Betta Not Looking Well After Water Change

[keithp]

I just did a weekly water change a few hours ago, nothing different was done that I can think of. There might have been a very small amount more of aquarium salt added by accident that is the only thing i can think of. It was looking great right before the water change.

My betta has tightly clamped fins, severe loss of color, bubbles on the end of the tail, and always floating by the water surface, swimming very slowly. Under the gills looks like something white sticking out.

I have done the same type of water change several times, nothing bad has ever happened?

My betta last week was being treated for velvet, so the water was full of medication. This water change was medication free as treatment has finished.

What is wrong and how can I fix it?

 

[ReMz]

well... considering you were just treating for velvet, there is still probably some sort of infection or something wrong. maybe the worst of the infection/ailment has hit and the stress of the water change brought it on.

what were you treating with? what size is your tank? How long have you had the betta?

floating, clamped fins... sounds like a bacterial infection. let us know. i'm experienced with Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 for treatment of such symptoms and they seem to work. that's my recommendation. quarantine and go back into proper treatment (assuming you haven't done so already).

 

[azulfire24]

a little salt wont bother the bettas in fact you can salt up to 1/2 teaspoon per gallon to aid in fin healing,, was the new water temp the same as the water you removed? and what is the overall temp of the tank,, he could be too cold if you dont have a heater, 72 is minimum and 78 is max, at least for my guys

 

[modaz]

where the bettas system has been working hard to rid it of velvet it is still gunna low so it is prone to other diseases for a few more days, it could be a touch of fungus developing thus giving a problem with respiration which could explain the floating near the surface in aid to obtain more oxygen, any problem with respiration causes clamping and loss of colour too. a picture would be good, one that is close up, i can play around with the pic and take a really good look at the white thing if thats ok with you?

 

[keithp]

It was very late when I posted so I woke up today to check on the betta, she looks mostly normal. But now I notice some white areas again on all her fins, mostly on the tips. This wasnt here yesterday, I dont know what is going on she never seems to be healthy!

I have no idea what went on yesterday, I myself thought it was due to the fact the water was medication free, (which also prevented stress to heal the velvet), so mabye going into water without that shocked her body temporarily? This is my 1st betta I ever treated for any illness, I didnt know what to expect after treatment.

I now dont think it was the salt, it wasnt close to a full teaspoon. The water temp I dont think was the cause either, or it would have happened before, the temp hasnt changed in 2 weeks. I even let the water sit 45 minutes to become room temp before re-adding the fish. Then again, could stress cause her to get white areas on her fins?

well... considering you were just treating for velvet, there is still probably some sort of infection or something wrong. maybe the worst of the infection/ailment has hit and the stress of the water change brought it on.

what were you treating with? what size is your tank? How long have you had the betta?

floating, clamped fins... sounds like a bacterial infection. let us know. i'm experienced with Maracyn 1 and Maracyn 2 for treatment of such symptoms and they seem to work. that's my recommendation. quarantine and go back into proper treatment (assuming you haven't done so already).

I treated her with Maracyn as a matter of fact, the one especially for velvet and/or parasites. I had her about 3 weeks. I kept her temp extra warm during treatment, and hardly any light. She was looking excellent hours before the water change, I think that water change had something to do with it, hopefully it wont happen again.

Here is her updated, you can clearly see the white areas on the fins, the white thing by her gills is gone, no idea what it could have been?

 

[keithp]

Updated the info.

 

[modaz]

does this white stuff look fluffy?

 

[keithp]

Not fluffy as of now, you mean fluffy like mouth fungus? It's small areas of white, not dots though. If it's in the early stages it may be more noticeable tomorrow. I wish I could find a picture online.

 

[modaz]

Not fluffy as of now, you mean fluffy like mouth fungus? It's small areas of white, not dots though. If it's in the early stages it may be more noticeable tomorrow. I wish I could find a picture online.

its ok, is your water hard?

 

[keithp]

Ph is between 6.8 and 7.0, as of yesterday 7.0.

The closest picture I could find online similar to what I see on her fins, though this goldfish looks worse than her.
http/re3.yt-thm-a01.yimg.com/image/25/m6/3642655357

 

[modaz]

Ph is between 6.8 and 7.0, as of yesterday 7.0.

Ph is between 6.8 and 7.0, as of yesterday 7.0.

ok, i find that due to my water being very hard that i get sediment build up of bettas, but ive also experienced it on galaxy rasboras that are in a ph of 6.0 but never as bad as the bettas, its harmless and it always comes off the bettas in a water change but the next day it is back i will get a thread of mine that shows this sediment, you will need to look at the end page of it

I think to be honest that the white on her gills was this sediment and has fallen off but now its built up on her fins.

Ph is between 6.8 and 7.0, as of yesterday 7.0.

Ph is between 6.8 and 7.0, as of yesterday 7.0.

ok, i find that due to my water being very hard that i get sediment build up of bettas, but ive also experienced it on galaxy rasboras that are in a ph of 6.0 but never as bad as the bettas, its harmless and it always comes off the bettas in a water change but the next day it is back i will get a thread of mine that shows this sediment, you will need to look at the end page of it

I think to be honest that the white on her gills was this sediment and has fallen off but now its built up on her fins.

here it is, its the pic of the fry near the end
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/content-page/245223/Blimey/page/60/"]http/www.fishforums.net/content-page/245...Blimey/page/60/[/URL]
this stuff is harmless ive found in the past

 

[keithp]

Could be, only reason I am concerned was that a week ago she was ill and mabye it came back as another illness after the water change. Again, she never had the white stuff all over before this is the first time. If it was sediment, wouldnt she always have had it? Im not calling you a liar I just am not sure?

 

[modaz]

Could be, only reason I am concerned was that a week ago she was ill and mabye it came back as another illness after the water change. Again, she never had the white stuff all over before this is the first time. If it was sediment, wouldnt she always have had it? Im not calling you a liar I just am not sure?

it can come at any time, it depends on what your water is like when it comes out of the tap, i really dont think she has anything but there is always a slim chance, the signs that she is much better today is a good thing, the water change couldve just knocked her for 6 a bit since she was a little weak from the velvet thus looking ill again

 

[keithp]

Yes thats true, I guess I should wait a day or two, see if anything changes.

 

[keithp]

Okay, 2 days after the water change my betta is looking fine, the white areas have gone away. I did a new water change, this time nothing went wrong. If I had to guess her immune system was weak last week, and the water change with no medication probably was a small shock to her body. But being she wasnt ill anymore, her body probably fought it and recovered fully. She looks good now.