Please help me help my betta!

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Jessa+BlueBoy

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Joined
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Location
Maine
Does anyone know what is wrong with my betta fish, Blue Boy? :-( He was laying on his side and swimming wildly around the tank once in a while. I put him in a little glass bowl....I warmed up the water in his bowl because it was way too cold (65 F.) and got it up to 80 F. but it's dropping again. His stomach looks a little bloated I think.... Here is a picture. Thanks for any help!
IMG_1157.jpeg
 
He looks just like my beta (other than perhaps being sick and all). Since it's winter (especially in Maine I'm sure) - I would pick up a 50 watt heater for his tank and keep it on 78-80 degrees. Technically they aren't suppose to need heaters but they don't naturally live in Maine either. Just looking at him he looks fine. Are there places he can rest in his tank - for example, I have a couple of pieces of driftwood and my beta just lays on that driftwood in great comfort - he doesn't have to swim all the time. Have you declorinated his water before adding him? Have you done any water changes lately - I know they are only one fish and they don't need water changes very often but every month or so would likely be helpful. Are their any live plants in his environment to add oxygen to the water?

We tend to treat our bettas differently because they are only one fish. For example, bettas tend to hate a lot of water movement - swimming against a current is difficult for them so often they don't get provided with filters. I still think you need a small filter to aerate the water, just like you would for any other fiish - you just don't need gushing streams of water. Same with the heater - they don't need a high temperature to live in except in places like Maine or Kansas (we had a blizzard yesterday- I've lost my stray cats since they haven't been back to eat). We also don't think we need to change the water because the amount of ammonia coming from the poop of one fish isn't very high - but they DO poop and if they accummulate a bunch of snail buddies so do they. They are kits you can buy to look at all the major water parameters but you may not need that yet.

Pick up a small filer (Aqua 100 are a good size with slow current). Pick up a small heater. Make sure there are places to rest in the tank. Change the water - making sure you add a declorinator like Prime or Tetrus. Tetrus Plus also has the added advantage of providing much needed bacteria to the tank. Most people don't bother to cycle Beta tanks - and that may be the problem here - there isn't enough bacteria in the water and the ammonia and nitrites have built up to toxic levels.

Finally, Betta's, like Gourami and a few other fish species breath regular air using their swim bladder which helps lower and raise them to the top of the tank Swim bladders give some species problems and quit working and they die - the first indication is that they swim funny or can't quite make to the top of the tank to get a breath of fresh air. They need to be able to do this, Ideally they would also have some plants in their display creating O2 for the betta's water while absorbing the excess CO2.

To fit in all this stuff you may need to purchase a larger tank than what you have now. Mine has 6 gallons to swim in which was a little overkill but I think they need 3-5 gallons at a minimum to fit in all the equipment without it getting in his way. There don't seem to be any other obvious diseases so I would start with improving his environment and getting him easy access to the air. You didn't say if he is eating? If he's not eating that unfortunately can be a lot of issues - swim bladder, constiplation, general disease ect.
 
Hi Jessa, Sorry to hear about Blue Boy

1. Can you tell us a little more about your tank setup
2. Did you condition his water before adding him (remove chlorine)
3. How quick did you raise the temperature of the water
4. How often do you do water changes
5. Do you test your water parameters, if so what are they
6. Is the tank cycled?

Fish are very sensitive to water conditions. Under the right circumstances fish will thrive, under the wrong conditions fish can die in the blink of an eye. Something as simple as forgetting to add dechlorinator to your water before adding it can nuke ? a tank
 
Last edited:
He looks just like my beta (other than perhaps being sick and all). Since it's winter (especially in Maine I'm sure) - I would pick up a 50 watt heater for his tank and keep it on 78-80 degrees. Technically they aren't suppose to need heaters but they don't naturally live in Maine either. Just looking at him he looks fine. Are there places he can rest in his tank - for example, I have a couple of pieces of driftwood and my beta just lays on that driftwood in great comfort - he doesn't have to swim all the time. Have you declorinated his water before adding him? Have you done any water changes lately - I know they are only one fish and they don't need water changes very often but every month or so would likely be helpful. Are their any live plants in his environment to add oxygen to the water?

We tend to treat our bettas differently because they are only one fish. For example, bettas tend to hate a lot of water movement - swimming against a current is difficult for them so often they don't get provided with filters. I still think you need a small filter to aerate the water, just like you would for any other fiish - you just don't need gushing streams of water. Same with the heater - they don't need a high temperature to live in except in places like Maine or Kansas (we had a blizzard yesterday- I've lost my stray cats since they haven't been back to eat). We also don't think we need to change the water because the amount of ammonia coming from the poop of one fish isn't very high - but they DO poop and if they accummulate a bunch of snail buddies so do they. They are kits you can buy to look at all the major water parameters but you may not need that yet.

Pick up a small filer (Aqua 100 are a good size with slow current). Pick up a small heater. Make sure there are places to rest in the tank. Change the water - making sure you add a declorinator like Prime or Tetrus. Tetrus Plus also has the added advantage of providing much needed bacteria to the tank. Most people don't bother to cycle Beta tanks - and that may be the problem here - there isn't enough bacteria in the water and the ammonia and nitrites have built up to toxic levels.

