Betta looking so much better :)

[Quin]

I think I really messed up. My black orchid male betta has not eaten for the five days I've had him, and in the last two or three he has not been swimming a whole lot. I figured maybe he was lethargic and excessively weak from his lack of food, so I decided to move him to his cup and put food in it so that I could tell if he was eating or not. I scooped him up but he stopped moving, and when I let him out he went stiff and was barely able to right himself. Now he is stuck against the filter and is not moving.

He has no tank mates, he is in a 10 gallon, I don't have test strips for ammonia yet but he has no nitrates and nitrites. I think he's gone into shock, how can I help him?

 

[Quin]

To clarify: his swimming fins are still moving and his breathing is rapid and heavy. Will update if it stops or if anything changes

Edit: he moved himself so that he had access to the surface of the water to breathe, but is still being pulled against the filter. Is this a good sign?

 

[Crispii]

Assuming that your ammonia is zero, I have to say that your aquarium is not cycled.

 

[Quin]

It is not cycled. I moved him from his tiny tank into the 10 gallon on emergency because he was looking ill in that one too. I added Tetra safestart yesterday in the hopes that it would assist a fish-in cycle. He had perked up immediately after the tank change, but the day after that and the following days he has been getting progressively more lethargic.

If you know of anything I can to to help him, please tell me. I don't want him to die, and I especially don't want him to die if there is something I can do

 

[Crispii]

For starters, do daily water changes of around 50%.

 

[Quin]

I can perform whatever long term things that will help him once I know he is safe. I am looking to find what will help him now, as I am inexperienced and I don't know how serious this is or how to help him out of this

 

[Crispii]

I can perform whatever long term things that will help him once I know he is safe. I am looking to find what will help him now, as I am inexperienced and I don't know how serious this is or how to help him out of this

Right now, water changes are going to help him.

 

[Quin]

Right now, water changes are going to help him.

Will it further stress him to be moved? Any reduction to the volume of the water will move him significantly as he is right at the surface and close to being shoved by the filter output. If you are experienced in this kind of thing and can assure me that this action won't further his shock I will do it

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I concur with @Crispii.

Daily water changes will help him the most for now. What are your current readings for your parameters?

Will you please upload a photo of him and a close up of his mouth.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Will it further stress him to be moved? Any reduction to the volume of the water will move him significantly as he is right at the surface and close to being shoved by the filter output. If you are experienced in this kind of thing and can assure me that this action won't further his shock I will do it

Is he in the 10g now? Or in his little cup?

 

[Quin]

He is in his 10g now, since it started in the net and I released him immediately so as not to keep stressing him

 

[FishGuest5123]

Now! Do the water change NOW! This is an emergency!

 

[Quin]

I apologize for the camera quality but these were the best photos I could take. He has white markings on his left gill (facing the camera) in the vague shape of an eye that I assumed were his natural color, otherwise I haven't noticed anything else off about his face

 

[FishGuest5123]

Do daily water changes of 50% daily until the tank is cycled. Use Seachem Prime.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Move him away from the filter. He’s too week to pull himself free. Put a piece of panty hose over the intake valve to protect him from being sucked back in.