to do. I just recently bought my Betta, it will be 3 weeks on Tuesday. I recently treated him for ammonia poisoning if you see in my last topic, but then it came back(not as strong but still, I am still trying to get the cycle started but I just decided that my filter is way too strong so first I have to buy a new filter). When I got him he would go to the sides of the tank and push up and down it looked like he was trying to find a way out. his belly started to get swollen and sometimes he would try to swim to the bottom and then just float up. so I thought that it was just Swim-Bladder disease, sometimes though he can swim fine other times not so much. but then I noticed that there were gray patches on his head like he has ripped some of his "skin" off. I wasn't sure if rubbing on the tank was doing this or he had fungus. I noticed he had to rest on the plants to rest a lot and swim on the bottom or top of the water. I also tested the water and the alkalinity and the pH were low. He will flare at the filter for no reason and sometimes will push on the sides of the tank still but not as much. Am I just way too paranoid? Or is this multiple diseases? Please help! Here are some videos I made of him (sorry no pictures my camera doesn't take very good pics.) hope they help. I am still trying to get a master test kit but I have been using the test strip hopefully I will get one on Monday.
http/s334.photobucket.com/albums/m440/chewie101_oliver100/?action=view&current=MVI_4919.mp4
http/s334.photobucket.com/albums/m440/chewie101_oliver100/?action=view&current=MVI_4919.mp4#!oZZ3QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs334.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fm440%2Fchewie101_oliver100%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DMVI_4914.mp4%26

 

[Azaeil]

Hmm, I have some suggestions of what's going on that'll help you settle down. There is a way to kill the filter current by using a section of a water bottle as a curved water barrier. The up and down behavior is actually more common than you'd think, especially if it's against the window. I've had clown loaches, cories, and even some of my bettas do the exact same thing - what's going on is that they're sometimes reacting to a reflection in the glass, or in the case of my loach and first cory duo, they did it for the sheer heck of it throughout the day.

The plant resting is not necessarily a bad thing with bettas, as they are slow current fish, and they love taking naps in plants. The filter flaring I've heard from other betta keepers, but not witnessed with my own (unless you count the spurts of steady swimming against the current for the heck of it), and is more of a personality thing than a disorder.

As for the grey patches, do they come and go? One of my girls had some, but it was just a bit of slime coat from her quarantine tank, it came right off after a day. The other thing is it was transparent.. Not sure if a fungus growth will look like that though.

So most likely what you're seeing is just the personality of the betta emerging as he settles into his home, and possibly the only problem here is the grey head patches.

 

[JBetta]

Hmm, I have some suggestions of what's going on that'll help you settle down. There is a way to kill the filter current by using a section of a water bottle as a curved water barrier. The up and down behavior is actually more common than you'd think, especially if it's against the window. I've had clown loaches, cories, and even some of my bettas do the exact same thing - what's going on is that they're sometimes reacting to a reflection in the glass, or in the case of my loach and first cory duo, they did it for the sheer heck of it throughout the day.

The plant resting is not necessarily a bad thing with bettas, as they are slow current fish, and they love taking naps in plants. The filter flaring I've heard from other betta keepers, but not witnessed with my own (unless you count the spurts of steady swimming against the current for the heck of it), and is more of a personality thing than a disorder.

As for the grey patches, do they come and go? One of my girls had some, but it was just a bit of slime coat from her quarantine tank, it came right off after a day. The other thing is it was transparent.. Not sure if a fungus growth will look like that though.

So most likely what you're seeing is just the personality of the betta emerging as he settles into his home, and possibly the only problem here is the grey head patches.

Thanks so much! You don't know how big of a reilief that is to know that. The patches do come and go they don't stay. I saw him a little while ago spiting something white and spngy out and then swallow it back up. Is that normal? Also my Alkalinity is getting very low along with my pH, should I get pH up? I really would like an alternative because I am bound to forget to put it in sometime. Sorry to ask a million questions but I wanted to ask which would be better, tap ot filtered water(charcoal filter that removes chlorine). Thanks so much! you're a life saver.

 

[Azaeil]

No problem! Does the spitting happen after meals? The swollen look might be from overfeeding or constipation, I feed my bettas every 2-3 days so they have a chance to 'deflate' from hearty meals. If it's a lingering bloatedness I heard that a de-shelled pea that's been boiled, or a piece from the tip of broccoli really helps the fish pass whatever's blocking his system.

As for the water.. hmm. I use tap water with a conditioner solution mixed in, even with a cycled filter I still use the conditioner because some bettas are sensitive, and I know ghost shrimp are very sensitive and I have some in my tanks. Everyone has their preferences. If you live in the rural areas with your own clean well water, then just straight from the tap will do them good with the minerals found in the water. I kept bettas for many years off the tap water when I was still living in Maine because we had well water.

For the Alkalinity and PH, there are solutions available in the pet stores to restore levels, though I'd suggest having them test the water for you and then go from there.

 

[BethK]

What size is the tank?

Are you water changing daily? (being a small tank, qaulity is harder to keep, so until your tank is cycled, I would suggest a 50% water change.

Resting on plants is normal, flaring at everything is normal for a male, esp if in a new environment.

 

[JBetta]

I have a five gallon tank. I am trying to get the cycle started so yes I do change the water (50%) everyday. Whenever I change the water though my Betta freaks out and starts pounding on the glass and trying to rip my finger off I don't know if I am stressing him too much by doing this, but I guess I really don't have a choice. Any tips?

