Baby Betta Dying... Please Help

[squidneh]

This post is regarding one of my juvenile bettas who suddenly has become very ill and lifeless.  When I got her she was extremely small and though she has grown she has remained drastically smaller than the other baby bettas I have, who have grown substantially.  I'm worried there is a genetic problem going on here...
 
Tank size: typically ten gallons, moved to a 2.5 hospital tank for observation and easier time getting to surface
pH: 7.6
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 5-10ppm
kH:
gH:
tank temp: 82 

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):  
 
Wednesday this week she was a bit less active than usual. Since thursday, she has been simply hanging at the surface, barely moving even when offered food or the water is disturbed (she usually is quite sassy and vibrant.) She is typically a metallic white color with maroon fins, but her body now has a pink tinge to it.  Her fins are also clamped and she will not eat.  No signs of bloating, I have not witnessed any bowel movements, but as I said she won't eat.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 60% split into two different days a week.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:  API water conditioner

Tank inhabitants: only her

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): none

Exposure to chemicals: API water conditioner

Digital photo (include if possible):

 

[starlitsunrise]

I really wish I had a concrete answer for this...I know how frustrating it can be when you don't know what to do. 

The only thing I can think of, is to try feeding her a different food. Even if it is more of a treat food, at least she would be getting some calories and nutrients to help her fight whatever she has. I know my betta never refuses brine shrimp, even when she has gotten into her picky moods of not wanting to eat pellets. 

I'm sorry I can't give better advice, I hope things start to turn around. 

 

[Antinerf]

Same. Based on my experiences I have to ask two seemingly arbitrary questions:

1) Is she moving back and forth from areas of higher current suddenly to lower current (for example, from below the filter intake to the opposite side of the tank)? I had this problem the day I lost one of my fish, but I'm not sure why he did it, just that he did it over and over again, only occasionally surfacing. It was always at the back part of the tank, though.

2) When she does move, does she make a "paddleboat" kind of motion with her fins, almost listing back and forth?

If these statements are also true for your fish, I could guess that she is either having some kind of breathing problem or has something in her mouth.

About the different food topic: I have never tried it, so I cannot verify what the 2nd poster said. However, I still recommend that you give it a try since when I had my betta he would never resist bloodworms and I have heard of it working on other threads.

Antinerf

 

[squidneh]

Thanks for the responses guys - I will try the brine shrimp, I know she likes those but I'm concerned about uneaten food in the tank.  Maybe I'll take the gravel out so it will be easier to make sure it is all out when I change her water (doing nearly 100% daily).  She is moving from the low to high current actually, but has been doing so for two days now and is still alive, although barely.  She will go through spurts of activity but seems disoriented, or as if she can see her reflection and is fighting it, but she typically doesn't do this, like swarming the side of the tank. 
 
Still at a loss, but haven't lost her yet...

 

[Wildbetta]

Can you get a picture? 
 
A couple of possibilities for this situation. 
 
Your betta could have velvet which is my first thought when I come across a betta that is very clamped and lethargic.  This is just one of the most common issues dealt with when keeping bettas.  To test for this:  shine a strong light across the body and look for patches of "dust" on the scales.  Sometimes it appears goldish or ashy in color.
 
Your betta could be dealing with internal parasites.  With your betta not eating or producing bowl movements, it makes it a bit harder to know if this is the issues or not. 
 
 
You state that you moved her to a hospital tank.  What was the tank like that she was in prior to this?  What are all the other occupants?  Temperature of that tank?

 

[Antinerf]

I would not recommend cleaning the gravel as it is the problem the fish I mentioned had in the first place along with one of my females giving birth. How close is she in comparison to this? By the way, this fish stopped coming up after the video. Btw if it is a spitting image I would be concerned since this one died almost immediately after I stopped recording.

http/youtu.be/nA7Cxm_f5ck

 

[Wildbetta]

Cleaning the gravel is highly unlikely to cause any issues especially if water changes are kept up and the tank is cycled. 
 
 

 

[Antinerf]

Hm you are right but at the same time the gravel cleaning (which released quite a bit of stuff into the tank that particular time) roughly corresponded to when he started to show symptoms, and note that it was not contagious. Needless to say though, Wildbetta is correct: Gravel cleaning is usually totally safe, I've only ever had a problem with one fish, and for all we know it may not have even been the exact cause.

 

[squidneh]

The tank she is in is as clean as possible, meaning there is no debris in the gravel to get stirred up besides the pellets/few brine shrimp I try to get her to eat before I do another water change.  At this point I am doing 100% changes as I don't want to treat for something when I don't know the exact cause and it's the best I can come up with to help.
 
I can't get a decent picture without flash that shows anything other than her fins being clamped.  They are severely clamped though, even her tail fin is as clamped as can be.  She has always had short fins, but with them clamped its almost as if she has none at all. Otherwise she has no symptoms visually, so I don't think it is velvet.  
She seems a bit better, at least she isn't getting worse.  She hangs out mostly at the surface and has lost the pink tinge, which may have been from stress or who knows what.
 
As far as the video, that's not what she does - she will practically fight the wall and then go back to floating.  She isn't nearly that active.
 
I have considered it being a swim bladder issue as she can't seem to stay in the mid level, but she has no issue rising to the surface or sinking back down.  That may be more a lack of energy problem.
 
Still at a loss, preparing myself to have to euthanize her if she doesn't improve soon...

 

[Wildbetta]

I recommend treating for velvet even with no outside signs other than clamped fins. There are often times that the parasite is actually in the gills and not all over the fish which can make it difficult to diagnose.   I would get the temperature up to around 86F and add salt to the tank(1 tablespoon of salt per 5 gallons).  Treat this way for no less than 2 weeks. 
 
I highly doubt your betta is dealing with swim bladder issues since most fish that do will either be stuck at the surface or stuck at the substrate and not able to move away from that area without difficulty.  The "not being able to swim in the mid level" seems like lack of energy.
 
As asked in a previous post of mine: 
 
"You state that you moved her to a hospital tank.  What was the tank like that she was in prior to this?  What are all the other occupants?  Temperature of that tank?"
 
Answering this will help with possible explanation as to why she suddenly got sick.  As well as the possible need to treat the other tank for something as well.

 

[squidneh]

Sad to say she has passed.  Woke up and checked on her to find her lifeless. A sad day  I worked to hard to rehabilitate her as she was nearly dead when I received her, seems it was all a waste now.  Poor thing.
 
Her tank before was a 10 gallon, been cycled for months, a variety of plants and kept at 82 degrees. A small HOB filter with the output baffled. No other inhabitants.
 
I'll never really know what caused her to suddenly wither away, whether it was some disease (don't know how she would have gotten one though as I haven't introduced anything new or slacked on maintenance..) or a genetic fault.
 
RIP Stefan

 

[Wildbetta]

So sorry to hear this news.                         

 

[RCA]

Sorry to hear this, you tried your best for her.
Sometimes it can even be beyond our control, such as TB, although rare it can wipe out practically a whole tank. Nothing seems to work as one by one the fish pass. Let's hope your others will be with you for a long time.
R.I.P.