My Betta Blaze Been Ill For So Long!

[bellasia]

Hi

I hope somebody can help me, my Betta Blaze has been ill since September he had white fuzz at the end of his fins and was lethargic, i started him on AQ Salt and then moved on to meds the white fuzz eventually went but he remains lethargic, where he was once active he now dosn't swim much at all although he will come over if im near his tank. Hes still eating, ive also noticed he dosnt seem to flare anymore and his fins do seem shorter. Hes now in a smaller tank 3 gallon i treat the water with API Stress Coat and Stress Zyme its heated and has a filter, i do a water change every other day 50%. Amonia 0, PH 7.2, KH 180, GH 250, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10. Ive now started him on AQ salts again and would really appreciate any advice have attached a couple of pics (tried to but says they are to big will try again later)

Thankyou

 

[bellasia]

Any help would be most appreciated

Thanx

 

[bellasia]

Bump....

 

[phoenixgsd]

sorry i cant be of much help, but didnt want you to think your post had been missed,

 

[bellasia]

Thanx

its so hard to treat when you dont know what the problem is, im hoping he will start to improve on the salt treatment but somehow im doubtful hes such a fighter i didnt think he was going to make it last night but this morning he was on his hammock so still but alive. Hope someone will respond soon

 

[phoenixgsd]

bumping this again, can anyone advise this member

 

[Baccus]

Ok, a couple of questions to start with, then hopefully I can spread some light on Blazes' condtion.
Apart from the AQsalt what other meds did you try on him?
Do his fins now have a reddish tinge on the ends, now that they seem shorter?
Are you still adding any salts to the tank with the API stress zyme and stress coat? These two products usually make a fish produce more slime coat to better protect their scales/ body but in conjunction with salt it could be that he is making too much slime coat, this in turn could be affecting his gills. I would probably only use one of the commercial products, and when you do a water change have the new water sit aside with some chlorine and chloramine remover for a couple of hours before adding the new treated water to the tank. I have noticed that one of the chlorine & chloramine removers that I have seems to coat my corys gills and makes it hard to breathe, it only seems to bother them but perhaphs in conjuntion with everything else in Blazes' tank it is having extra adverse affects on him.
With the tank filtered and only Blaze in the tank I would probably reduce either the amount of water changes eg from 50% down to 15%-25% or only change the water once or twice a week if you wanted to keep up the larger amounts.
And lastly does Blaze have any live plants in his smaller tank? Or anything else that he can have his little fighter time outs in/ on. My fighters love finding a spot to snuggle into and have a lazy about on and jsut observe their tank mates and surroundings.

 

[bellasia]

Ok, a couple of questions to start with, then hopefully I can spread some light on Blazes' condtion.
Apart from the AQsalt what other meds did you try on him?
Do his fins now have a reddish tinge on the ends, now that they seem shorter?
Are you still adding any salts to the tank with the API stress zyme and stress coat? These two products usually make a fish produce more slime coat to better protect their scales/ body but in conjunction with salt it could be that he is making too much slime coat, this in turn could be affecting his gills. I would probably only use one of the commercial products, and when you do a water change have the new water sit aside with some chlorine and chloramine remover for a couple of hours before adding the new treated water to the tank. I have noticed that one of the chlorine & chloramine removers that I have seems to coat my corys gills and makes it hard to breathe, it only seems to bother them but perhaphs in conjuntion with everything else in Blazes' tank it is having extra adverse affects on him.
With the tank filtered and only Blaze in the tank I would probably reduce either the amount of water changes eg from 50% down to 15%-25% or only change the water once or twice a week if you wanted to keep up the larger amounts.
And lastly does Blaze have any live plants in his smaller tank? Or anything else that he can have his little fighter time outs in/ on. My fighters love finding a spot to snuggle into and have a lazy about on and jsut observe their tank mates and surroundings.

Hi thanx for replying, i used API General Cure , King British Disease Clear (bacterial and fungal infections), and Jungle Fungus Clear they kinda took thier toll on him him which is why im not keen to medicate again unless i have no other choice. Fins kinda look the same (hes a red crowntail) just shorter. Ive just started a salt treatment this is the 3rd day now although im doubtful there will be any change , i didnt realise you couldn't add it with stress zyme and stress coat. Guess ive been trying everything hence more water changes i will cut thoses down. Had to take live plants out because of adding the salt but hes always resting on his hammock at the surface. He continues to eat which i suppose is good but remains lethargic and has been for awhile now. At this stage im totally stumped cant think what else i can do.