I have only seen him spit one time and I have only seen him poop maybe once. I think he could be constipated but I am not sure. Just to make sure he isn't I will do as you said and feed him peas and broccoli. His belly inflates and then goes down, I am not sure if that means he isn't constipated.

For the water (filtered or tap) I am doing conditioning too (with prime and tap water) so I guess that would be best? I didn't know if it would be better because it keeps all the minerals but just gets rid of the chlorine, so I would still have to use prime.

I am worried that the PH might swing into dangerous levels. Do you know what pet store would test your water for you? And what kind of solutions?

He seems to be doing okay. He is such a weird Betta though. Yesterday I saw him floating around the top with his head up and it looked like he was either trying to blow a bubble nest or gasping for air. I started to freak out because his face had turned a turquoise green color and he was just floating, but after a while he just stopped and went back to swimming around. He hasn't done it since and he seems to be very active. Probably the strangest thing I have ever seen him do.

 

[JBetta]

Also could you teach me how to use the water bottle to kill the current?

 

[BethK]

I'd try stress coat as a dechlorinater, seems to work wonders with bettas.

Also, when you're adding the water to the tank, are you just pouring it in? That could spook the betta, trick is to stop the big splash, so you could put a plate on the surface of the water and pour the new water onto the plate, or you could pour the water onto of the filter.

Your filter outtake, you could point that towards the glass.

In those 2 video links you supplied, is the filter on? If it is, there is barely any current as it is and I wouldn't worry about stopping that

 

[JBetta]

I'd try stress coat as a dechlorinater, seems to work wonders with bettas.

Also, when you're adding the water to the tank, are you just pouring it in? That could spook the Betta, trick is to stop the big splash, so you could put a plate on the surface of the water and pour the new water onto the plate, or you could pour the water onto of the filter.

Your filter outtake, you could point that towards the glass.

In those 2 video links you supplied, is the filter on? If it is, there is barely any current as it is and I wouldn't worry about stopping that

No the filter was not on so I could get a better video of him here is a video when the filter was on.....http/s334.photobucket.com/albums/m440/chewie101_oliver100/?action=view&current=DSCN2956.mp4 you can see him being pulled in by the filter, sorry about me breathing so hard I must have been running before haha How would I be able to point the out take toward the glass? What stress coat do you use? On the bottle (of prime)it says that it has stress coat so would that count. Thanks for the tips I will definitely use them.

 

[BethK]

This stress coat (click here), ebay sells it for decent prices too.

Now. I've not dealt with a hob filter before, so i would assume that you used a bottle (like a small coke bottle), cut out 2 relevent pieces (the middle section where the label is) and then tape them around the top of the filter and tape around the centers, so that the plastic bottle is stuck together. This would leave the bottom of your filter to flow and lessen the current

 

[JBetta]

This stress coat (click here), ebay sells it for decent prices too.

Now. I've not dealt with a hob filter before, so i would assume that you used a bottle (like a small coke bottle), cut out 2 relevent pieces (the middle section where the label is) and then tape them around the top of the filter and tape around the centers, so that the plastic bottle is stuck together. This would leave the bottom of your filter to flow and lessen the current

Okay sounds like a good product to have! I did something similiar to that but my silly betta likes to swim into the current where he gets pushed around. None the less I still made a barrier with a water bottle.

 

[JBetta]

Oh no! I just looked at his tail and it seems to getting ripped up. Would this be caused by the acidity in the water? What can I do?

 

[RustedKnight]

Whats your substrate?? (your sand/gravel)

If thats too sharp it could be causing that. Also apparently plastic plants tear them up too.
Also, check to make sure he's not snagging himself on the new water bottle filter addon, as it may have a sharp edge.

 

[JBetta]

Whats your substrate?? (your sand/gravel)

If thats too sharp it could be causing that. Also apparently plastic plants tear them up too.
Also, check to make sure he's not snagging himself on the new water bottle filter addon, as it may have a sharp edge.

The gravel is not sharp at all if you want to take a look at it here is the link ,its hard to tell in that picture though. I don't think he would be able to get to the bottle, but just to be sure how would I dull that? I have one plastic plant and the are are silk, I'll take the plastic one out if that will help. It seems to be running all down him tail though. Just to be sure I cleaned his tank with a gravel vacuum (I removed more then 50% of the water) which was very helpful and it got a lot of grime. Then I added some product that would help the regrowth of his tail.

 

[RustedKnight]

Whats your substrate?? (your sand/gravel)

If thats too sharp it could be causing that. Also apparently plastic plants tear them up too.
Also, check to make sure he's not snagging himself on the new water bottle filter addon, as it may have a sharp edge.

The gravel is not sharp at all if you want to take a look at it here is the link ,its hard to tell in that picture though. I don't think he would be able to get to the bottle, but just to be sure how would I dull that? I have one plastic plant and the are are silk, I'll take the plastic one out if that will help. It seems to be running all down him tail though. Just to be sure I cleaned his tank with a gravel vacuum (I removed more then 50% of the water) which was very helpful and it got a lot of grime. Then I added some product that would help the regrowth of his tail.

Running all down his tail?? Does it have a white edge to it?
Does he have any tank mates?

If you don't think it's the modified bottle then leave it, but keep an eye on it as much as possible.