Betta Sleeping A Lot, Not Too Interested In Food,paler, Listless

[wendyngd]

My Bettalicious I've had about 8 mos in a 3 gallon, heated, filterd tank hasn't been his perky self lately and I'm worried. He takes incredibly long naps on the gravel hidden under a "leaf house" or he sits on the rubber holder for the heater that's clamped to the side. He's less active and even seems more skittish around me (where he would always want to be near me when I was at the tank).

When I saw this yesterday, I immediately did a water change which didn't seem to help. He's also barely eating...I'm very scared. I don't want to lose another one. I had just done a vacuuming bigger change last week.

He also s eems kind of pale. He will perk up a little if I sit next to the tank for a while. He also has a little bump under his skin on one side near the base of the tail. I thought it was his spine--but I wonder. It's stayed the same--never changed. Could it be some kind of tumor?
My husband thinks he might just be getting old....

Stats in tank are good EXCEPT I've had a continual problem with high ammonia which I keep treating the tank for.

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Re Meds--He just went through a course of erythromicin a few weeks ago for a small amount of fin rot because a week of melafix did no good. He seemed better until now. IS IT NORMAL FOR HIM TO SLEEP SO MUCH?

I'm going to try to post this on Emergencies and Bettas. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks. Wendy

 

[wendyngd]

Bettalicious is doing much better today. Spent some time with him last night, sitting with him, talking to him, even though he wasn't as peppy as usual and lo and behold, today, he's his old bouncy, dancing and eating self again!! I guess everyone's prayers helped. I hope he continues to thrive!!

-Wendy

 

[stang1]

Hi Wendy,
Good to hear that Bettalicious is doing better!
I'm not sure what has caused him to behave this way. Have you changed anything in the tank at all or altered the flow on the filter? I know if I change the filter flow on my tank slightly after a water change, my boys become a bit subdued. It's only when I turn the filter down that they perk up.