OH NOOOOOOO....

[BOD]

recently in my old 30G i hadnt been seeing much of my betta and he was just hiding all the time, i would guess he just over 2 years old....so i decided to move him to a new smaller 18G more comfortable home then wot he was in with calmer less tank mates on tuesday, he seemed to be fine swimming around and eating but he looked a bit thin and worn, and this morning i came down and couldnt see him, so i lifted up this big castle and he sorta came floating out, he still alive but looks all brown and his fins look in really bad condition, i take it he hasnt been comming up for air...and now he's just floating in the corner and i dont know wot i can do.....does he know his time is up...or did i do something wrong???

 

[abstract]

first off if his fins are damage he may have been subject to some fin nipping - what fish are in the tank w/ him now?? it seems that he may be hiding because he is scared of his tank mates...do a fairly large water change (20-40%) and try adding a pinch of salt (depedning on the tankmates he has).. is he eating? does it look like he is struggling when he is swimming? what are the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate readings, etc?

also, if you have a tall fake plant that reaches near the top, put it in there so that he has a spot to perch close to the surface so he can get oxygen

 

[BOD]

there are two small mollies and they dont go ne where near him ive been watching them for a long time, and they just hang around toghter, he's not eating at the moment, hes just sort of floating near the top....i did a big water change on tuesday, so i dont really want to do another one....how much salt should i actually add then?

Edit - ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate - 12

 

[Allix]

My mollies dont touch my betta, however this morning he had some little nips on him, bettamomma has told me that once you turn the light off in your tank then the fish tend to go for the fins

I've decided to get another tank, perhaps putting your betta on his own would help? Also water changes, like has been done before and some melafix if you can get him on his own?

 

[BOD]

i have salt, stress coat, melafix, and anti internal bacteria....meds what shall i add....or just salt?

thanks allix - but the lights go off before i go to bed as well and they dont go after him then....but i guess i havent seen all the time...but im sure they are not...i think his fins are a bit mangle cos he was in the castle, ive taken it out now so he cant go back in it....

 

[RandomWiktor]

This sounds a LOT like the mystery betta-illness my Tim got when he was stressed. It would make sense since he just had a change in environment. I'd like to to try the following things quickly, but they don't always make it, as a forewarning.

- Place the fish in a separate tank - preferably one that isn't too deep so they don't have far to come up for air. Acclimate VERY SLOWLY - over the course of over an hour even, so no stress is put on the fish's system in the new water.
- Heat the tank to 82 degrees
- Add salt, stress coat, an antibiotic, and of course dechlorinator
- Keep the hood lights OFF so the fish rests, and give plenty of plant cover for support but no caves so he doesn't get stuck in it if too weak.
- Place the tank in a very quiet, low-activity area of the house
- Possibly use a filter but only if VERY mild; not having a current at all works best since if this is the illness I'm thinking of, he's going to lose a lot of fin and have some trouble swimming
- If eating, offer a high quality, high protien food such as live or frozen blood worms. Offer food a few times a day even if not eating in case they decide to start up again.
- Cross your fingers, say a prayer, and hope for the best.

Oh, and no melafix; its dosage is all wrong for bettas and can make them worse. Use the antibacterial or buy some betta fix.

 

[BOD]

i have interpet 9 anti bacteria....could i use this? it says on the front for - bacterial gillrot,dropsy,ulcers,septicaemia???

 

[abstract]

i wouldn't unless you know for sure he has a bacterial infection, which you dont

 

[BOD]

OMG whats happening...my betta within the last few hours has suddenly got all this whiteish blueish bits all over him, and now he looks like he keeps having some weird fit then he sinks and then races back to the top again..... wots going on

 

[WILDER]

Ichthyobodo necator (Costiasis)



A. Piriform shaped protozoa 6-12 microns long with two short and two long flagella. These are stalked protozoa which attach to the skin or gills.



B. This disease is observed in most aquariums and hatchery raised fish. This disease occurs primarily in cold waters (10°C) and affects very young fish when they are just beginning to eat food.



C. Clinically the fish may flash, produce abundant mucus over the skin (blue slime disease) and/or show respiratory distress (flaring of gills). Histologically the parasites are attached to the epithelial surface of the skin or gills.



D. Transmission of the parasite is by direct contact with the protozoa. This protozoa is a free swimmer so it can swim and then attach to the host where it undergoes binary fusion for reproduction.

 

[BOD]

and that means.....?

 

[WILDER]

Parasites here is another link.
http/www.fishdisease.co.uk/health/costia.html

 

[BOD]

theres a bit long stringy thing in my tank is that the parasite?

 

[Kiarra]

That it sounds like Ich.

Raise the temp to 84 degrees, add aquarium salt to the water at a dose of 1/2 teaspoon per gallon, or 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons. Go to the store and buy a product that says it treats Ich. Many products do, and, if it says that it treats Ich, it probably does. Notable products include: Quick Cure, Maracide. Follow dosage instructions. Any questions, come back to the forum and ask.

 

[BOD]

err its not ich.....