Betta Staying At Surface On His Side.

[Xox-Zip-xoX]

I've recently noticed that my newest additions Chaos, is spending a lot of time at the surface of the water. It's been getting progressively more often, each day, and today I noticed he hasn't eaten, and has started turning to his side while sitting a the surface, He's currently in a 10 gallon, without a working filter as it broke not too long ago. There is a white film along the surface of the water too, but I've read that it's most likely caused by water conditioners, and the lack of a functioning filter.

Any ideas what this could be caused from? I do have an Elite 5 filter from an old 4 gallon I had, I was considering using until I could get a new one, but it's been used in other fish tanks, and I don't have a clean replacement filter for it.

What should I do?

 

[DJH584]

Have you been doing regular water changes since the filter broke?

Can you fit the sponge media from the broken filter - assuming it is still inside the filter AND in the tank - into the spare filter and get that running?

No working filter and possibly no water changes = build up in toxins = problems for your fish.

David

 

[Cazgar]

If you've no filter you should be doing daily water changes with temp close dechlorinated water.
You can use the old filter, but depending on how long it's not been used for, you'd still have to do water changes to cycle it

 

[Xox-Zip-xoX]

I've only had the fish for a week, and since than I've done a 50% water change. The filters I use take cartridges, so I'm not sure how that would work, the only spare filter I have is a tiny Elite 5 for a 4 gallon. It has a cartidge with it, but it's dirty and I don't have any spares.

 

[Cazgar]

Just rinse the cartridge in old tank water, not tap water.
Has it been used recently?

 

[DJH584]

Edited - will leave this with Cazgar to advise rather than confusing the issue.

David

 

[Xox-Zip-xoX]

Just rinse the cartridge in old tank water, not tap water.
Has it been used recently?

No, it hasn't been used in about a year, or longer. I already completely cleaned the cartidge and all in tap water will this be an issue? and when you say rinse it in old tank water, should I use the water currently in Chao's tank? or would water from one of my community tanks work?

 

[Cazgar]

Ok, looks like you'll be doing a fish in cycle which means regular water changes.
Have a read here, it'll tell you all you need to know
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/
You can speed up the process by taking some of the media from your community tank Filter & putting it into the filter in your Betta tank
You day it has cartridges, what filter is it?

 

[Xox-Zip-xoX]

the betta filter is an Elite 5, the filters in my community are Aqua-tech

 

[Cazgar]

Not had any experience with either of those.
Would it be possible to take some of the media from one & transfer to the other?
If not you could ask on here if anyone close to you could give you some cycled media.
In the meantime, you need to do 20/25% daily water changes, possibly more

 

[Xox-Zip-xoX]

I don't know how to transfer media between cartridges.
In the meantime I have the elite 5 running on my 10 gallon containing the betta.

My community is a 35 gallon, with multiple filters on it, one of which would be suitable for a 10 gallon. I think what I am going to do is, take the filters of the 35 gallon, put the one suitable for the 10 gallon on my betta's tank, and replace them with an old filter I have sitting here for a 60+ gallon aquarium. would that work? I'm just concerned how the 35gallon is going to handle the 60-110 gallon filter.

 

[Cazgar]

If your main tank isn't over stocked it should be ok removing the smaller filter, but do regular tests on your water just in case.
The larger filter should be fine in your community tank, I tend to over filter my tanks as do a lot of people here.
I would still do regular water changes for your Betta though until he improves

 

[Xox-Zip-xoX]

Alright, I will I'll keep you updated.

 

[Xox-Zip-xoX]

I set up the filter and in less than an hour he had already completely perked up. He spends most of his time hiding though I also treated his tank with some Bettafix because I was worried there was a chance he could have finrot.

 

[Xox-Zip-xoX]

Starting to look bad again, spending most of his time near the top of the tank, clamped fins, not eating, very pale in color, he doesn't seem to be having too much trouble swimming thought so I don't know if its SBD

At the moment he's in a heated 10 gallon, with some aquarium salt, and some bettafix. Not sure what I can do...