My Betta is acting strange!

[BettaEddie]

Ive had my latest betta for six months and he has always been mega healthy until now. He used to have soo much energy he never sat still. Lately, the past week or so, all he does is mostly kind of rest in/against the leaves of a tall plant at the top of the tank. When you look down at him from the top you can see he's got his head peaking out of the water a bit like he's taking the air periodically. When he does swim about, rarely, it doesnt look like he is using his bottom fin(anal) well, it looks like its a bit clamped and he swims a bit tilted. When he is still his body is kind of vertical, head up-bottom dragging. Is he having breathing problems? fin problems? stomach problems? his appetite is off, he used to be a little pig, ate everything I put in the tank. now he's about a pellett or two a day.

Tank size: 3 gallon, unfiltered, complete water change once a week.
He lives alone
water treatment: splendidbetta water conditioner
water temp: always between 73-80.

 

[fishmom]

Contact Bettamomma or Kiara. Or, try someone else who has a lot of posts on here. They could be a lot of help. The two I mentioned helped me alot.
Good Luck!!!

 

[WILDER]

Right need to no water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, by what you are saying it could be bacterial or parasite, is the tummy swollen bloated looking what do you feed the fish, what does it look like when he goes to the toilet, clamped fins are a sign of stress, any flickig and rubbing, laboured breathing, red inflamed gills, any grey patches on him.

 

[BettaEddie]

Right need to no water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, by what you are saying it could be bacterial or parasite, is the tummy swollen bloated looking what do you feed the fish, what does it look like when he goes to the toilet, clamped fins are a sign of stress, any flickig and rubbing, laboured breathing, red inflamed gills, any grey patches on him.

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The only fin that seems to be clamped is the anal/bottom. Yes he does seem to have labored breathing. I feed him pelletts-hikari golds and wardley's. I used to mix it up with flakes, dried worms, and freeze-dried brine shrimp but lately he wont take anything but the pelletts. As of yesterday Im only giving him thawed peas to try to see if it helps. His stomach is not swollen at all and the rest of him doesnt look bad physically. As far as going to the toilet, he really hasnt been showing much waste, i thought of constipation but would that make him out of breath?

 

[WILDER]

Yes it can make them heavy breath if they are bloated try some shelled peas, no shaking or shivering as though something is irratating him.

 

[BettaEddie]

He doesnt seem to be shaking, just kind of lying near the top of the water in a plant. he swims about maybe once an hour or so but he doesnt swim straight like he used to, he swims with his bottom end down at an angle like. I think it looks like he may be really constipated because he still hasnt pooped since last night-i put him in a smaller tank with nothing on the bottom so I could tell if he did anything. Do you think a little maracyn would help? Im giving him nothing but peas still, he takes maybe a mouthful or two.

 

[WILDER]

It up to you if you try the maracym two, but if he was constipated i would of thought he would of been bloated, fingers crossed.

 

[BettaEddie]

I thought he'd be bloated too, but im just guessing because he hasnt pooped and it seems like his anal fin is still clamped-maybe belly ache? He's still breathing heavy on and off and thats what worries me. Im thinking maybe he has a minor stomach infection??? I've used maracyn before and it tends to be pretty mild, but i dont want to strees him out more.

 

[WILDER]

Look at the anus does it look large and inflamed, is he skinny looking,do the gill look red.

 

[BettaEddie]

Look at the anus does it look large and inflamed, is he skinny looking,do the gill look red.

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I dot know whereto look for the anus, he is skinny looking(he never was a big boy, I got him when he was young a few months ago, but he does look thin to me), and his gills could be red but I couldnt tell you because he is a red and blue colored betta, do you mean the underside?

 

[WILDER]

Being thin can be a sign of internal parasites, wasting away is fish tb, it's the heavy breathing that worrying me have you checked water quality, i'm going to say internal parasites, if he ate like a pig, can you get a med like clout, though with the heavy breathing it going to make matters worse, plus they are hard to cure internal parasites.

 

[BettaEddie]

he doesnt look "skeletal" thin but he definitly doesnt have any bloating or swollenm areas. He used to eat like a pig, anything and everything i gave him, but now in t he last week or two only pelletts. I think I agree with you about the internal parasites/infection. Is maracyn good for that? I have maracyn I & II, pimafix, Melafix, and aquarium salt. Should i give him any of them? I just checked his tank now and there is finally one piece of poo on the bottom, it looks big too, really round. Im used to thin pieces.(sorry for the nasty graphics!) I fed him a piece of pea a while ago so maybe it helped to do this?

 

[WILDER]

No maracyn won't treat internal parasites, though internal parasites can cause bacteria infection on top, you will need an internal parasite med like clout, but with the heavy breathing, to be honest he isn't sounding to good, and you should be prepared for him dying, as the med could be to much for him,sorry.

 

[Jamfish]

Checked its got white spote or what so ever germ I dont real now Never had A betta before.
How many more are in the tank with it may be lonley. It may want A bigger tank do you keep real plants, rocks and other things.
This will make it happy.

Or sorry to tell you this it could be old age after all you never Know how old it when you get it from the pet shop or web site.
......... sorry

 

[Netty]

This thread is 3 years old.......think he may have passed on by now