Betta Help Required, Urgent...

[-germ-]

Just done my normal weekly water change and the betta has gone pale on her face, she has never seemed this stressed before!!!
Just lying on the bottom with her colour slowly sapping away...
Dead fish to be or anything i can do to perk her up?

 

[-germ-]

No worries she seems okay now... little sod.
Been eating fine, temp was matched perfectly, nearly gave me and my girlfiend a heart attack, both decided shes gonna die, now the little over theatrical muppet is swimming around and almost back to colour...
EH?

 

[Phaedra]

That's odd, I wonder what stressed her out so much. I've noticed my Darby has been a little more reticent than usual lately, maybe there's something in the air...

 

[modaz]

typical woman going for the sympathy approach

you watch me get hate mail for saying this LOL

 

[zoekin8yg]

Girls and even boy bettas can loose their colours when stressed, they will get horizontal stripes, its pretty normal, a water change could have scared her, mine are always changing colours when they torment each other

 

[mommyof2bettas]

One of my boys always sulks after water changes, first time he did it I thought he was sick, just like you, then a couple of minutes later he was swimming fine again

 

[jollysue]

I have started taking my Bettas out every time I do water changes. I never add and refill with a hose in the smaller tanks without removing the Betta. I always float the cup and reacclimate them.

Why?

Because I have lost several Betta recently after water changes. They are usually the pet shop VT Bettas. None of them were old or full grown. I think they just are not so strong and are too inbred. Maybe?

The sorority is different and I change water the normal way with a syphon and do not remove the girls.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

I remove my boys from the tank, but Kenni is too spoiled!!
He always sulks when he's moved out and in the tank... even though it's nice and clean right after.

 

[jollysue]

I didn't use to reacclimate--float the cup--but just tossed them back in their tanks judging the water temp by touch. But as I say, I lost a few, some during hose water changes and some in 100% changes.

It also seems to give them time to get anxious to get back in their tanks and so they are not so shocked and stressed by the sudden changes without their permission. haha

 

[liz2]

I always leave water in a container next to the tank I am cleaning out. Next day I remove the fish and float him in the clean water in a container. Clean out his tank, replace everything, add conditioner, put clean water in and then slip him in.

I know I got a betta once when I was on holiday. Got home and gave him clean water with tap conditioner in, floated him in a plastic bowl, which tipped and he was in the water. He died shortly after I think it was the water too cold....never done that again..

 

[-germ-]

Thanks very much for the replies, embarrasingly i may have to ask you to sex her/him sometime soon.
Not a betta person but i plan on getting one for my daughter to be (aug 17th)
so thought i'd give it a go, the tank Dorian is in is perfect but the lad at the LFS put a doubt in my mind as to the sex, he was absolutely convinced she/he was a lady... Told him not to be so stupid (as to me it looks like a male) but then he/she (Dorian for conveniences sake) does appear to have a gravid spot and refuses to flare. Dunno, D's asleep now (perfectly fit and healthy) but you betta junkies may be able to give me a few tips....

 

[jollysue]

The best indication is the ovipositor/white bump spot on the belly just at the ribcage end/solar plexis on humans. The next for me is that the ventral fins are long and dangle on the male. They look short and stubby to me on the female.

 

[-germ-]

Following all the typical differentions HE IS a male, but i'm rubbish at species and sex identification so i'd much prefer it if those who know bettas betterthan me could do the identification (i know its not hard, i am really that bad at it ) i'll pm you tomorrow with a link, if i may be so bold?

 

[jollysue]

Sure or post it. I'm notoriously bad at IDs myself.