Sad News

[katie1984]

Until Friday Night, we had 3 fighters. Homer, Squirt & Neo. One of our fighter's (Homer) died last Monday, and on Friday night, Squirt died. They both had similar symptoms. Firstly Homer was swimming erradically for a week so, darting to the top of the tank for air then resting on the bottom and rubbing against the rocks. Under advice from the pet shop, we got him some parasite medication, but then he developed a lump in his bladder. I thought it was swim bladder so we fasted him for 2 days, then fed him again cause he was not getting any better then 2 days later he died. He lost colour and his fins clamped up. Maybe he had a tumor?

Squirt did the same thing, but we dod not notice a lump on him. Just a black small balck spot on his body. He was healthy one day then literally, the next day no flaring, loss of colour and appetite, clamped fins, darting to the top for air than back to the bottom again and he dived head first into the rocks! He also has a small black spot on his body. He died Friday night.

I am very sad because we have done everything right, 2/3 water change once a week, water temp is fine and we are feeding them the right amount etc.

I cant diagnose the problem and its upsetting me cause i dont want them to suffer. I think Squirt may have has Scepticema, but i have tried many pet shops and see if they stock Maracyn or Maracyn 2 because i believe that will help him, but i cant get it anywhere and its frustrating.

Our tank is split into 3 sections (hard to have a filter) and we had a fighter in each. But now with only 1 its sad. The tank is prob 80cm long and 10cm wide. Its near a window, but that is shut most of the time. It holds about 7 litres.

I would like to get another but also need to sterilise the tank. What is used to to do that so new fish are not sesceptible to the old fish's disease?

Touch wood, Neo is still alive and happy which is good, so i just can understand y the other 2 died?
I really need some help with these fish so if anyone can, please reply! I want to get enjoyment out of them because i LOVE THEM!

Thankoyu to anyone who can help me in ANY WAY!

 

[33moths]

Whoa, 7 liters? If I did my math right, that's about 1.8 US gallons- that's enough for perhaps one betta, not three. You should be doing about 90 percent water changes every 5-6 days, too.

If you're going to get more fish, get them all their own tanks. That way, disease or parasites will not spread so easily. And they'll all have more space, which they NEED.

 

[K.J.]

It could have been from lack of space or lack of water change. With a tank that size, I would say water changes, 100% every other day minimal. So it was probably dirty water and not nearly enough room.

 

[katie1984]

Yeah but the tank is split into 3 sections, so they can fight each other though the glass. They were not all in together! The pet shop sell the fish in containers a third the size of one section of our tank, so how come they live?

 

[liz2]

Hello Katie,

Hugs to you about your fishes. really sad. I am not a lover of split tanks in case one of them is ill and the others catch it. For the time being can you let your last fish swim in all the tank by himself? If the others had same disease I should leave it a while to see how he goes. Hopefully he will be fine. But, you dont want to waste your money buying more if there is some disease about!

 

[katie1984]

Thanks Liz. No i cant make the tank into one, but Ill keep an eye on Neo.

 

[catxx]

sorry for your losses

i'd be worried about your tank size though, 80cm long is great, but only 10cm (4") wide is pretty insy. bettas, including long fins, can be anything between 3" and 4" long.

 

[lisie]

Yeah but the tank is split into 3 sections, so they can fight each other though the glass. They were not all in together! The pet shop sell the fish in containers a third the size of one section of our tank, so how come they live?

The cups pet stores keep bettas in are temporary, not permanent homes. As was said, 7 liters is only enough room for 1 betta and you'll need to do 100% changes every 5 days or so.

Sorry about your two fishies though. Hopefully the one that's left will be okay.

 

[jollysue]

Those type tanks are called barracks. It is ok to use as a temporary tank when recieving several fish perhaps. But I think it will not make a good permanent home for Betta.