Please Help, Beta Fish Is Dieing

[OneDulcetMoon]

I don't know what to do, it's almost 1 in the morning here, and my beta fish is at the bottom of the tank on his side breathing really strangely. I added a pump to the tank for many hours thinking the water was deficient in oxygen and he seemed to be doing better and even swimming very weakly but now he is at the bottom again. I removed the pump.

What should I do? He's only one year old. The poor thing looks like he's gasping for air. Is it just his time to go or is there something I could do?

Please someone respond.

 

[fish_fetish65]

i would keep the air pump in there. it can't hurt. any other signs of possible disease? any odd behavior?

i'm really sorry about your fish... i hope he recovers.

 

[OneDulcetMoon]

i would keep the air pump in there. it can't hurt. any other signs of possible disease? any odd behavior?

i'm really sorry about your fish... i hope he recovers.

Okay, I just put the pump back in. No he hasn't any signs of disease. He just lies there on his side. Thank you for responding.

 

[fish_fetish65]

no problem.
have you changed his water lately or added anything to it? no funny behavior on his part prior to this?

 

[OneDulcetMoon]

Well, it's my cousin's fish but she doesn't give a damn. I believe she cleaned out the tank last week and added some sort of water conditioner. He was just fine this morning being his cheerful self and next thing I know he is at the bottom of the tank on his side. I added the pump and he seemed to be doing better. So much so that I thought he would be okay, but now he is at the bottom again like before. He just lies there gasping for air. Is there anything I could do to make this less painful for him? I know nothing of fish, I am just an overly sensitive animal lover and this little fella is causing me much grief. I don't know what to do.

 

[fish_fetish65]

has he been eating? there's a chance it could be some kind of internal parasite... so there aren't any odd things about him? no white spots or fuzzy white splotches or open sores or inability to float?

also, if he seems to be having trouble floating, it could be a swim bladder infection. try giving him some smushed peas (just the kind that humans eat, smushed up) and see if that perks him up at all...

 

[OneDulcetMoon]

He's been eating normally until today. He won't eat anything. As far as inability to float, I don't know what you mean. I just now lifted him up to the surface of the water and he is still there now, so I suppose that yes he can float but still on his side. He can't stay upright like a normal healthy fish.

I just turned the kitchen upsidedown looking for peas that I thought we had but to no avail... All I have is his regular food (betta pellet food) and his water conditioner. Should I add a little more of his water conditioner? Or try to see if he will eat his food?

Also I didn't see any splotches on him or anything like that. He might look a little swollen on his upper belly like a little below his chin, but I don't know if I'm just seeing things since I'm a little freaked out right now. Most likely I'm just imagining it.

 

[black angel]

How old is he and what temperature is the water? How big a container is he in? Has he eaten recently and what do you feed him? Can you test the water for ammonia?

 

[OneDulcetMoon]

Black angel, he is only 1 year old. He is in a half gallon tank and the exact temp of the water I do not know, it is just cool water, the same he has always had. He eats regular betta pellet food Aquarian brand the same he has always eaten. He hasn't eaten a thing since yesterday morning. I can't test the water for ammonia.

I just called petsmart and asked their fish department and they told me to change half of the water. Do you think this might send him into shock being as delicate as he is now? This person told me that he wouldn't go into shock but sometimes these people don't know what they are talking about.

 

[black angel]

He might be too cold. You need to get a thermometer to see what the temp is. It wont hurt to change half the water but boil the kettl and in a jug add some dechlored tap water and a little of the boiled water so its tepid and add that.

 

[OneDulcetMoon]

Okay guys. Really strange. Well, he is still alive and looking better. Only thing now is that he looks to be partially paralyzed. He doesn't move from the neck down (if fish had necks, that is). His front fins are shredded looks like. I went and bought some meds for "wounds, ulcers, mouth fungus and fin and tail rot" especially intended for bettas. I hope that will take care of his poor little front fins but what about the paralysis? He struggles to swim with just his front fins and sorta wiggling his head from left to right frantically. Sometimes he struggles to swim to the bottom of the tank and as soon as he stops fluttering his fins he just floats back on up. At least he eats now. When he first got sick he went a whole week without eating a single pellet, but now he eats. However, he only eats when I put the pellets right in front of his face, otherwise he will not eat. I'm sure this is due to his being unable to move freely like before, he just doesn't feel like the struggle to swim after the pellets.
I've never had a fish do this before. Does anyone have any idea what's wrong? The guy at Petsmart said really there isn't anything to do. Sometimes when fish get old this just happens. My fish is only about a year old, I don't know if this is old for a betta. I'm just glad that he isn't dead and is actually eating now, though I hope he isn't in any pain.

Any comments/suggestions would be most appreciated.