Did I Poison Him?

[Curalingua]

HI

My Betta, Bubba, is very poorly.

I got him a week ago I had seen him in a trusted LFS the fortnight before and when he was still there a week later I bought him and the guy held him for a week while I got the tank set up. He was very happy, lively and healthy looking in the LFS.

His tank when he first went in on wednesday;

30l
fluval 1 (with sponge over outlet to slow flow) and old media from my other set up filter.
25w heater, temp set at 29 c
cave
few plants from my other set up

(no problems in the other set up and its been running for 3 months)

All water parameters on Wed to Sun;
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate 5-10 (as is my tap water)
pH - 7.8 (again as is tap water

He was really happy, building a bubble nest on thursday and very inquisitive. he even started to feed from my fingers just above the water.

On Monday I added a new plant, not sure of its name, it's leaves are darkish green on top and reddish underneath. I also added some Tetra PlantaMin fertiliser. I added 7ml, as per instruction.

On Tuesday he was sick. First I noticed his fins were just hanging and looking tatty. I realised he wasn't eating. He had been a good eater. I did a water test, and found the ammonia was at 0.25, nitrite at 0 and nitrate still at 5-10. I immediately did 50% water change and ammonia back to 0.

By the eve he was kind of floating on the top with his fins looking awful and his beautiful purple and scarlet colours were faded. He was also clamping his gill fins, moving one occasionally. There is a little bit of white on the very tips of his gill fins.

This morning I half expected him to have been gone, but he is still hanging on in. He looks as bad. Not interested in eating. I did a 100% water change first thing this morning and removed the new plant I had added on Monday.

Please don't tell me I poisoned him with the fertiliser.

Well of course if i did, tell me, I need to know, but I feel such a bad fish keeper.

Is there anything else I can do? Its so upsetting seeing him so poorly and I am feeling so helpless.

Thanks

Fiona

 

[Jenste]

If I were you I would remove him, put him in some clean water, remove the plant and scrub out the tank - rinse his previous gravel and ornaments and then slowly aclimate him to his clean environment...

other than that....just keep doing multiple water changes to keep the water as clean as possible

hope your little guy pulls through!

 

[KittyKat]

Ditto above, and get some IAL to condition the water for him: I find that it helps a lot with Bettas.

 

[aly_starh]

Agree with ^^.

Bettas usually take 2 weeks anyway until they afre fully settled into thier new home. until this time they sulk quite badly.

Have you been using a water dechlorinator?

Hope Bubba gets better soon

 

[Curalingua]

Ditto above, and get some IAL to condition the water for him: I find that it helps a lot with Bettas.

Thanks

I just found him moving around a bit more and both his gill fins moving. Fingers crossed.

What is IAL? I used Nutrafin Aqua +water conditioner. I have just ordered some Seachem that Old Man 47 recommended somewhere.

I have removed the plant and done 100% water change but will now do as you recommend.

Fiona

 

[aly_starh]

Indian Almond leaf, is a de-stress for bettas but it also hold anti-bacterial properties

It releases tannins into the water, which inturn will help the betta

 

[KittyKat]

You should be able to put the plant back after rinsing it.

IAL are Indian Almond Leaves. They cam be used on top of dechlorinator to make the water better for Bettas because they contain chemicals which agree with Bettas. Please note, they are *not* a replacement for dechlorinator.

 

[GuppyGoddess]

My bettas LOVE IAL. If you can't find them locally, check out eBay. You only need a small bit per betta.

 

[Curalingua]

He's now in a bucket with 10 litres of fresh water with conditioner and his heater and thermometer.
I am going to scrub his tank and boil lots of water. I will start with clean media and do a fish in cycle if he survives all this trauma and poisoning.
No- one ever told me how much work they are, no house work getting done, good job i live on my own else I would be getting divorced again. I've got 3 tanks already and only been interested in fish since July. My kitchen and bathroom look like the back room of a 'good' LFS. LOL.

I will keeep you updated.

Thanks all.

Fiona

 

[Curalingua]

Hi

Well its 11pm day 2 of mystery sickness and he's just about hanging there

Still in bucket, going to keep him there over night, its dark in there and with his heater I'm hoping that'll be nice and snug and stress free.

I have completely cleaned his tank. I poured boiling water over anything that could be and threw away the plants, sorry, but I had to, just in case. I've replanted with new plants (washed well) which I had ordered and luckily arrived today. I even through away the filter media, thats 3 months of growing bacteria, it was hard.

So, if he survives the night I will pop him back into his fresh tank and keep my fingers firmly crossed.

I know it may not be the worst of my worries, but how long can he go without eating? its been 2 days now.

Thanks and nite to all those whose night time it is

Fiona

 

[Curalingua]

Hi

Well its 11pm day 2 of mystery sickness and he's just about hanging there

Correction, I just peeped before I went to bed and he'd given up

He was so lovely and I feel so mean cause it must have been something I did.

Its my first loss and I dont like it

Fiona

 

[Jenste]

aw I am so sorry! RIP little guy....we have all learned this way and it hurts every time

don't let it discourage you from having fish though! You may rescue some poor little fishy and give him a great home one day!!!!

 

[Theplayboy]

R.I.P Bubba

He was a beautiful CT betta.

 

[aly_starh]