Finally, Betta's, like Gourami and a few other fish species breath regular air using their swim bladder which helps lower and raise them to the top of the tank Swim bladders give some species problems and quit working and they die - the first indication is that they swim funny or can't quite make to the top of the tank to get a breath of fresh air. They need to be able to do this, Ideally they would also have some plants in their display creating O2 for the betta's water while absorbing the excess CO2.

To fit in all this stuff you may need to purchase a larger tank than what you have now. Mine has 6 gallons to swim in which was a little overkill but I think they need 3-5 gallons at a minimum to fit in all the equipment without it getting in his way. There don't seem to be any other obvious diseases so I would start with improving his environment and getting him easy access to the air. You didn't say if he is eating? If he's not eating that unfortunately can be a lot of issues - swim bladder, constiplation, general disease ect.

Thank you very much for the reply! I don't have any live plants... :(
 
Hi Jessa, Sorry to hear about Blue Boy

1. Can you tell us a little more about your tank setup
2. Did you condition his water before adding him (remove chlorine)
3. How quick did you raise the temperature of the water
4. How often do you do water changes
5. Do you test your water parameters, if so what are they
6. Is the tank cycled?

Fish are very sensitive to water conditions. Under the right circumstances fish will thrive, under the wrong conditions fish can die in the blink of an eye. Something as simple as forgetting to add dechlorinator to your water before adding it can nuke ? a tank

1. Can you tell us a little more about your tank setup
Okay.... so for now he is in a 1.5 gallon tank. He is the only fish in there and nothing else lives with him. I have a small rock cave that he likes to swim through, and two plastic plants. (Pink and green). There is also gravel covering the bottom of the tank.
2. Did you condition his water before adding him (remove chlorine)
Yes, I always do when I clean the tank.
3. How quick did you raise the temperature of the water
I took some water from his tank and heated it to about 79 degrees, and then put blue boy in one of those little plastic bags with his old water and but it in the bowl with the 79 water and let him adjust before putting him directly in it.
4. How often do you do water changes
I try to at least once every 2 weeks but I'm thinking that's not enough. Am I right?

Thanks again for the help!
5. Do you test your water parameters, if so what are they
6. Is the tank cycled?
 
1. Can you tell us a little more about your tank setup
Okay.... so for now he is in a 1.5 gallon tank. He is the only fish in there and nothing else lives with him. I have a small rock cave that he likes to swim through, and two plastic plants. (Pink and green). There is also gravel covering the bottom of the tank.
2. Did you condition his water before adding him (remove chlorine)
Yes, I always do when I clean the tank.
3. How quick did you raise the temperature of the water
I took some water from his tank and heated it to about 79 degrees, and then put blue boy in one of those little plastic bags with his old water and but it in the bowl with the 79 water and let him adjust before putting him directly in it.
4. How often do you do water changes
I try to at least once every 2 weeks but I'm thinking that's not enough. Am I right?

Thanks again for the help!
5. Do you test your water parameters, if so what are they
6. Is the tank cycled?
Can you get a better picture of him from a side angle?

How long has your tank been set up?

Many people think just because a betta lives by themselves that they don't produce that much waste. But they do poop and when in a small tank like yours it can build up fast.

1. Try doing a 20% water change every day for a week and see if he perks up.

2. Invest in a small tank heater ($10)

3. Try feeding him blood worms. My bettas go crazy for them and their high in protein
4. Invest in a small 1-3 gallon water filter ($10)

5. Consider upgrading the tank to a 5 gallon. Bettas are not happy in anything smaller. A 10 gallon tank would be ideal.
 
Bettas are tropical fish which should be kept around 26 deg C/79 deg F 24/7. A heater is a must if you live outside the tropics or have a home heated like the tropics day and night.
And if there's no filter, in a tank that size he needs a water change every day as ammonia will build up quickly in such a small volume.

I agree with Callisto405, he really needs a bigger tank. 2.5 gallons is the absolute minimum but 5 gallons or over are much better. With a filter and heater.
 
Can you get a better picture of him from a side angle?

How long has your tank been set up?

Many people think just because a betta lives by themselves that they don't produce that much waste. But they do poop and when in a small tank like yours it can build up fast.

1. Try doing a 20% water change every day for a week and see if he perks up.

2. Invest in a small tank heater ($10)

3. Try feeding him blood worms. My bettas go crazy for them and their high in protein
4. Invest in a small 1-3 gallon water filter ($10)

5. Consider upgrading the tank to a 5 gallon. Bettas are not happy in anything smaller. A 10 gallon tank would be ideal.

I will try to get another picture of him later. This is when he was healthy a while ago... if it helps.
DSCN9568.jpg

I'm had that tank since the beginning of November. Thanks for the tips. *sigh* I guess I do need a bigger tank.
 
Bettas are tropical fish which should be kept around 26 deg C/79 deg F 24/7. A heater is a must if you live outside the tropics or have a home heated like the tropics day and night.
And if there's no filter, in a tank that size he needs a water change every day as ammonia will build up quickly in such a small volume.

I agree with Callisto405, he really needs a bigger tank. 2.5 gallons is the absolute minimum but 5 gallons or over are much better. With a filter and heater.

Thanks for the tips....
 

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