Betta fish resting more than normal?

[H0pefulDad]

Bastard loves his worms. Yeah I turned the pad off, he didn't seem to think much of it anyways.
Right now he's actually resting on the leaf hammock I have for him, his little mouth resting by the surface of the water. He tried swimming in place a bit but I think it helps to have his big fins resting on a surface. Considering I saw what looked like the back of him dipping a little before he frantically flapped his fins to get back to position a few times, I'm starting to consider that his swim bladder might be a little affected.
I'll just hope that the catappa leaf helps him, I heard from some source that it only works as a preventative and not a treatment so hopefully that's incorrect.

 

[CxN]

Yes cattappa may not work as fast as formalin based meds but they also dont stress the fish like those meds.
Double down on cattappa leaves. Keep temp and water quality stable. Do not feed him anymore. Next time you feed him after 2-3 days at least, ensure that its peas. If its bloat, it is often a far simple problem to solve. They can overeat and they can also go on fine without food for days.
Calm down and let midnight regain his health.

 

[H0pefulDad]

Thank you all for your help, to everyone who responded to this, but staying calm isn't option anymore. Midnight is dead.
I noticed him swimming around some which seemed positive, but at some point he started darting around rapidly and all of a sudden went completely still and started falling. I panicked and reached in with my hand, and he revived temporarily. He rushed back up to the surface of the water and tried desperately to take in air from the surface. I think I started crying at this point.
He went still and started moving again more than once as I got him into his travel case and brought him to the kitchen. I tried everything I could think of quickly to save him, I used the air bubbler, I tried to turn the little container into a salt bath, I even added some stress coat. But it didn't work.
My little boy fought so hard. Every time he went still I would pet him and hold him and he would start swimming again for a few seconds before going still again. I thought he could make it but after a few minutes he stopped moving and didn't start again.
I'm typing this with one hand as I keep holding him in the other still in the water. I ran out of crying quickly but there are still tears. I hope he heard me telling him what a brave and strong little boy he is and how much I love him. How happy he made me.
Thank you all again for trying, but in the end I couldn't do anything. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

 

[CxN]

Really sad to hear about midnight's passing. You have done all you could but this was unavoidable. Stay strong.❤

 

[H0pefulDad]

Does anyone know how I keep his body from decomposing until I can find a pet cemetery willing to take him. I left him in the saltwater and I don't know if the salt is going to make his body break down slower or faster.
I mean I don't want to freeze him, but if that's what I have to do to keep him intact then I will.

 

[xxamyxx85]

I’m so sorry about midnight. Stay strong! I would put him in the freezer to preserve him.

 

[hansgruber7]

I'm so sorry for your loss. This has happened to me a couple of times and it's heart-breaking. I almost gave up the hobby the second time it happened, but I'm glad I stuck with it and learned from my mistakes. From the video you posted at the beginning, it was pretty clear to me he wasn't going to make it, so don't feel bad that you weren't able to rescue him with all of your efforts. Whatever it was that sickened him was serious from the start. I would give him a dignified burial yourself in your backyard or some place meaningful to you. No need to go through a pet cemetary. That will be needlessly expensive.

 

[mcordelia]

OH no, I am so so sorry. As others have mentioned, you did everything you could and you gave Midnight the best life he could have had. I think it's especially hard on people during these times because of so much of all kinds of other craziness going on in the world, this is just the thing that you didn't need to happen right now. I really am so very sorry for your loss.

Take it one day at a time, and be kind to yourself. Maybe one day you will feel like giving another fantastic home to another fantastic little betta guy, or maybe you won't and either way is okay.

The problem with all animals is that humans tend to outlive them, and that is both the beauty and the curse of having pets. They show us the beautiful things about life, and we always lose them too soon. I am sorry for your loss, know that we will be here if you want to talk things through at any point *hugs*

 

[H0pefulDad]

I still feel like I could have done more, given him some medicine or something. He was so young. It would have still been tough on me if he died of old age, but then it would have at least been understandable and I could've at least been happy that he lived a long, full life. This feels more akin to when my brother died years ago.
I know all that capitalism is evil jazz and I shouldn't let anyone profit off my grief or anything, and maybe I would make my own cemetery in my backyard if I still had one and didn't live in an apartment. But for this particular fish since he died so early, I'm willing to spend a couple hundred bucks to give him a proper burial and a lasting resting place. It'll just make things easier for me.
I found a cemetery with fairly inexpensive options up near my college. Since he was supposed to live for four years and stay with me all throughout college, I think it will help to have him nearby where he should have been living. Luckily after I contacted them they said they'd be willing to give a plot to a fish (had to check, this place has all good reviews but they and the website only seem to show dogs and cats).
I fell asleep so it's too late to bring him up there today, but since I have reluctantly frozen him I have time. Today I'll see if I can find one of those paw pods I heard about, they have a fish sized one that would be perfect. The only store that might physically have them is Bed Bath & Beyond, if I can't find it in one of those then I'll have to order it online. Of course the cemetery would provide me with a coffin, but I like the biodegradable aspect and the wildflowers it comes with.

 

[mcordelia]

Everyone goes through the grieving process differently. You do what you need to do. I'm sorry to hear about your brother, I also feel like the older I get and the more deaths I experience each new death has me reflecting on the previous ones. Maybe that's how we are wired to process grief, who knows. I am happy to hear that you picked a cemetery where you will be able to visit Midnight, I think there is a lot of meaning to the location you selected. Take care.

And I am sure you are going to replay the past few days in your head over and over again. It may sound empty for us to repeat this now, but eventually I hope you are able to take solace in the fact that you not only made decisions that were best for Midnight, but also responsible for future fish and others who share this planet with us by not throwing antibiotics at a problem that was not confirmed to be bacterial. I think the care and compassion that you showed Midnight in his final days are beautiful qualities that will carry you through life in future difficult situations as well.

 

[hurgerburger]

I got him in July I think, and the store I got him from said he was about three months old, so he'd be about 7 or 8 months old now?
Of course this is the same store I went to today for shitty advice that keeps so many male bettas in tiny bowls, so I wouldn't put it past them to have lied to me.

If they keep their bettas in tiny bowls, I doubt he would've been past 3 months. K, so it's not old age then!