Dying\dead Betta

[mpoulton12345]

Hi all, i bought a betta yesterday evening and it seemed fine this morning but when i got home at lunch is was lying upside down on the bottom on the tank, thinking it was dead i went to net it out but it swam off. when it stopped another fish started poking at it so i took the betta out. it's now in a bucket. help please quick.

 

[timmystood]

Is the tank cycled?? What are the Ammonia, NitrIte and NitrAte stats?? What was the fish that started nipping him?

 

[mpoulton12345]

yes the tank is cycled (but the bucket isn't) ammonia, nitrate and nitrite all zero.

nipper was a ram

 

[timmystood]

The ram will probably nip the betta anyway!

If the tank is cycled then I would suggest that the betta himself is ill. Is he ok in the bucket?

 

[mpoulton12345]

no, he's lying on his side on the bottom, he didn't move when the ram nipped him or when i fished him out.

 

[timmystood]

Has he lost his finnage?? There's a good chance he can't swim if the Ram has nipped his fins. Rams won't live with Betta's (as to my knowledge).

 

[mpoulton12345]

his fins seem ok. the pet shop told me the only fish not to put them with were tiger barbs. do you think he will recover? obviously the bucket is unheated so how long shall i give him?

 

[timmystood]

Your fish shop is talking bo**ocks!! Betta's won't get on with that much, or should I say, not much will get on with Betta's!!

Until we can fully find out what is wrong it's hard to say if he'll survive. It doesn't sound good though.

You won't be able to put him back in the tank because the Ram will continue to nip him.

Do you have any other tanks to put him in??

 

[mpoulton12345]

i've got an old 6 gallon tank that i used to keep a goldfish in, but i haven't got a heater for it, or a pump for the undergravel filter.

 

[timmystood]

OK, good. Get water out of the main tank and put it in the 6 gallon. Don't worry about a heater, betta's are ok without a heater for a while, and even if it does get cold then just add some hot water from the tap.
As for a filter, be ready to do loads of water changes.
I would say that this tank should be the betta's new home, because even if he gets better, then the Ram will nip him, so you may be better to go and get a pump for the undergravel filter.
Do you have any melafix in, or a similar product?? I would use this to relieve stress and fix any torn fins etc. Try and give him some food and see if he takes it... feeding him and giving him a tank to himself should perk him up... unless he has an illness.

 

[mpoulton12345]

thanks, i'll give it a try but i think it's already too late.

 

[timmystood]

Quite possibly, although my fish sometimes make great recoveries! Good luck.