 

[Flute]

I can't really think of much else to add than the great questions/advice Baccus has already asked or provided, but I was just wondering if you know how old Blaze is, and if not, how long have you had him and was he already fully grown when you bought him? It may not have anything to do with what is wrong with him, but I'm just trying to think of anything else to add that might be having an effect on him.

 

[Baccus]

If the jungle fungus clear is the same stuff I once got (which I think is now banned in Australia - have never seen it again anyway) it is a heavy duty medication that is even toxic to humans, and suspected of being carcingentic.
As far as I am aware stress zyme and stress coat do the same thing so adding them is a bit overboard. They maybe safe to use normally on fish together but because of fighters being labrynith breathers these types of products can coat their delicate gills effectively sufficating them, if not from the product itself but the extra body mucus they stimulate the fish to produce.
If you want to continue with the salt treatment then I would, but salt does have its down sides too.
Can you get hold of some Indian almond leaves, Terminallia? These are great for many fish especially fighters, the leaves have antibacterial qualitites and they raise the acidity in the water helping reduce the chance of infection. I recall somewhere reading where a member used a type of pinecone to raise the acidity in a cory egg/ fry tank to stave off fungal attacks. I will see if I can find the thread and check what they used in case you can get them but not Indian Almond leaves.
Also a bit of timber will also release tannins and raise acidity which once again is benefitical to fighters.

 

[bellasia]

I can't really think of much else to add than the great questions/advice Baccus has already asked or provided, but I was just wondering if you know how old Blaze is, and if not, how long have you had him and was he already fully grown when you bought him? It may not have anything to do with what is wrong with him, but I'm just trying to think of anything else to add that might be having an effect on him.

Hi i dont know how old he was when i got him but ive had him just over a year now, i feel like ive tried everything just want him to get better

 

[bellasia]

If the jungle fungus clear is the same stuff I once got (which I think is now banned in Australia - have never seen it again anyway) it is a heavy duty medication that is even toxic to humans, and suspected of being carcingentic.
As far as I am aware stress zyme and stress coat do the same thing so adding them is a bit overboard. They maybe safe to use normally on fish together but because of fighters being labrynith breathers these types of products can coat their delicate gills effectively sufficating them, if not from the product itself but the extra body mucus they stimulate the fish to produce.
If you want to continue with the salt treatment then I would, but salt does have its down sides too.
Can you get hold of some Indian almond leaves, Terminallia? These are great for many fish especially fighters, the leaves have antibacterial qualitites and they raise the acidity in the water helping reduce the chance of infection. I recall somewhere reading where a member used a type of pinecone to raise the acidity in a cory egg/ fry tank to stave off fungal attacks. I will see if I can find the thread and check what they used in case you can get them but not Indian Almond leaves.
Also a bit of timber will also release tannins and raise acidity which once again is benefitical to fighters.

Ok thanx i will stop using one of them, i live in the UK and got the Jungle Fungus Clear from the USA after it was reccomended to me i hadn't wanted to medicate but didnt want to lose him, the fungus has been gone awhile now. Thanx for yr help just want him back to his old self

 

[Baccus]

Ok found the type of cone, Alder cones. Other people have also used Oak, and I also often put Icecream bean tree leaves in my tanks.

Just to give you some hope on recovery here are some pictures of my male fighter Carpe Diem who injured himself terribly and I thought he would end up with either raging infections or dead.
Pics go from time of injury to current day.

with his terminalia leaf

Sorry don't have some really decent pics of his current state but basically there is only a faint scar where he had the worst wound.

 

[bellasia]

Ok found the type of cone, Alder cones. Other people have also used Oak, and I also often put Icecream bean tree leaves in my tanks.

Just to give you some hope on recovery here are some pictures of my male fighter Carpe Diem who injured himself terribly and I thought he would end up with either raging infections or dead.
Pics go from time of injury to current day.

with his terminalia leaf

Sorry don't have some really decent pics of his current state but basically there is only a faint scar where he had the worst wound.

Wow hes healed so well, they really are fighters in every sense of the word thanx again for yr help

 

[Baccus]

At least yours is still eating so a huge battle there is won, hope Blaze also pulls through for you.